Off to the races: Prix du jockey club

In my last post, I talked about my welcome into the racing world with two of the biggest races in France.

Let's start with the Qatar Prix du Jockey Club.

It was here that I learned our race was not the only race of the day. Typically, a "race meeting" includes between seven to nine races which occur within around 30-minutes of one another. You can attend all the races, one of the races, or a select few. The racing day is named after the marquee race of the day (the “course principale”), in this case the Jockey Club.

For team Yeguada Centurion, the day was all about our star 3-year-old colt Big Rock. Ranked third in France, Big Rock came to this race after four consecutive wins, including three in Chantilly. This was his first Group 1 race, the highest level in thoroughbred racing.

© SCOOPDYGA

Big Rock’s father (known as “sire”) is Rock of Gibraltar, an Irish stallion who won seven Group 1 races including the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp and the 2000 Guineas Stakes. Big Rock’s mother (known as “dam”) is Hardiyna, sired by champion stallion Sea the Stars (known for winning six consecutive Group 1 wins in 6 months, capped by the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe). For my readers who know less about breeding – Big Rock has great genes.

I asked our team for words they would use to describe Big Rock: magnificent, resistant, resilient.

We began our race meeting with lunch in the Restaurant Panoramique de l'Hippodrome de Chantilly, which had beautiful views of the racing ground. It was then down to the Parade Ring, where owners, trainers, jockeys, media, and special guests gather before each race. We met with our trainer Christopher Head and jockey Aurelien Lemaitre, with one final pep talk and strategic discussion.

Aurelien mounted Big Rock and we headed to our owner's suite to watch the race. It was incredible to see the crowds below us, as it seemed every person in town was in attendance. Coming around the turn, Big Rock had a lead by several strides and was just passed at the end for a runner-up finish in one of the biggest races in France.

We had an amazing crew helping with video and photos for both races. After experiencing the Prix du Jockey Club, I got to take the reins at the Prix de Diane Longines. More for next time...