1) Horse you are most looking forward to seeing this season (and why)?
LJG: It’s always exciting to go into the winter with a Group 1- winning 2-year-old, and Ultra (Ire) (Manduro {Ger})’s win in the G1 Jean-Luc Lagardere, ahead of fellow Godolphin colour-bearer Cymric (Kitten’s Joy), gave the whole Godolphin team a lot to dream about over the winter. I love the fact that he’s by Manduro, one of my all-time favourite racehorses. In general I always get excited seeing the unraced 3-year-olds start out in March and April; it’s still possible in France for a really top-class horse to make his racetrack debut in the spring of his 3-year-old career. I love going racing at this time of year.
2) A stallion who could feature prominently (doesn’t have to be first season)?
LJG: Well, as mentioned above, I think Manduro could have a good year. As well as Ultra, Vazirabad (Fr) was another Manduro to light up the second half of last season in France, for HH The Aga Khan and Alain de Royer-Dupre. I was really taken by Rio De La Plata (Rahy)’s first yearlings last year and I think the breeze-up consignors liked them too, which is always a good sign for a first-crop stallion.
3) Positive change you would like to see for the industry in 2016?
LJG: Aftercare: we’re making huge strides on this issue in France in terms of getting industry-wide support, but there is still a great deal of progress to be made. I sincerely hope that France Galop (and all the other governing bodies across the world) will put racehorse welfare and Thoroughbred aftercare at the top of their agendas for 2016. I’d love to see French racing invest in a real community engagement strategy this year too.