Buoyed
by the growing and evident interest of Australians for French racing, Laurent
Benoît (Broadhurst Agency) has launched a syndicate exclusively dedicated to
Australians and christened it Aussies in France Racing Club in 2014, with the
support of ARQANA Racing Club.
An initiative which has already been widely acclaimed in both hemispheres
The syndicate provides an opportunity for 40 or so Australians to have runners
in France under the care of master trainer Alain de Royer-Dupré, and at the
same time to shape future Cup prospects which could be successful on Australian
soil after starting their career in France. In addition to its sporting aspect,
the syndicate strives to open the doors to its Australian audience to the
backstages of racing, training and breeding in France in optimal and privileged
conditions; a truly unique package.
Gai Waterhouse completes a team tailor made for success
The team is made up of respected industry professionals which have developed a
detailed knowledge of French and Australian markets. After Laurent Benoît (Broadhurst
Agency) - in charge of purchasing horses on behalf of the syndicate and of
monitoring their race careers, and Alain de Royer Dupré - trainer for the
syndicate in France, Aussies in France Racing Club is delighted to welcome
iconic trainer Gai Waterhouse, in whose care the horses will be in Australia.
Daughter of the illustrious trainer T.J. Smith and known for her ceaseless
energy, she has taken up the family torch with great success, constantly adding
new victories and distinctions to her race record. A member of the Australian
Hall of Fame since 2007, she was the quickest trainer to reach over 110 Group 1
races and became the first woman to win the Melbourne Cup in 2013 with the
European bred Fiorente.
"We are truly delighted and honoured to welcome Gai Waterhouse at the heart of
our syndicate. A real celebrity in the southern hemisphere, her record is
particularly eloquent and the recent performances of Fiorente in the Melbourne
Cup (Gr.1) last year and in the Australian Cup (Gr.1) just a few days ago show
once again her ability to shape and bring out European horses at the highest
level. Aussies in France Racing Club is proud to have two of the best trainers
in both hemispheres!?" explained Laurent Benoît.
Gai Waterhouse for her part added: "I am thrilled to have been chosen as the trainer
for this exciting and innovative new venture, the Aussies in France Racing
Club. I have had a great deal of success with horses imported from Europe, with
the likes of Fiorente, Julienas, Glencadam Gold and The Offer winning
time-honoured classics such as the Melbourne Cup and the Australian Cup. I look
forward to sharing in the joys and successes of racing horses with all of the
shareholders involved."
Conditions of the syndicate
Aussies in France Racing Club is a syndicate numbering 40 shares for a total of
six horses which will be bought at either the Breeze Up Sale or the ARQANA
yearling sales. The price for each share is fixed at €25,900 (approximately
AUS$40,000) and covers all costs incurred by the syndicate (purchase, boarding
fees, etc) for its duration (2 1/2 years). These funds will only be taken once
the syndicate has been made up.
News from ARQANA
Aussies in France Racing Club
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