4 months ago
54
A BILLIONAIRE owner has removed all his horses from a legendary trainer with immediate effect – after 19 years working together.
The iconic Aga Khan silks will no longer be seen running under the name of Jean-Claude Rouget.
PA
The Aga Khan is one of the biggest and most powerful owners in racingBarcroft MediaIn a statement posted on the Aga Khan’s site, it was confirmed the 17 horses in training with Rouget would be moved to Francis-Henri Graffard.
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The statement read: “The Aga Khan Studs have announced that their horses currently trained by Jean-Claude Rouget will be relocated to the Aiglemont training centre in Gouvieux under the supervision of Francis-Henri Graffard, with the aim of streamlining their operations.
“The team at Aga Khan Studs extend their heartfelt thanks to Jean-Claude Rouget for his dedication over the past 19 years, during which time he has won seven Group 1 races for H.H. the Aga Khan, including Valyra (Prix de Diane), Ervedya (Poule d’Essai des Pouliches, Coronation Stakes and Prix du Moulin de Longchamp) and more recently Vadeni (Prix du Jockey Club and Eclipse Stakes).”
The news comes just days after it was announced Rouget and fellow handler Jerome Reynier were to join forces in a superstar training operation.
Frenchman Rouget, 71, is a four-time champion trainer in France and in May announched he was taking a break due to ‘exhaustion’.
He was later diagnosed with lymphoma – a form of cancer.
Graffard has made his mark in Britain this season and enjoyed an awesome Royal Ascot winner in the shape of Calandagan.
Owned by the Aga Khan, he was a breathtaking winner of the Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes over 1m4f.
Graffard, 47, plundered one of our biggest prizes last month too when 25-1 Goliath sauntered home in the King George.
Sent off a huge price under Christophe Soumillon, the jockey was celebrating miles out with Ralph Beckett’s Bluestocking trailing behind in second.
The Aga Khan clearly sees a huge opportunity with Graffard, who has won just shy of £1million from just six runners in Britain this year.
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