Durepaire eyes Group win with stable star
France: Trainer Yan Durepaire is aiming stable star Vagabond Shoes at the Group 3 Prix Messidor at Maisons-Laffitte later this month.
Vagabond Shoes emerged with great credit when chasing home former Prince of Wales's Stakes winner Byword in the Group 3 Prix Chemin de Fer du Nord at Chantilly last month - an even better effort in light of the fact that Durepaire is midway through relocating from Madrid to La Teste, near Bordeaux.
Yan Durepaire: set for stable move
PICTURE: yandurepaire.com"I always thought he was a good horse, so I wasn't really surprised that he ran so well," said Durepaire from his new base.
"Byword was a bit better than us on that day and probably would be if they met again. But it was difficult to get him in shape in Madrid, because I didn't have the right horses to work him with."
Vagabond Shoes races in the orange-and-pink silks of Javier Martinez Salmean, made famous by the Richard Gibson-trained Doctor Dino.
Durepaire added: "He's a lucky owner - he gave me my first horses when I moved to Madrid, so I'm pleased I'm having a decent year for him."
Dr Salmean's Annua will become one of Durepaire's first runners to be sent out from La Testewhen she contests a race for apprentices and young jockeys at Chantilly next Monday.
The big move became more complicated when Durepaire's original choice of facilities at Mont de Marsan had to be abandoned because not enough boxes were ready in time.
"I had to be fair to my owners, 99 per cent of whom have decided to follow me in this project," he said. "I had to make a choice, so I have moved around 25 horses up to La Teste now I have my French license, and the numbers will rise after the sales."
Durepaire is actually a Chantilly native, and his father was Francois Boutin's head lad for more than 30 years.
But he has travelled around the world to get to the stage of training in his own country.
He was a pupil-assistant at the stables of Luca Cumani, Freddie Head and Richard Mandella, before becoming assistant trainer to Patrick Biancone in 2001.
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