15 December 2016
Crédit-photo : scoopdyga.com
A review of the French leaders of 2016. Today, our series focuses on two partners, Antonio Caro and Gérard Augustin-Normand, joint owners of two outstanding 4yos in France, Almanzor and La Cressonnière...
The best thoroughbred in Europe this season, Almanzor represented two partners: the Madrid-based Antonio Caro and the Frenchman Gérard Augustin-Normand. La Cressonnière, the best filly of 2016 in France, and Avenir Certain, also a dual classic-winner two years ago, were co-owned by them too...
Gérard Augustin-Normand is third in the 2016 owners' rankings, just like in 2011 and 2012, when he established a new French record of wins in a season with 130 races won by his white and purple silks, even though they were registered in 2007 only.
Since his record-breaking season, the owner has streamlined his string of horses from 175 residents in 2012 to 116 to date this year. Through his Franklin Finance breeding operation, Gérard Augustin-Normand is the 2nd best breeder in France behind the Aga Khan with 61 winning foals this year. His acclaimed sire Le Havre is also 2nd in the French rankings behind Galileo.
Antonio Caro's light and dark blue colours date back to 1988. With 19 representatives in 2016, his string is consistently ranked in the top 50 in France. His 2016 seventh place is his best result to date though. The team also boasts an impressive figure of 65,382 € earned per horse raced this year, that is if you discount the purses Almanzor took in Ireland and England last Autumn, which exceeds €1.7 million euros ...