Christopher Head

There is something wonderfully refreshing about John Hayes. He stands at least 6'6'' tall with size 15 'lucky boots' and a towering personality to match. Prior to watching Jannah Rose (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), the filly he bred from his beloved mare Sophie Germain (Ire) (Indian Ridge {Ire}), win the G1 Coolmore St Mark's Basilica Prix Saint-Alary, he serenaded guests of her owner Al Shira'aa Farms with a ditty about a cross-dressing gold-digger. It's the kind of theme that could so easily see people cancelled these days, but there could be...

There were no complications other than a slightly tardy break for Yeguada Centurion SL's Blue Rose Cen (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}--Queen Blossom {Ire}, by Jeremy) in Sunday's G1 Emirates Poule d'Essai des Pouliches as the admirably straightforward as well as high-class 3-5 favourite ruled the roost once again at ParisLongchamp. Needing stoking up at the start by Aurelien Lemaitre to race in the box seat behind the leader Sauterne (Fr) (Kingman {GB}), the homebred who had mastered the course-and-distance G1 Prix Marcel Boussac and G3 Prix de la Grotte attacked that...

It has been a good spell for Christopher Head. On Sunday, his colt Big Rock (Fr) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) became the latest group winner for owner-breeder Yeguada Centurion, followed two days later by a TDN Rising Star award for the trainer's first juvenile runner of the season, Ramatuelle (Justify), who demolished her opposition in the Prix du Premier Pas at Chantilly. This prominent start to the season picks up where Head left off last year: his first Group 1 success came in October's Prix Marcel Boussac with Blue Rose...

France Galop has boosted a series of 21 premium races for unraced 2-year-olds with increased prizemoney and the first such event, Tuesday's €50,000 Prix du Premier Pas at Chantilly, was bolstered by a 'TDN Rising Star' performance from Christopher Head incumbent Ramatuelle (Justify--Raven's Lady {GB}, by Raven's Pass), a €100,000 Arqana August purchase, who debuted with a stunning display in the straight five-furlong test. Ramatuelle, sporting the Infinity Nine Horses silks, broke well from an outer stall and raced prominently throughout. Looming large on the bridle approaching the final furlong,...

Yeguada Centurion's 3-year-old colt Big Rock (Fr) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}--Hardiyna {Ire}, by Sea The Stars {Ire}), who failed to nose ahead in each of his first three outings, graduated in a Feb. 2 handicap at Chantilly and repeated the dose back there in last month's Mar. 3 Listed Prix Maurice Caillault. Sent forward for a sterner test in Sunday's G3 Prix La Force at ParisLongchamp, he dented a host of lofty reputations with a game performance in the nine-furlong French Derby trial to register a career high. Big Rock...

First job in the Thoroughbred industry? Summer job as a stud groom at Highland Farm in Paris, Kentucky, that was managed by Peter Kirwan in 1999. Everything looked big and new at the time especially the Clydesdales that were kept on the farm not far from the Thoroughbreds! Biggest influence on your career? My friends Benoit Jeffroy and Gabriel Leenders. Unlike me the two of them are born and raised in this game and they have been keen to share their knowledge and experience with me since I decided to...

First job in the Thoroughbred industry? Actually, my first job in the Thoroughbred industry is my current one, manager of our racing operation. Biggest influence on your career? Without hesitation, my dad from the beginning. I have a very high regard for him, and for what he has done. He is a self-made man. Favourite racehorse of all time, and why? Miesque, she had everything. A magnificent racehorse with a sturdy character, and in addition, she was a wonderful mare. Who will be champion first-season sire in 2023? Ten Sovereigns....

His father Freddy had an enduring love affair with the Breeders' Cup thanks to his treble Mile winner Goldikova (Ire) (Anabaa), and this year it is the turn of Christopher Head to take his chance at America's major international meeting with Blue Rose Cen (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}). It has been quite the year for Head, 35, who notched his first group win in the G2 Prix du Muguet with TDN Rising Star Sibila Spain (Ire) (Frankel {GB), a first Group 1 in last weekend's Prix Marcel Boussac, and is now...

After the success for Nurlan Bizakov in the Lagardere, it was the turn of another rising force in French breeding Yeguada Centurion to enjoy the limelight as Blue Rose Cen (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) lit up ParisLongchamp in the G1 Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac, a "Win and You're In" for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Keeneland in November. Coming off a course-and-distance win in the G3 Prix d'Aumale Sept. 8, the Christopher Head trainee had the perfect tow in third as Aurelien Lemaitre contained her enthusiasm. Let loose...

Yeguada Centurion's homebred 2-year-old filly Blue Rose Cen (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}--Queen Blossom {Ire}, by Jeremy), who followed up wins at Saint-Cloud in June and at Clairefontaine in July with a runner-up finish in Deauville's Aug. 20 Listed Criterium du Fonds Europeen de l'Elevage in her latest start, made her experience tell in Thursday's G3 Prix d'Aumale at ParisLongchamp and surged to a career high in the one-mile fillies' test. The 13-5 second favourite was steadied to track the leaders in third after an alert getaway. Coming under pressure to reduce...

Sunday's mouthwatering feast of pattern-race action got going with ParisLongchamp's G3 Prix La Rochette and there was a surprise in store as last month's Deauville maiden winner Tigrais (Fr) (Outstrip {GB}--Maharana {Fr}, by Iffraaj {GB} swooped late to deny 'TDN Rising Star' Breizh Sky (Fr) (Pedro The Great) for a career high in the seven-furlong contest for juveniles. She had opened up with a July 17 debut seventh, behind the 'TDN Rising Star' display of Alia's Rose (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), over seven furlongs at Chantilly and had changed...

Galileo (Ire) had been omnipresent throughout the week and his influence even extended less directly to Saint-Cloud on Sunday when Sibila Spain (Ire) registered a pattern-race double for Frankel (GB). Following on from the impressive G2 Prix Greffulhe success of Onesto (Ire) earlier on the card, Yeguada Centurion SLU's daughter of the G1 Irish Oaks runner-up L'Ancresse (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}) took advantage of a change of plan to prevail in the G2 Prix du Muguet. Abandoning the front-running tactics that had been employed of late, Aurelien Lemaitre anchored the TDN...