Jean-Claude Rouget

Always leave them wanting more, they say. In the case of Ace Impact (Fr) (Cracksman {GB}) there is little doubt that racing fans would have thrown wide their arms in joy had he stayed in training next year.  Those closer to the business end of the stallion market will appreciate the fine line that had to be walked by Kamel Chehboub and his daughter Pauline in making their decision either to continue the racing career of the unbeaten colt they share with Serge Stempniak, or hasten his departure to their...

From a January debut at Cagnes-sur-Mer to a jaw-dropping victory on France's biggest day of racing, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Ace Impact (Ire) (Cracksman {GB}) has had quite the season and is now the hottest property in European racing.  We already know where he will stand at stud eventually since his part-sale after his victory in the Prix du Jockey Club to the Chehboub family's Gousserie Racing. Kamel and his daughter Pauline Cheboub will now decide with their partner and the colt's original owner Serge Stempniak and...

   Bringing the house down at ParisLongchamp in the panama hat G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on Sunday, Gousserie Racing and Ecuries Serge Stempniak's brilliant Ace Impact (Ire) (Cracksman {GB}--Absolutly Me {Fr}, by Anabaa Blue {GB}) ripped up the rule book in scintillating style to become the first colt to win the revised 10 1/2-furlong G1 Prix du Jockey Club and this prize in the same season. "C'est enorme," uttered an emotional Jean-Claude Rouget after watching his unbeaten star rattle home past most of his rivals under a...

As the only trainer to bring a winner of the "new" Prix du Jockey Club to the G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and succeed, Jean-Claude Rouget can be forgiven his aura of zen ahead of the all-important Paris rendezvous for Ace Impact (Ire) (Cracksman {GB}) on Sunday. While the yard's Sottsass (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) took more than a year to complete the difficult double, late September's freak heatwave means that the 2023 edition of this autumn jewel is not the dire test it habitually represents for the Classic...

The undefeated G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe favourite Ace Impact (Ire) (Cracksman {GB}) is pleasing trainer Jean-Claude Rouget ahead of the big day on Sunday. He is one of 16 on the radar for the ParisLongchamp showpiece after Sprewell (Ire) (Churchill {Ire})'s defection at the latest forfeit stage on Tuesday. A colourbearer for Gousserie Racing and Ecuries Serge Stempniak, the five-for-five G1 Prix du Jockey Club hero ran out a three-quarter length winner of the G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano when last seen in August. "Why shouldn't I be...

Thursday's G3 Prix Des Chenes was robbed of TDN Rising Star Alcantor (Fr) (New Bay {GB}), leaving just a trio for ParisLongchamp's mile contest and a slowly-run affair which saw The Aga Khan's Zabiari (GB) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) prevail. Runner-up in the Listed Criterium du FEE at Deauville last month, the Jean-Claude Rouget-trained 6-5 second favourite followed the G3 Prix Francois Boutin winner Grey Man (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) around before being launched two out. In front soon after, he veered towards the rail inside the last half furlong to...

The G1 Qatar Prix du Jockey Club conqueror Ace Impact (Ire) (Cracksman {GB}) will head straight to the Oct. 1 G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe following his recent victory in Deauville's G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano. Conditioned by Jean-Claude Rouget, the undefeated colt gave Rouget back-to-back Group 1 wins this season and will aim to become the trainer's second victor in Europe's richest middle-distance contest behind multiple Group 1-winner Sottsass (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}). A long-circled date on the calendar for the connections, the team is reportedly happy with Ace Impact's...

Claiborne Farm's first-crop sire Demarchelier {GB) by Dubawi {Ire}) was off the mark at Clairefontaine on Friday as White Birch Farm's homebred colt De Sica (Fr) captured the Prix de Roncheville over a mile. Runner-up on debut at Dieppe last month, the Jean-Claude Rouget-trained 4-1 shot raced behind the leading trio early and took time to warm up as the dash began in early straight. Building a head of steam to reel in Mister Fernando (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) inside the last 50 metres, the bay asserted for a 3/4-of-a-length success...

Showing the acceleration that brought him one of the best renewals of the G1 Prix du Jockey Club in recent years, Gousserie Racing and Ecuries Serge Stempniak's Ace Impact (Ire) (Cracksman {GB}--Absolutly Me {Fr}, by Anabaa Blue {GB}) comfortably mastered the first test of the 2023 campaign Part II in Tuesday's G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano at Deauville. Reserved by Cristian Demuro with one behind early as stablemate Cambronne (Fr) (Alex The Winner) acted as a 1980's-style pacemaker in isolation, the latest Jean-Claude Rouget luminary delivered his sustained surge down the...

Some water has passed under the bridge since we last had the privilege of seeing Ace Impact (Ire) (Cracksman {GB}), but all that has really happened has been the strengthening of his aura and it is with great anticipation that Deauville welcomes him back from his mini-break in Tuesday's G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano. While the clock suggested at the time that Gousserie Racing and Ecuries Serge Stempniak's representative had produced something special in the G1 Prix du Jockey Club, subsequent events have proven that his performance in that 10 1/2-furlong...

There was a buzz in the air building up to Sunday's Prix de Crevecoeur at Deauville, the latest instalment of France Galop's series of premium races for unraced 2-year-olds, and the 7 1/2-furlong renowned staging post did not disappoint as His Highness The Aga Khan's homebred Elbaz (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}--Elennga {Fr}, by Exceed And Excel {Aus}) delivered an impressive debut display. The 9-5 favourite broke alertly and was reined back to stalk all five rivals as the whipper-in through halfway. Making eyecatching headway in the straight, he quickened in impressive...

Jean-Claude Rouget trainee Havana Cigar (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}--Speculating {Ire}, by Xtension {Ire}) created a favourable impression when notching a two-length debut triumph going six furlongs at Saint-Cloud in May and delivered a performance of raw power to earn a 'TDN Rising Star' badge over the same trip in Saturday's Prix de la Croix des Veneurs at Chantilly. Havana Cigar failed to make best use of his stands' side draw and was steadied at the tail of the six-runner field after missing a beat at the kick. Powering by rivals...