Jean-Claude Seroul

Christopher Head trainee Houquetot (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}--Happen, by War Front) endured a first defeat in three career starts when runner-up in last month's G3 Prix Francois Boutin and bounced back with a game victory in Sunday's G3 Prix La Rochette at ParisLongchamp. The 11-10 favourite, previously successful in two seven-furlong heats at Compiegne, broke smartly and raced in a prominent second from flagfall in this fourth start at the specialist distance. Stoked up with a quarter-mile remaining, he joined long-time leader Sir Tommy Cen (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) entering...

Last seen finishing runner-up in the Listed Prix Maurice Caillault at Chantilly in March, Jean-Pierre-Joseph Dubois and Jean-Claude Seroul's Wootton Verni (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) stepped up to land Monday's G3 Prix Greffulhe and survive a subsequent inquiry at Saint-Cloud. Tackling 10 1/2 furlongs for the first time under Cristian Demuro, the 9-2 shot, who holds an entry in the G1 Prix du Jockey Club, was anchored last of the quartet early before being launched wide of the duelling Sunway (Fr) (Galiway {GB}) and Casapueblo (Ire) (Le Havre {Ire}) to...

Group 1 winner Marianafoot (Fr) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) will move from Haras de Saint-Vincent to Haras des Faunes for the 2024 breeding season, Jour de Galop reported on Wednesday. A fee for the son of Marianabaa (Fr) (Anabaa) will be announced in due course. Alain Chopard of Haras des Faunes told the JDG, "He's a great recruit...He fits well with the profile I like. Marianafoot has a lot of arguments in his favour and he deserves to be given a chance." Haras de Saint-Vincent's Thierry Dalla Longa remains involved with Marianafoot's...

Group 1 winner Marianafoot (Fr) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}--Marianabaa {Fr}, by Anabaa) will stand at Haras de Saint-Vincent in 2023, Jour de Galop reported on Wednesday evening. A fee will be announced later for the 15-time winner. Bred and raced by Jean-Claude Seroul and trained by Jerome Reynier, the 7-year-old enjoyed his finest season at the track in 2021, taking the G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest, as well as the G3 Prix du Palais-Royal and G3 Prix de la Porte Maillot. This term, his final two starts were runner-up performances in the...

Jean-Claude Seroul's ultra-consistent 7-year-old Skalleti (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}) suffered just one reversal in six group-race starts last year and posted seasonal highs in ParisLongchamp's G1 Prix d'Ispahan and Munich's G1 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis. The globetrotting grey also saluted in 2021's G2 Prix d'Harcourt and was back at the Bois de Boulogne venue to successfully defend his title in Sunday's latest edition after failing to achieve a similar feat when third in Saint-Cloud's G3 Prix Exbury last month. The even-money favourite adopted his usual patient tactics from the outset and found a...

Now that Cheltenham's beloved festival has ended, the Flat picks up the thread seamlessly with an old favourite in the mold of some of the best-known jumps campaigners which have enriched this week's action in the Cotswolds. Step forward Skalleti (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}), Jean-Claude Seroul's veteran consumer of group contests who looks for back-to-back successes and an 11th Pattern race in Saturday's G3 Prix Exbury at Saint-Cloud. A repeat of his exploits when garnering ParisLongchamp's G1 Prix d'Ispahan and Munich's G1 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis last term should be enough if he...

Likeable gelding Skalleti (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}), a Group 1 winner in France and Germany, continued to pad his admirable record with a second victory in the G2 Premio Roma at Capannelle on Sunday. The grey won his first edition in 2019. Sent off at 6-5, the crowd's pick raced last of all in the bog-like going, as Alastor (Ire) (Helmet {Aus}) cut out the early running. Making up ground down the long straight, Skalleti raced out in the center of the course and was within striking distance with a quarter...

There were just three of the dozen to contest Sunday's G1 LARC Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville trained in France, but despite extremely tough foreign opposition the home team managed a surprise one-two led by Marianafoot (Fr) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}). Prolific at a lower level of late, Jean-Claude Seroul's 6-year-old had captured the seven-furlong G3 Prix du Palais-Royal and G3 Prix de la Porte Maillot on ParisLongchamp's turning track May 30 and July 1 but was equally at home over the straight course here with Mickael Barzalona burying his mount...

Jean-Claude Seroul's highly dependable 6-year-old grey Skalleti (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}) posted a career best in ParisLongchamp's G1 Prix d'Ispahan when last seen at the end of May and doubled his elite-level tally with an impressive five-length triumph in Sunday's G1 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis - Bayerisches Zuchtrennen over 10 furlongs at Munich. Last term's G1 Champion S. runner-up had also annexed this term's G3 Prix Exbury and G2 Prix d'Harcourt in an unbeaten start to the campaign and was sent postward as the heavily supported 3-10 favourite to continue that trend. Skalleti...

Munich's G1 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis - Bayerisches Zuchtrennen is the sole pattern-race action in Europe on Sunday and it should be a procession for France's star Skalleti (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}) provided all goes to plan. Successful in the Mar. 21 G3 Prix Exbury at Saint-Cloud and ParisLongchamp's Prix d'Harcourt Apr. 11 and G1 Prix d'Ispahan May 30, Jean-Claude Seroul's 6-year-old continues his march towards the G1 Champion S. in which he was runner-up in October. Of the home contingent, Dr Christoph Berglar's May 2 G3 Premio Ambrosiano winner Grocer Jack (Ger)...

Yes, it's Derby week in Epsom and Chantilly, and it's all about the Classic generation, but as we briefly cast our minds back over the past seven days, let's hear it for the oldies. At ParisLongchamp on Sunday, the 6-year-olds Skalleti (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}) and Marianafoot (Fr) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) pulled off a group-race double on a stellar weekend for owner Jean-Claude Seroul and trainer Jerome Reynier, while their younger stable-mate Elusive Foot (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) brought up a memorable treble in the Quinté. These followed Saturday's listed Derby du Medoc...

Jean-Claude Seroul's Skalleti (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}) could target the Hong Kong International meeting on Dec. 13 off the back of his second-place finish in the G1 Champion S. last weekend. The 5-year-old gelding-who stays in training next year-was trying Group 1 company for the first time in the Champion. He has won nine of his last 12 starts including six black-type races and two runnings of the G2 Prix Dollar. He has been off the board just once in 16 starts. "You always go to the races with a lot...