TDN Q&A With Francis Graffard

   Trainer Francis Graffard got off to a flying start this season in France before racing was brought to a halt. He speaks with the TDN's Sean Cronin about the current situation regarding the Coronavirus pandemic.

TDN: We are now well into the confinement imposed by French authorities. How are you managing everything at the stable?

FG: The daily routine goes on without any major problem. We have taken all sanitary measures imposed by our government's Health department like washing hands regularly, distancing, no regrouping. We have done even more like closing the room where employees had a coffee break and I have also ordered the tack room closed. Each employee keeps their saddle, bridle, and so on in their own car to avoid people being too close to each other. Once they ride out distancing is not a problem as they all walk one behind another as usual. I would say that the ambiance is excellent. They all love to come to work, rather than staying confined at home. The entire staff feels the importance of the moment.

TDN: What are you doing with the horses presently?

FG: Horses that were ready to run in this first part of the season are cantering every day. I keep them fit with a half-speed light work once a week, so that they could be ready to run once racing resumes. I had a target in mind for most of them before racing came to a halt and we hope to start again from where they left off. The unraced 3-year-olds need to be pushed a little bit more to improve and build up in order to be ready when the time comes for them to go to the races.

TDN: Considering the present situation, what is your opinion on the near future?

FG: Fingers crossed, I hope we could resume racing around the beginning of May, but of course nobody knows at this stage. The professionals have no visibility on what could be or not. Not only on the date, but also on which kind of program we will have. It is a very unusual situation for the trainers. We have no target to shoot at. Usually in December you know what you will be doing in March. You know which horses will be ready early and you have something to work on. At the moment, we are walking blind. We talk about it a lot between colleagues, and the various trainers' and owners' associations discuss it with France Galop. I would say what we need most is a racing program quite quickly. We will need many races for maidens, for unraced horses, conditions races also and we hope we will be heard. Ideally, we all think that it would be crucial to resume racing as early as possible, even behind closed doors, with very strict sanitary measures implemented again and even with reduced purses which would make sense early as there are no revenues from betting. Psychologically, I think that it would be good for everyone involved: trainers, owners, jockeys, grooms and all those working in the chain. Racing is what we all want. It would boost spirits before a return to normal.

TDN: On Mar. 15, just before racing was stopped, you had a nice double at Saint-Cloud with [Nigel & Carolyn Elwes' 4-year-old filly] Simona (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) winning the G3 Prix Exbury, France's first pattern race of the season, and Team Valor's Emoji (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}) showing a great deal of promise when winning the Listed Prix La Camargo. It looked like an auspicious start to the new season, did it not?

FG: Yes, indeed, and we could not have started the season better. We have been winning at a 52% strike rate [23 starts, 12 wins and eight places with 13 different horses] and we could not have asked for more really. Therefore, it is slightly frustrating that racing stopped, but of course everyone's health is a priority. We just have to hope that we will pick it up from where we left off.

TDN: Can you pinpoint any horses to help in that regard?

FG: Among the older horses, Simona (Fr) of course. She was so brilliant in the Prix Exbury. The Revenant (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) was almost perfect last year [winning four out of five starts] and concluded his season with a second place in the [Oct. 19] G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. at Ascot. He will contest all the top mile races again, he's in great form and was ready to run in the G3 Prix Edmond Blanc at Saint-Cloud. Wasmya (Fr) (Toronado {Ire}) is a nice 4-year-old filly. She won three times last year, including a listed race [in Germany], but didn't run her race last time out in the G1 Prix de La Foret on Arc weekend. She will show better things. Of the 3-year-olds, the [hitherto unbeaten] filly Emoji (Ger) is the one that first comes to mind. She won her only start at two in Germany [by 14 lengths] and was acquired privately by Team Valor afterwards. She was quite brilliant when winning the Prix La Camargo on her first start for me and I think she can be Classic material. Harmysian (GB) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) is a colt I like. He won well in December and has also wintered well. Bois d'Argent (GB) (Toronado {Ire}) is an unraced 3-year-old colt I like quite a lot and is owned by French international soccer player Clement Lenglet. I have quite a few interesting unraced 3-year-old fillies. They seem to be coming around now, but it is too early to mention any one over another. Hopefully, some of them will turn out to be good.