2021 couldn’t have got off to a better start, with the 28-year-old Bachelot currently in second place in the standings behind runaway leader Pierre-Charles Boudot.  Followed such a promising few weeks, it is no surprise that he is hoping for even better things this year.

“My agent (Alexis Doussot) is doing a fantastic job and after the season I enjoyed in 2020, I am hopeful that I can pick up more rides for some the bigger owners and trainers this year”.

We are delighted that Theo has agreed to a regular slot on Race Sharp this year and his blog will be updated every Monday and Friday, with previews and reviews of the week’s racing in France.

To kick things off, Theo has nominated a couple of his big hopes for the season ahead, as well as a couple of maidens to note in the coming weeks.

THE BIG TWO

Normandy Bridge won a newcomers’ race at Longchamp in September (a race won by subsequent Poule d’Essai des Poulains winner Victor Ludorum in 2019) for Deauville-based trainer Stephanie Nigge and followed up in the Group 3 Prix Thomas Byron under a memorable ride, with Theo coming all the way across to the stands’ side at Saint-Cloud, running a solo up the straight to get up on the line.

An exceptionally well-bred individual (he is a half-brother to three Group winners, including Group 1 Prix d’Ispahan hero Mekhtaal), he is a hugely-exciting prospect for 2021.

Karlarina did nothing but improve at three, shedding her maiden tag at the fifth attempt over 1m3.5f at Le Mans in September, before adding to that with a class 2 success over 1m6.5f at Clairefontaine, where she produced a fine front-running performance to win by nine lengths.  

Her final run of the campaign saw her upped to Listed company at Saint-Cloud for the Listed Prix Denisy, where she produced an impressive staying performance on heavy ground, winning comfortably from the very progressive Sheraz, the pair 20 lengths clear of the third.  Out of a Group 3 winner, she looks capable of surpassing her dam’s achievements this year for the astute Stephanie Nigge.

MAIDENS

Jerome Reynier is one of the bigger yards that Theo has started to have a few rides for in recent weeks and the Marseille-based handler’s Aclou looked a promising sort when runner-up at Cagnes earlier this month.  He runs in the colours of Gerard Augustin-Normand (who purchased Aclou’s sire Le Havre as a yearling in his first year as a racehorse owner) and took a nice step forwards on his debut effort in January when only finding one too good last time.   Out of a Siyouni half-sister to black-type performers on the flat and over jumps, he is capable of winning a maiden this spring.

All three of the above are by Le Havre…and so is Norrey!  Trained in partnership by Pia and Joachim Brandt, she ran a race full of promise on debut at Chantilly at the beginning of February, racing keenly through the early stages but travelling powerfully thereafter.  She finished her race off well and there is plenty more to come from this half-sister to Mont Ormel, who landed the 2016 Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris for these connections.