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| Pallavi Shevade |
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The petite French trainer has spoken often about her desire to take on the world and she has sought to change continually to succeed. Brandt rode 80-odd winners as a professional jockey during three seasons in Sweden after which she decided that she could make a greater difference as a trainer. In her quest to be influenced by the best, Brandt relocated to France and today trains out of Chantilly, the home of horse racing in France. In a previous interview, she has expressed how she believes Chantilly has been a major influence in her development. “We've had our own place for over two years now, that makes you feel more comfortable,” she said. “It has been a pleasure to see how Andre Fabre and Alain de Royer-Dupre are training. They are training in different ways but with a lot of success. It's nice to see how they work in that environment; I've always had an eye on what they're doing. They won't come to you and give you advice, but you can ask them, and they like it.”
Brandt has been a regular at the Dubai World Cup Carnival for several years. This year, she is represented by 4YO Quiet Times.
Here Brant discusses her plans and shares more about the depth of her passion for Thoroughbreds and the racing industry.
Q: What are your plans for the DWCC and DWC 2021?
A: My plans is to come back to France with more Blacktype on my filly Quiet Times.
Q: What sales do you typically attend each year? What is your process for choosing horses?
A: Normally, I stay mostly in France where we have top bred yearlings. In France, the French-bred have an interesting French-bred premium which makes the racing very attractive for the owners.
Q: What has been two life lessons that you've learnt during Covid-19 and isolation that have become important to you and which will stay with you for a lifetime?
A: I learned that if we take care and are cautious, we can stay healthy. I also learned that the horse racing industry has remained strong and was a big help to me and my team as well as for our owners and breeders. We have been able to continue doing what we love in life. Horseracing!
Q: Which has been your most challenging and/or memorable race to date?
A: They are all challenging. But it was great to win the Gr.1 Saint Cloud International with MkFancy. We had to choose between a Listed and a Gr1 and we made it
Q: What attracted you to horses and a career in training racehorses?
A: My father and mother were in the industry. I rode ponies and started competed over jumps and in dressage and pony racing from a very young age. So after I had my first experience with real thoroughbreds, I was sold! I started as an amateur rider, apprentice, assistant and off I went (to become a trainer) when my boss stopped training in 2000.
Q: What would you say has been your greatest accomplishment as a woman thoroughbred trainer?
A: I don’t treat myself as a woman and in our game is no difference in the competition- You are a man or woman- You always have to be good at what you are doing! I have been at top of the female trainers in France for the last years but I want to finish in the top 10. I was placed 13 in 2018, 11 in 2019 and 18 in 2020. So close yet so far.
Q: Who is your biggest inspiration?
A: My husband, who I now am training together with!