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| Staff Writer |
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Francois Rohaut has a way with horses that has grown from his experience growing up around animals. In 1958, he was born in France.Rohaut was born into the horse world, as he said.
"I was born in Vichy, which is in the middle of France. "We have a very well-known track here, which is where I grew up." "My grandparents had a stud in Normandy, which is now run by trotting connections.
"My parents also had a stud near Vichy, so I was born between the horses."
It was thanks to this family involvement that Rohaut’s passion was ignited, with his desire to be a trainer coming at an early age.
"Well, it came to me very early, when I was between 12 and 13."
"I really enjoyed riding out, and after my first gallops at the small training centre in the middle of France, I knew I would like to become a trainer."
His training career would begin in Pau, where he still trains, with him first taking out his trainer’s licence in December 1984.
THE END OF A LEGACY
Rohaut will be the first to tell you that the highlights of his career did not last long.
"My first highlight did not take very long."
"My first yearling was called Balbonella. She was a Group One winner at two before becoming the dam for so many good horses.
"In the early stages of my career, I trained mostly jumpers, and I won the Grand Steeplechase of Paris."
"In the early 2000s, I had many very good flat racing horses like Pearly Shells, Turtle Bowl, Irish Wells, and so many more after that.
"Now I just train a few flat horses and many Arabian horses."
Unlike most trainers of both thoroughbreds and Arabians, Rohaut’s story is very different, having had his first experience with the Arabian bloodline earlier on in his career.
"It came very early, in 1991 or 1992, when I met Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, and he bought a horse for me who won many good races.
"I started with him; he was my first Arabian owner, and I trained many good horses for him, and I increased my number of Arabian houses because I always had some nice horses."
"We now have almost half the stable as Arabian."
The difference with Arabs
Similar to his first experiences with Arabians, he also says that the training process for the bloodline is not too far removed from that of their thoroughbred counterparts.
"I think Arabians are far more intelligent."
"They definitely teach you humility." You must make them happy, and they will give you their all.
"They are very different from the first Arabian that I trained."
"You must ask them to cooperate with you." Thoroughbreds can be worked hard; it all depends on the horse.
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"However, I believe my training method is equally applicable to both."
"They are real racehorses, real fighters, and it's a really good pleasure to train them."
THE DEBUT OF SAUDI
He is now preparing three outstanding runners for campaigns in Saudi Arabia.
Djafar is the 6 year old son of Dahess, who has run in Group Company, finishing fifth in the Group One Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Ali Nahyan Jewel Crowd and placing third in the Group One Qatar Arabian World Cup.
"He came to me last year from Qatar, and his prep came quite nicely."
"He ran well in Goodwood and made significant progress."
"Even though we had a minor issue in early September for the Longchamp prep, he was perfect for the big day."
"With Christoph Soumillon, he showed another form and came in as one of the best ten horses in the world.
"He is an amazing horse with a tough temperament and gives his best every time."
"I decided with the owner to run in Saudi Arabia rather than the big one in Doha. "The distance in Doha is a bit too long, and he is a real ten-furlong horse, so he will be more suited to the track in Saudi."
He'll line up in the Al Mneefah, which Rohaut believes is the best option for Djafar.
The second runner flying the flag for Rohaut is another son of Dahess, Moshrif. In 2021, he won the Djourman Maiden Stakes in La Teste de Buch before winning the Group One Qatar Arabian Stakes later that year. Last year, he added to the spoils by winning the Group One French Arabian Breeders’ Challenge in Toulouse.
During the Qatar Carnival, he will compete in the Emir Sword.
"He was first owned by Sheikh Hamdan before his death."
"He was sold in the Arabian sale before the Arc to Khalifa Bin Sheail Al Kuwari, who bought him for a nice price, and he won the day after in Group One at Saint Cloud."
"I trained his brother, who was a champion, and Moshrif showed he had potential and won his last six races.
"He is a really good horse, and he stays a lot and will run in Doha if plans change."
"He was supposed to run in the Al Mneefah in Saudi Arabia, but the owner, who is from Doha, said he'd rather see him run in Doha."
"So, we won’t see him in Saudi, but he is a very, very nice horse."
The final of the trio is Samlla, whose bloodline runs through Al Shahania Stud’s own Group One-producing sires, Assy and Djakera Des Forges. In 2021, he won the Group Two Qatar Coupe de France Chevaux Arab in Chantilly before backing up the win with a Group One win in the Al Rayyan Cup Pure Arab in Deauville. Last year, he returned to Chantilly in group company once again, leaving with the spoils in the Group One Qatar Derby Arab Stakes.
He is set to run in the Obaiya Arabian Classic during the Saudi Carnival and is looking ready for the contest, as Rohaut said.
"He is a very nice and good-looking horse.
"He can run from a mile to a mile and a quarter." He’s a very good horse, and he is very sound and always happy.
"He's got an impressive turn of foot." When he kicks on, he drops everybody like he did last time in Pau, and he ran for the first time on the all-weather track, which isn’t the same as the surface in Saudi.
"But he showed on that track another quality there in Pau, beating a decent field but by an impressive margin."
"He is just incredible and looks nice."
The pair of Djafar and Samlla were on their way to Saudi Arabia and waiting in Chantilly when we spoke, but the trainer is excited about what they can do.
"I’m very keen to see him on the dirt track and to see what they can do."
Rohaut admitted that no plans were in place for races following their time in Riyadh but said it would depend on their performances.
"We look at them running in Qatar and Saudi, and then we see what we do next."
"Dubai is a bit too close if we come back and then go back out there, and the Al Kahayla is a very hard and tough race."
"As four and five-year-olds, it may be too soon for them."Also, I’m not too sure Djafar is suited for the dirt.
"I have tried to give them easy options every time and not make them fight against a champion like Abbes."
"Now they have to be against them all season, so first we will see how they are against the top-class horses, and then we will make our decisions."
Rohat's vibrant and unique stability
Rohaut’s stable currently houses 80 horses, with 35 Arabians and 45 Thoroughbreds in a mix that pleases the trainer.
"We have a nice crop of 3YOs. We also have some nice yearlings coming in, which are now 2 years old.
"I think we have a nice season coming."
Outside of the three heading abroad, Rohaut mentioned a couple to keep an eye out for. They are showing potential and could be the rising stars of his stable.
"I have two 3YO fillies who won last year.
"I'm not too hard on my two-year-olds, so when they win at Deauville, you know they're good."
"I have a Siyouni filly called Parama who is showing nice things in the French classics.
"So, we can dream of seeing one of them running in the Poule or the Diane, and we would be happy with that."
He stated that his younger stablemates were only the beginning of what they could become.
"For the first part of the season, it's too early to judge, so we will see in a couple of months."
"It will take a little while, but we will probably see some good ones."
His career has now spanned over four decades, and as he says, the most important thing for success is to ensure you hold a belief in your abilities and everything you are doing.
"I've been training for nearly 40 years now, and it’s so important to just keep being confident in yourself."
"You have bad times, but don't change anything; keep going and keep confidence in your team."
"Your team is the most important thing. If they do their best and you try to keep a good team, then winners will come."
Dreams and plans
With four decades of saddling and preparing horses to compete at the highest level internationally, when asked what race Rohaut would love to target, the answer comes quickly.
"In France, it’s Jacques Le Marois.
"It’s the best mile race in the world, the straight mile in Deauville in August for 3-year-olds. In France, it's definitely the race that I would like to win.
"Abroad, I would love to win a good one at Royal Ascot.
"It’s great to get used to winning there like I did with Turtle Bowl and Sangha Blessing.
"To win a nice race at Ascot, it’s like another world."