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| Staff Writer |
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Team Valor's pioneering spirit has never wavered. From bringing Animal Kingdom to Dubai a decade ago to capture the Dubai World Cup to their latest venture with French sensation Facteur Cheval, CEO Barry Irwin continues to think outside the box in pursuit of racing's greatest prizes.
Now, in an exclusive interview with Ten Furlongs, Irwin reveals ambitious plans to transition their Dubai Turf hero to dirt racing, with the Saudi Cup and Dubai World Cup in their crosshairs. The decision comes after careful deliberation and a scrapped Breeders' Cup campaign that could have altered the horse's trajectory entirely.
The 5YO son of Ribchester, trained by Jerome Reynier, has been in the form of his life. "Prior to leaving Marseille in advance of the Dubai Turf, Facteur Cheval turned in the best work out of his career, according to trainer Jerome Reynier, based on data gleaned from the smart saddle he employs," Irwin reveals. "Then, two weeks before he left in mid-October for Ascot to contest the Gr.1 Queen Elizabeth, he actually bettered the pre-Dubai Turf workout in most categories."
This exceptional form translated into victory in the US$5 million Dubai Turf last March, where he defeated a world-class field including Nations Pride and Alfareeq. In October, he followed up with an impressive second in the Gr.1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot, pushing his career earnings beyond US$4.223 million.
"Both his Dubai and Ascot races were the best of his career, so I feel that he is still making progress. Physically he is stronger and fitter looking,” said Irwin.
The path to these successes wasn't without its pivotal decisions. A planned Breeders' Cup appearance was shelved. As Irwin explains, "It's a bit of a sticky situation, but the Breeders' Cup plans were scratched a month out from the Del Mar race.”
“It was a combination of Jerome being too involved in trying to help out leading French trainer Jean Claude Rouget, getting to race his brilliant 3YO gelding Lazzat in the same time frame as the BC in Australia and having second thoughts about the BC venture.”
“I think we made the right decision to race at Ascot and skip the BC. Perhaps if he takes to the dirt, we can look at the BC Classic again next year."
The decision to attempt dirt racing wasn't made lightly but stemmed from a revealing workout at Meydan. "Facteur Cheval breezed about 3 furlongs in advance of the Dubai Turf on the dirt track at Meydan," Irwin recalls.
"After that move, Jerome—half-joking—texted me that we were running in the wrong race. We should be running in the World Cup, he said. Watching him power through that dirt with rhythmic action was eye-opening."
"I think he looks like a dirt horse instead of a turf horse. He carries much more muscling and condition than a turf horse. He has a powerful body. In terms of style, he lacks a true turn of foot, which is the hallmark of a turf horse. He has the grit, style and class to handle a dirt surface,” Irwin continued.
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The campaign begins with the Gr.2 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 1 on 24th January, a crucial stepping stone toward potential Saudi Cup and Dubai World Cup bids. "Of course, we will analyse the entire gamut," Irwin details, "from his ability to get over the surface well, to handle the kickback as he will not set the pace and how strongly he finishes the race. And we will see how the dirt race impacts his body. On turf, horses run on top of it. On dirt, they run through it. Dirt racing takes more of a toll on the body of a racehorse."
When questioned about the calibre of competition in these prestigious dirt races, Irwin is emphatic that having raced against some of the best horses in the world, he doesn’t feel it will necessarily be a step up in class for Facteur Cheval.
The surface switch necessitates several significant changes in approach. "We are breaking new ground, as he has always trained at home in France for all of his foreign raids," Irwin explains. "Bringing him in advance to Dubai will be a new experience for him and his handlers. Jerome is very creative, energetic and detail-orientated, so we have every confidence he will figure this out."
This strategy appears influenced by recent events. "Look what happened to City of Troy. He is a truly great horse, but his lack of training and racing on dirt compromised his best chance for success," Irwin observes.
A major change will be in the saddle despite Maxime Guyon's successful partnership with the horse. "I have told Jerome that Gary Barber, my partners and I prefer an American jockey that is familiar with dirt racing," Irwin states firmly. "Jerome was not very happy to hear that, but we will insist. Obviously, Maxime Guyon is his regular jockey and one of the turf-riding stars in the entire world. But this time we must make an adjustment."
Technical preparations are also being fine-tuned. "We plan to work on his shoeing to make sure they have their best chance to be effective on dirt," Irwin notes.
While the dirt campaign is the primary goal, defending the Dubai Turf title remains a viable alternative. "Because the Dubai Turf would be Plan B, it must be termed as a backup plan, but this in no way diminishes the challenge of trying to win it again," Irwin explains.
Looking beyond the immediate campaign, Team Valor is keeping options open. "We have no plans beyond the winter. We will play it one race at a time," Irwin states. While Facteur Cheval is their main focus for the Middle East season, Irwin notes that "at this time we have not identified any other horses to race in the Middle East in 2025, although that can change in a heartbeat."
As Facteur Cheval prepares for his ambitious surface switch, the racing world watches with interest. Whether he follows Animal Kingdom's path to Dubai World Cup glory or adds another Dubai Turf to his résumé, his 2024 campaign promises to be one of the most intriguing stories of the winter racing season, embodying Team Valor's innovative approach to international racing.