Francis-Henri Graffard

Dual G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heroine Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) will attempt to win her third Arc in the last four years, as she is one of 22 in the French showpiece after the latest forfeit stage announced on Monday. The Juddmonte mare is one of three in the race at this stage for John Gosden, with Bjorn Nielsen's star stayer Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and fellow Juddmonte runner and undefeated 2019 G1 St Leger hero Logician (GB) (Frankel {GB}) is also entered. Irish maestro...

The moon is often contrasted with the sun: see St Francis' Canticle of the Creatures ("Brother Sun, Sister Moon"), Greek mythology (siblings Selene and Helios), innumerable popular songs (like Paul Revere and the Raiders' "Mr. Sun, Mr. Moon"). And now, the pedigree of Exomoon (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), a fighting  3-year-old winner of a competitive maiden at Clairefontaine last Monday. An "exomoon" is a natural satellite that orbits an exoplanet, that is: a planet outside the solar system. This tenacious colt's dam (who also has a 2-year-old filly called New...

Alexander Tamagni-Bodmer and Regula Vannod's Watch Me (Fr) (Olympic Glory {Ire}) had the obvious form claims for Sunday's G1 Prix Rothschild at Deauville and all went to script for last year's G1 Coronation S. winner as she outbattled Half Light (Ire) (Shamardal) and Know It All (GB) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) for the win. Tracking Godolphin's Summer Romance (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) throughout the early stages, the 7-10 favourite got the split on the rail to edge ahead approaching the 300-metre marker and stayed on to score by 3/4 of a length...

Deauville stages the first of its August features on Sunday, with the fillies and mares granted the opportunity to strike at the highest level in the G1 Prix Rothschild. Alexander Tamagni-Bodmer and Regula Vannod's Watch Me (Fr) (Olympic Glory {Ire}) sets the standard, having won last year's G1 Coronation S. and finished third in the G1 Prix de l'Opera and she looked primed for another big effort when taking the course-and-distance Listed Prix de la Calonne on July 12. Trainer Francis-Henri Graffard is expecting a bold show. "She is in...

Stall Wasserfreunde's domestic star Wonderful Moon (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) was eclipsed, but Gestut Schlenderhan's homebred In Swoop (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) stepped into the spotlight with a battling success in Sunday's G1 Idee 151st Deutsches Derby at Hamburg, with the Francis-Henri Graffard trainee becoming France's first winner of Germany's Blue Riband. Employing patient tactics in rear off the tempo set by habitual frontrunner Kellahen (Ger) (Wiesenpfad {Fr}) for the most part, the 137-10 chance was under stern urging turning for home and kept on relentlessly for continued rousting in...

On Monday, footballer Clément Lenglet sent out his 3-year-old colt Bois D'Argent (Toronado {Ire}) to an impressive debut win at Chantilly. A member of France's national team, he currently plays his club football for Barcelona and has two horses in training with Francis-Henri Graffard. Lenglet, who grew up about 40 minutes from Chantilly, is advised by French bloodstock consultant Ghislain Bozo. TDN's Gary King caught up with the centre-back after the win. TDN: Could you describe how you developed your interest in horses and horse racing. CL: My father went...

All the rage prior to Wednesday's G3 Prix Texanita, Al Shaqab Racing's Wooded (Ire) continued the strong start to the season for his sire Wootton Bassett (GB) by registering an authoritative success in the Chantilly feature. Dropping to this six-furlong trip for the first time, the G3 Prix la Rochette runner-up was able to easily lay up with the pace set by Juddmonte's filly Alocasia (GB) (Kingman {GB}) and when shaken up readily subdued her with 300 metres remaining. Stretching out with stamina assured from there, the 12-5 favourite hit...

Francis-Henri Graffard is looking forward to the 4-year-old career of Royal Ascot heroine Watch Me (Fr). The daughter of Olympic Glory (Ire) enjoyed her finest hour to date when beating dual G1 1000 Guineas winner Hermosa (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Coronation S. at the showpiece meeting, before finishing fourth in the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville. She ended the year with a fine run in third when stepped up to a mile and a quarter in the G1 Prix de l'Opera on Arc day, beaten just...