Agents of film actors find roles. The jockey agents looking for horses to compete.
Gone are the days when each trainer had a designated jockey for his team. Now, riders rack up the mounts (up to seven per day) and rely on the services of an agent who, in exchange, receives 10 to 15% of their race earnings.
From his home in Bécon-les-Granits, Giovanni Laplace manages the careers of Clément Lefevbre, James Reveley and more recently that of Christophe Soumillon. The trio form the crème de la crème of French pelotons, in jumps and flat.
No tie in the middle of the races
No tie in the middle, except for a few Sundays at the races on the racetracks of the West with my father
, the agent is self-taught. Endowed with an exceptional visual memory, this would be one of the secrets of his success, he impresses trainers by his analyzes on their horses.
It was by betting that he forged his analytical mind. “What I have always liked is making a horse’s paper. Identify its commitments. Be one step ahead. “
Today he swears not to play anymore to keep [son] objectivity
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From the age of 19, he wrote forecasts and articles for a horse racing site. At the same time, he became the owner of trotters, “A great success”.
In 2015, he then started his career as an agent for a show jockey. In flat, the agent profession had started to develop but “For this discipline, I was seen as a UFO”,
Giovanni remembers.
This is still the case, but no longer for the same reasons.
The thirty-something is not afraid to dare. While he has never ridden a horse, he had the nerve this summer to pick up his phone to tell Christophe Soumillon (ten golden whips on his record, nearly 3,500 victories) what he needed to hear but no one was telling him. VS
it pained me to see him being overtaken by other jockeys when he was one of the best. He was extinct.
His daring paid off. Since 1is August, Christophe Soumillon joined his team
. Results ? The jockey went from 54 wins to 1is August to 107 successes (to September 28).
“You have to be on top of things”
Christophe Soumillon is the person who made me love galloping. He’s a genius.
Like an Ayrton Senna or a John McEnroe, you either love him or hate him. “
As with his other jockeys, Giovanni does his best. From 7 am, he peels on the France Galop site the commitments made online by the coaches. This is the moment when he spots future climbs. Then, he calls the coaches to offer their services.
On the flat, you have to be on top of things. In ten minutes, a trainer can receive fifteen calls from other agents or jockeys.
From 11 a.m. until the evening, he watches all the races live on the specialty channel Equidia but also those on provincial racetracks
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I rarely go to racetracks so as not to make friends in order to keep my objectivity to say things when things are not going well
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One of its peculiarities is its role as a coach. I can spend up to two hours a day on the phone with my jockeys.
It is constant support. It’s very difficult to have a personal life, I’m connected 24 hours a day.
The only free time he allows himself is Sunday afternoon to play regional 3 football in Bécon-les-Granits. Except this Sunday, October 3, he will be at Longchamp in the stands to encourage his idol who has become his foal.
Arc de Triomphe Prize, 100e editing
2,400 meters. 2 minutes 30 of effort. 5 million euros in allowances. Fifteen equine champions from all over the world. And a winner of the 100e edition of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe… It is the biggest horse race in the world which takes place this Sunday, October 3 at ParisLongchamp. Among the French starters, the jockey Christophe Soumillon will be associated with Tarnawa, belonging to His Highness the Aga Khan. She does part of the favorites.
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