Gerard Augustin-Normand

After his strong third in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on Sunday, the connections of Onesto (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) were thinking Breeders' Cup, and now QIPCO Champions Day is also on the table as long as the ground isn't too soft, trainer Fabrice Chappet revealed on Thursday. Raced by Gerard Augustin-Normand, the 4-year-old colt won the G1 Grand Prix de Paris last year and was also second in the G1 Champion S. during a campaign that took him from France, to Ireland and Japan. He returned this term...

Gerard Augustin-Normand's Freville (Fr) (Gleneagles {Ire}--Freauville {Fr}, by Le Havre {Ire}) and Joseph O'Brien trainee Kalispera (Ire) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}) were the most battle-hardened of seven contenders lining up for Thursday's G3 Prix d'Aumale at ParisLongchamp and the one-mile contest boiled down to a head-to-head between the pair, with the former swooping late for a career best. Last month's Listed Criterium du Fonds Europeen de l'Elevage fourth raced sixth of the seven runners through the early stages, but slipped back to become the whipper-in approaching halfway. Shaken up in early...

Granted leave of absence from 'TDN Rising Star' Beauvatier's G3 Prix La Rochette victory in Paris earlier in the day, conditioner Yann Barberot was on hand to witness G1 Dubai Sheema Classic and G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud placegetter Zagrey (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}--Grey Anatomy {GB}, by Slickly {Fr}) set the seal on a notable double, and claim a Group 1 first for his sire, in Sunday's 153rd Wettstar.de Grosser Preis von Baden. Last term's Listed Derby du Midi and Listed Grand Prix du Nord victor had his task made slightly...

Some choice 2-year-olds were on display at Deauville on Sunday and Gerard Augustin-Normand's Laulne (Fr) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) was among the pick as she captured the seven-furlong G3 Prix Six Perfections Sky Sports Racing. Always travelling with intent buried in mid-pack under man-of-the-moment Alexis Pouchin, the Yann Barberot-trained 9-1 shot who had won two races in the provinces burst to the front with 150 metres remaining and held on by half a length from the G2 Prix Robert Papin third Classic Flower (GB) (Calyx {GB}). Laulne, who began her career over...

Sunday's mouthwatering feast of pattern-race action got going with ParisLongchamp's G3 Prix La Rochette and there was a surprise in store as last month's Deauville maiden winner Tigrais (Fr) (Outstrip {GB}--Maharana {Fr}, by Iffraaj {GB} swooped late to deny 'TDN Rising Star' Breizh Sky (Fr) (Pedro The Great) for a career high in the seven-furlong contest for juveniles. She had opened up with a July 17 debut seventh, behind the 'TDN Rising Star' display of Alia's Rose (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), over seven furlongs at Chantilly and had changed...

Unleashing his deadly acceleration to maximum effect at a ParisLongchamp blessed by evening sun, TDN Rising Star Onesto (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) stormed into the big time in Thursday's G1 Grand Prix de Paris. This type of performance had looked on the cards after his scintillating win in the 10 1/2-furlong G2 Prix Greffulhe at Saint-Cloud May 8 and highly commendable effort from a horror draw when dead-heating for fifth in the Prix du Jockey-Club and the Fabrice Chappet-trained chestnut was duly made the 10-3 favourite. Anchored last early by Stephane...

Le Havre (Ire) (Noverre), winner of the 2009 G1 Prix du Jockey Club and one of France's leading sires, has been retired at the age of 16 at Sumbe's Haras de Montfort et Préaux in Normandy. He has been hailed as "the most important horse of my life" by his owner Gérard Augustin-Normand. In a statement released on Saturday, Sumbe manager Mathieu Alex said, "Due to health issues which occurred at the end of last year, the decision was made to end his stallion career. We owe him so much...

Haras du Logis-based sire Ultra (Ire) (Manduro {Ger}) became the latest European freshman off the mark when Stephane Wattel trainee Bremontier (Fr) notched a debut win in Monday's Prix City Light, a seven-furlong newcomers' test, at Dieppe. 2nd-Dieppe, €27,000, Mdn, 7-26, unraced 2yo, c/g, 7fT, 1:24.20, sf. BREMONTIER (FR) (c, 2, Ultra {Ire}--Brocottes {Fr} {G1SP-Fr, $154,732}, by Lando {Ger}) raced a shade keenly through the early strides and found a comfortable slot behind the leaders in fourth for the most part. Taking closer order in the straight, the 18-5 second...

Monday's G1 Saxon Warrior Coolmore Prix Saint-Alary had a wide-open feel beforehand and that was reflected in the finish with less than a length separating the first four home in the ParisLongchamp feature. In the event, it was Gerard Augustin-Normand's Incarville (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) who prevailed in a three-way photo with Cirona (GB) (Maxios {GB}) and Es La Vida (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}) as TDN Rising Star Sibila Spain (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) was a close-up fourth and possibly unlucky. Runner-up in the 10 1/2-furlong G3 Prix Cleopatre at Saint-Cloud...

DEAUVILLE, France—Stephanie Nigge may have been born and bred in Deauville, the town in which she now trains, but she has travelled a long way to get there. And in many ways, her two major patrons reflect both her roots and her stints on the international racing circuit. Gerard Augustin-Normand, one of France's biggest owner-breeders and a fellow Norman, has had a long association with the Nigge family, having initially had horses in training with Stephanie's father Markus, who also trains in Deauville. Augustin-Normand now has 10 horses in training...

Trainer John Hammond, who trained G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heros Montjeu (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) and Suave Dancer (Green Dancer), has been appointed racing manager to Gerard Augustin-Normand, Jour de Galop reported on Wednesday. Sylvain Vidal remains an advisor to Augustin-Normand, who raced Le Havre (Ire) (Noverre) and stands him at Haras de Montfort et Preaux. The rest of the staff maintain their current positions. Augustin-Normand told the JDG regarding the appointment, "I always appreciated and followed the work of John Hammond. More recently, I have appreciated his human...

Gerard Augustin-Normand's twice-raced Vaucelles (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) finished just over six lengths off Tawkeel (GB) (Teofilo {Ire) when fourth on stakes bow in last month's G1 Prix Saint-Alary at Chantilly and took the step forward with a career high in Tuesday's G2 Prix de Malleret at ParisLongchamp. Employing patient tactics racing fourth of five for most of the 12-furlong contest, the May 31 Deauville maiden winner was rousted into action when the sweeping rally of Oriental Mystique (GB) (Kingman {GB}) along the false straight forced all rivals to commit...