Like Stéphane Pasquier, he was trained at the school of the demanding Robert Collet.
Like Christophe Soumillon, he left his native Belgium to make his passion his job.
Yesterday at the ParisLongchamp racecourse, Grégory Benoist reminded those who doubted it that he too was a leading jockey by winning the two "real" preparatory races for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in quick succession, namely the Vermeille and Niel Prizes.
In the first named, he led
Sweet Lady
to success , "having ridden a dream race", according to the owner of the 4-year-old female.
“I knew I was going to leave well, but it was up to me to decide then, confides the hero of the day.
I had my mare well in front of me, and she was served by the softening of the track”, confided the one who had not won a Group I since May 28, 2017.
🏆 𝐒𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐋𝐚𝐝𝐲 to the surprise!
𝐒𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐋𝐚𝐝𝐲 (@GraffardRacing) triumphs in the Qatar Prix Vermeille (Gr.1).
@GregoryBenoist1 had not won at group 1 level since his victory with Mekhtaal in the Prix d'Ispahan 2017. #Qatar #ArcTrials pic.twitter.com/yYphVNo3A8
— Equidia (@equidia) September 11, 2022
In the Prix Niel, even if he was always among the leading foals, Grégory Benoist did not use the same tactic but the result was the same.
“I waited not far from the lead, and
Simca Mille
accelerated really well.
This resident of Stéphane Wattel is clearly ahead of
LAssault
,
True Testament
and the Japanese competitor,
Do Deuce
.
🏆 New group for @GregoryBenoist1!
𝐒𝐢𝐦𝐜𝐚 𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞 (S. Wattel), second in the Grand Prix de Paris (Gr.1), won the Qatar Prix Niel (Gr.2) at ParisLongchamp.
#Qatar #ArcTrials pic.twitter.com/5FZ5fWuUqo
— Equidia (@equidia) September 11, 2022
Dedication to Yann Barberot
Now 39, Grégory Benoist treated himself to a well-deserved makeover and did not forget to quote Yann Barberot after his first victory of the day when his two partners were not trained by him: "I owe a lot, because it was not obvious after the end of my collaboration with the Al Shaqab team.
And a few hectometres further, he launched: “So?
We are not dead!
The Belgian jockey, like a devil, always comes out of his box...
Resin the strongest but out of decor
On October 2, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe will take place without
Iresine
since the champion ridden by Marie Vélon is a gelding.
However, the resident of Jean-Pierre Gauvin casually won the Prix Foy (Gr. II), supposed to be one of the three preparations for the most prestigious meeting of the year.