Garde Champetre
Racing Colours of John P McManus
SireGarde Royale
DamClementine Fleurie
DamsireLionel II
SexGelding
Foaled27 March 1999
CountryFrance
ColourBay
BreederOlivier Delegue
OwnerJohn P McManus
TrainerE Bolger
Record45:16,14,0
Earnings£266,978

Garde Champetre (27 March 1999 – 13 March 2012) was a French-bred, Irish-trained thoroughbred racehorse.

He is best known for winning the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase at the Cheltenham Festival twice in the colours of owner J.P. McManus.

Career

After starting racing life in France, Garde Champetre was brought to the UK and owned by racing syndicate Million In Mind. Trained by Paul Nicholls, across 6 races in the 2003–04 season, winning two races and scoring three second-place finishes.

Million In Mind sold Garde Champetre [1] for 530,000gns in 2004 to prolific owner John P McManus making Garde Champetre the most expensive National Hunt horse to go through auction.[2][3] Following the sale, training was switched to Jonjo O'Neill. It wasn't until October 15, 2006, he would win again, in a minor race at Carlisle Racecourse ridden by AP McCoy.

In December 2007, training moved to Enda Bolger in Ireland.[4] Garde Champetre switched to cross country races and began to have an immediate impact, winning 3 races in a row under Nina Carberry at the Cheltenham Festival and at Punchestown.[5] He would return to Cheltenham in March 2009 to successfully defend his title and again at Punchestown in April. [6]

Garde Champetre went off as 7/4F for the 2010 Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase but finished 5th.[7]

Returning to Cheltenham for the 2012 Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase, Garde Champetre went off at 10/1 with regular jockey Nina Carberry. Sadly during this race, he suffered a fatal injury.[8][9]

References

  1. ↑ Oakley, Robin (2017). Sixty Years of Jump Racing. Bloomsbury. p. 246. ISBN 9781472935120.
  2. ↑ "SALES: Million In Mind dispersal's Grand Roi tops trade at £400,000". The Irish Field. 29 July 2020. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  3. ↑ "Champetre smashes sales record". TeessideLive. 28 May 2004. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  4. ↑ "Cheltenham Festival promise for Nina Carberry". The Daily Mirror. 13 December 2009. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  5. ↑ O'Connor, Brian (2014). Kings of the Saddle. Google Books: Aurum. ISBN 9781781312124.
  6. ↑ "Garde Champetre wins for McManus". Irish Times. 30 April 2009. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  7. ↑ "Cheltenham 2010: A New Story comes home first in Handicap Chase". The Daily Mirror. 16 March 2010. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  8. ↑ "Cheltenham Festival: Two more horses die on second day". BBC. 14 March 2012. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  9. ↑ "Fast ground 'not to blame' for three deaths on Cheltenham opening day". Irish Independent. 14 March 2012. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
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