Known for his aptitude on heavy ground, Haya Zark, at 19/1, was one of the least-favoured runners in the Prix Ganay at Longchamp last Sunday. Six weeks prior to that, the Adrien Fouassier-trained 5yo had swept to Prix Exbury victory at Saint-Cloud, on very heavy going. Last weekend, he was to discover less-desirable conditions, with the going declared as soft, but he nonetheless enjoyed a perfect trip and secured a maiden Group 1 success. His young handler however, had been somewhat pessimistic before the off.

“It was out of respect to my horse that I didn’t run him in the Prix d’Harcourt, when the ground was ideal for him, but it was simply too close to the Ganay. I admit to being worried when I walked the course on Sunday because I didn’t find the ground had as much give as they had announced. 

“2000m, that’s his real distance, and he’s a horse that adapts to any pace. I had told Alexis Pouchin to get a decent spot, and not to lose it, since the horse would find it hard to come from behind. As it turned out, he had a good race.

“He’s a fine horse that has had some tough races, but he knows how to lift his game for the big battles. He’s now a Gr.1 winner which is important for his future as a stallion. I’ll be talking to the owners about his next goals.” 

A former jockey with 650 wins to his name, Fouassier will have learned a lot from his old boss, Alain Couétil. And now, he’s a Gr.1 winner at 37, five years after having hung up his boots. With around 60 horses in his care, he is not planning to increase numbers any time soon.