hello everyone.
It feels like 2025 has already begun, and it's already been more than two weeks. How are you all doing? I spent the New Year's holiday relaxing, visiting a local shrine for the first time of the year. On the 2nd, I also visited the Ritto Training Center, and watched the first JRA race of the new year on TV at home. Although the new year has just begun, the fierce battle for victory among those involved in horse racing has already begun.
We also asked Christophe about how he spent the New Year's holidays. "We spent the New Year quietly without going out with our family to celebrate the New Year. My son left Japan and has been working in Europe for nine months. As the children grow up, the time we can spend together as a family becomes limited, so being able to get together like this is very precious. It was a good opportunity to take a break from horse racing and reset my mind."
Although Christophe cherishes time with his family, he also used the off-season to have surgery to remove the fixation plate that was inserted when he broke his leg in a fall from a horse in Dubai last year. "I took this opportunity to have the plate that was inserted when I broke my leg last year removed. When you have a plate in, it always feels strange when you move your body. I usually train with TAKE, produced by Yutaka Take, and the therapist who looks after me there introduced me to surgeon Dr. Kobayashi. In addition to this surgery, Dr. Kobayashi also performed my knee surgery previously. He understands my body well and I trust him very much." Injuries are inevitable for athletes, but caring for and maintaining your body is essential to performing at your best.
Christophe is scheduled to ride at Nakayama Racecourse during his first week back in racing. In the main race, the Keio Hai, he will ride King No Jo, who made his debut last October. This horse is a promising prospect, having sold for the high price of 310 million yen at the Select Sale. "He showed great sense in his debut race, and his finishing kick was impressive. The Keio Hai is a race featuring many inexperienced horses. Three-year-olds are still developing at this time of year, so it's difficult to compare their strength. It's also cold winter, so I'm not particularly concerned about them being a little overweight," he said. I myself have ridden young horses in races before the classics, and they are still in the mental and physical stages of growth. Christophe said, "At this stage, it's important to be careful when racing. Of course, if you aim for the classics, you need to put a certain amount of stress on them in training, but if you push them too hard and they get upset, they'll develop bad habits that are difficult to correct." His careful and steady approach to advancing young horses as they grow was impressive.
Did you enjoy the "CL by C. Lemaire" Instagram Live held on January 13th? Christophe answered a variety of questions from the audience, including topics on horse racing in Japan, riding in the Indian Derby, music, and his goals for this year. If you missed it, you can view the archives on the brand's Instagram or YouTube channel. A new collection has also been released, so stay stylish and warm this cold winter with "CL by C. Lemaire" items! See you all at the racetrack!!
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こんにちは、藤井勘一郎です。このたび『CL by C.ルメール』のホームページでクリストフ・ルメール騎手のブログを担当させていただく事となりました。毎週金曜日、私からの視線でルメール騎手の魅力や競馬の話、そして『CL by C.ルメール』に対しての情熱を書いていくつもりです。文章を書くことは私にとって新しいチャレンジですが、引き受けたからには皆さんにも楽しく読んでもらえるように頑張ります。よろしくお願いします！
