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September 30, 2025

藤井勘一郎 @ 2025年9月29日

In last weekend's Sprinters Stakes, jockey Christophe Lemaire rode Namura Claire. From the start, June Blair, ridden by Yutaka Take, took the lead and set the pace, while the winning horse, Win Carnelian, held back the reins and chased in second place. Lemaire's Namura Claire got off to a good start, saving her energy in the middle of the pack with Satono Reve as her target, and secured a smooth path in the straight, but was unable to close the gap with the leader and finished in third place. "Namura Claire was in good condition. She got off to a good start and kept an eye on Satono Reve, who I thought had the most power. However, I think the race would have played out differently if Satono had moved a little faster at the fourth corner. When I sent her out to the outside, the race was already decided," he recalled.

The winning jockey was Miura Kousei. It was a long-awaited victory, achieved in his 127th attempt at a G1 race. Lemaire also offered congratulations at the weigh-in, not hiding his admiration. "Of course, I'm disappointed that he came in third, but I would like to congratulate Kousei on his victory today," he said. "I previously entrusted Almond Eye's final workout to him after consulting with trainer Kunieda, and his riding skills and judgment of the horse's condition are spot on. He overcame a difficult time after falling off his horse, so I'm happy for him as if it were my own." Chants of "Miura" rang out from the stands, and it was impressive to see how much he was loved by so many fans.

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The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is fast approaching. Lemaire will ride in the Marine Cup at Funabashi Racecourse before heading to France. He teamed up with trainer Hiroyasu Tanaka, who manages 'Alohiali'i, and they shared a victory on September 28th at Nakayama Racecourse with Albanne. At the time, his trainer told him, "The horse is in good condition in France. We'll entrust the final workout there to jockey Stephane Pasquier, who has experience winning the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe." In his previous race, the Prix Guillaume d'Ornano, despite it being his first time riding the horse, he took the lead and took the lead, winning with ease in the straight. "'Alohiali'i ran better than we expected," he said with a smile.
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The Longchamp Racecourse, where the race will be held, is a course with many ups and downs, with a final straight of over 500 meters. Heavy ground is said to be a disadvantage for Japanese horses, but Lemaire shares his approach from a jockey's perspective. "At Longchamp, it's important to ride strategically. 500 meters from the start, there's a small forest called Le Petit Bois in French, and the uphill slope begins from here. If you move too fast there, you won't have enough energy left to reach the finish line. The false straight before entering the straight is also important, and the key is how to get the horse to breathe and maneuver through the pack. There's still 500 meters of straight to go, so if you start too early, it will stop at the end," he emphasized. Other factors that come into play include the pace and whether the ground is good or heavy.
The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is attracting worldwide attention. In addition to the challenge of Alohialii and jockey Lemaire, attention will also be focused on the performances of Japanese horses such as Croix du Nord and Byzantine Dream. We look forward to the world's greatest battle, including the psychological battle between the jockeys.
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He answered questions from readers who submitted them to the social media project "#AskLemaire."

Question (Malibu)
"Which Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe race has left the biggest impression on you, from your youth to 2024?"

Jockey Christophe Lemaire
"My favorite is the 1997 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, won by Pantrecelebe. He was a beautiful horse with an elegant and smooth running style. His jockey, Olivier Perrier, was a hero in French horse racing. At the time, I was still an amateur jockey, and a boy who dreamed of one day winning big races with a great horse like Olivier," he said, reminiscing about that time.
Pantrecelebe came from behind and pulled away from the rest of the pack in the final 200m to finish five lengths ahead in an impressive display of running.

The "CL by C. Lemaire" blog is still accepting "Questions for Lemaire" on X (formerly Twitter). Please feel free to send in your questions.
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News from "CL by C. Lemaire." Jockeys Lemaire and Matsuyama visited Koryo Town in Nara Prefecture to exchange ideas with local craftsmen regarding the development of socks specifically for horse racing (Jockey Iwata also participated in the development but was absent on the day). Koryo Town is known as the "town of socks," and this is the first attempt to combine traditional techniques with the experience of a top jockey. These high-tech long socks, designed by CL by C. Lemaire, are an item that will be loved by professionals as well as amateurs and fans. Please look forward to the finished product!
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Iris Henry
Article written by

藤井勘一郎

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！