Trainer Louisa Carberry seeks more top-class success at Auteuil with Docteur De Ballon

The Group One Prix La Haye Jousselin (14.50), worth a considerable €360,000, is the feature on the card at Auteuil this afternoon and the hugely impressive winner of the Grand Steeple Chase de Paris, Docteur De Ballon, is expected to take all the beating in the Parisian showpiece.

Jason Kiely caught up with his trainer Louisa Carberry (wife of Champion Hurdle-winning jockey, Phillip) in the build-up to today's big race.

The English-born trainer has been making great strides in her six seasons as a jumps trainer based in Sennones, Western France and is hoping her stable star can put his best foot forward again.

Six weeks since Docteur De Ballon landed the Grand Steeple Chase de Paris in such emphatic fashion, how has he been since and how has the preparation gone for the Haye Jousselin?

"He has been very well thankfully, we spent the first week just putting him in the paddock and hacking about. He then had two or three weeks easy canters building back towards this weekend, it has been ideal timing wise. He stepped up in his work progressively and done a little breeze then on Saturday morning, he came back bucking and he is in his usual great form. The lead up to the Grand Steeple Chase wasn’t great, we had a difficult preparation but thankfully it turned out well. Now we couldn’t be happier with him going into the Haye Jousselin."

Having had a difficult preparation for the Grand Steeple Chase de Paris and still winning, that must have caused a whirlwind of emotions, especially after the heartbreak of 2019?

"I was terrified that we weren’t going to do the horse justice in the Grand Steeple, we weren’t sure if he was ready because he hadn’t finished his preparation race(unseated early), it’s always nerve racking. Everybody knew how good he was going into last year’s race but unfortunately he met traffic problems and unseated. I felt that was our chance and we had missed it, going into the race everything was right, the horse was in flying form, the jockey was in exceptional form. It was just one of those things, it’s racing and it made us even more determined for this year. We have always known the horse’s capabilities and thankfully he was able to show that to everybody, I’m so happy for the horse. It’s a huge relief, obviously a great joy and a confidence booster for us as a yard, as we always held him in that regard."

Now an eight-year-old , Docteur De Ballon has become a regular name in the line-up on many of these big days, what makes him so special?

"We are just really lucky to have him! He is a very talented horse for many reasons, he beat Blue Dragon over 3,900m over hurdles and there he was winning over fences at 6000m. He’s not one dimensional, there aren’t many restraints as to what we can run him in. He does whatever you want in a race, you can switch him off and he will just jump from fence to fence and then its just a case of pressing the button. We seen that the other day, even at the end of a race that long he was able to sprint through the line. We are very lucky to have him."

Current champion jockey Bertrand Lestrade gets the leg-up again this afternoon, but that hasn’t always been the case and you have a great network of jockeys at your disposal?

"Of course, is great to have Bertrand on board, he is one of the few jockeys still riding that has won a ‘Grande Steeple’ in the past and I really wanted someone with his kind of experience and composure, he is so confident in his riding and is obviously the reigning champion jockey, in races like this, that’s invaluable.

We were very happy with what Felix de Giles had done on him in previous seasons, he had always ridden him exceptionally well. Unfortunately coming into this autumn, Felix had another very talented horse, Ebonite, to ride. The way things worked out, Felix opted to ride her for the winter and unfortunately that finished so tragically.

We are lucky that we have such a calibre of jockey at our disposal. Be it Felix, Bertrand or even James Reveley, these guys have so much to offer both on the track and after the race. They don’t blame the horse, but offer an opinion or and idea that might help to get the best possible result out of every horse . We can have utter faith in our jockeys and that’s incredibly important."

Much of the same field line up again, albeit over 500m shorter, would you be confident in a repeat performance?

"I don’t like to be over confident, especially with jumps horses, so much can go wrong. Our horse is very well. The two main dangers (Figuero and Feu Follet) are the two smart five-year-old’s, they are young, talented horses and deserve maximum respect. A grade one is never an easy hunting ground and it is going to be very interesting to see how they all go again."

Having favourites for the big races, on the big days is where everyone wants to be. What does this horse mean to you and your team at home?

"We are a relatively small operation in terms of numbers but by no means un-ambitious. We have been lucky enough that every year we have had a graded or listed class horse. To have a horse like Docteur De Ballon, such a unique talent, is fantastic for the yard and is a huge morale booster. It’s great for his owners, who also bred him and even our other owners in the yard have been getting involved in the adventure. We had a couple of slow months but this has just given everyone the confidence booster we needed and hopefully we can keep the momentum going. He is a one in a lifetime horse, we love him very much, there aren’t too many like him around and we will savour every moment."

Both you and your husband Phillip are well known throughout French racing nowadays, how rewarding are the big days and how much does it encourage you going forward?

"We are six seasons training now and obviously Phillip won the Grand Steeple Chase twice as a jockey, so it was always a race we had on the radar. To have done it already is a mix of pride, of relief, of so many things. We really appreciate the work everyone puts in and its days like that, and of course this weekend we look forward to. Auteuil is a place we love coming to, it’s the pinnacle of French jumping and our horses are always ready for the challenge, its so rewarding to see it working out and we are very thankful to everyone that helps make moments like this possible."

And finally, France has always been renowned for producing champions - Long Run’s, Kauto Star’s etc. What makes it so successful and how could you encourage new owners to get involved over here?

"All of us jumps trainers encourage people to try it, the prize money is obviously a huge incentive but also the breeding operation in France is so well regarded. Look at all those French horses that head over to the UK and Ireland, they know their job from an early age and so do so well. French racing has a huge amount to give, there are so many different racecourses, offering such various conditions of races and really gives everyone a chance. I think the more people realise what is on offer over here, the more they will be willing to give it a go. It’s not only fun, it can be very lucrative, rewarding and exciting to have a horse in training here, we have a fantastic product and it is our obligation as trainers to really try and showcase that."