Meet the 'never satisfied' outsider who vowed he'd beat the elite - and did it

Ten years ago Guy Pariente, the source of kinetic energy behind Haras de Colleville, appeared on French television and stated his outlandish ambition of becoming the champion breeder of his home nation.

The claim will surely have been dismissed as ludicrous by some, or simply as the words of another wealthy individual whose ego has run amok by others. Those opinions would have been easily subscribed to, as here was a man with no family background in racing whose greatest asset was an unproven stallion standing at just €1,000.

And, moreover, he was competing against seasoned and skilled breeders like the Aga Khan and the Wertheimer brothers, who possess carefully curated broodmare bands of depth and quality.