Sudden death of French bloodstock agent Sebastien Le Forban

French bloodstock agent Sebastien Le Forban died suddenly in Florida on Wednesday evening. He was 35.

The grandson of a trainer and son of a former amateur rider, Le Forban was bred into racing and established his agency ITS Bloodstock in 2013.

Le Forban made a splash at last year's Arqana Arc Sale, purchasing the Group 1-placed Zoffany colt Graignes and the Listed-winning Bated Breath filly Les Hogues for the same English clients for a combined €780,000. Both are set to stay in training this year.

"You've to keep your head up for him, but it's very, very hard," his close friend Edouard Lyon told French racing and breeding newsletter Jour de Galop.

"Sebastien was always in a good mood and positive. He was such an amazing person. Like me, he was originally from Maisons-Laffitte, but we really became friends in Florida. He was there when I went through difficult times and he knew how to find the words to help me.

"We'd a few horses together and he came to the stable almost every day. He was a real horse lover and loved being around them. He came to the evening stable and enjoyed walking horses and to bandage them, even if they were not his.

"Although from a family involved in racing for several generations, we can say that he made it himself. He worked in Australia and then in Dubai for trainer Satish Seemar. He then worked as an agent in France and had a loyal clientele. He was a great guy."

Anna Sundstrom: 'Sebastien always lived life to the fulll'Credit: Laura Green

Anna Sundstrom also paid tribute to Le Forban in Jour de Galop, saying: "With Sebastien, we did so much nonsense! It was always happy. I can't imagine going to sales without seeing his smile or hearing his jokes, even when I'm presenting a foal to a large client. With him everything was possible. He didn't ask himself questions - he lived life to the full.

"But he was also a very great professional and an excellent judge. We'd become friends when he had bought a horse, which he named Swedish Dream after my home country. His friends have become my
friends, he was part of my family."

A has been set up to help his family cover the repatriation costs as well as funeral expenses. More than €5,000 has already been collected.

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