'You're dead' - jockey banned for a month after threatening officials and sponsors at after-party

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Jockey Jerome Claudic has been banned for a month, with a further three months suspended, after a France Galop disciplinary hearing heard disturbing details of two separate incidents at Longchamp in which he verbally abused both officials and sponsors, and attempted physical violence. 

The events unfolded during one of Longchamp's Jeuxdi music and racing nights on July 9, and took place in the exclusive Planches area reserved for guests and sponsors. 

The Jeuxdi events have proved a commercial and sporting success for France Galop and have been free of trouble among the paying public, who regularly pack the racecourse to the tune of 10,000 people on a Thursday evening for racing and later dancing to DJ sets. 

Claudic – who has ridden more than 400 winners on the Flat in France as well as 44 over jumps – first attempted to headbutt an associate while in the France Galop section of Les Planches, and had to be physically restrained. 

The initial catalyst for the row is not clear but a senior employee of France Galop involved in marketing reported that Claudic was "heavily inebriated" and, when he tried to intervene, Claudic said to the official and his own friend: "you two are both dead."

France Galop has made a major commercial and sporting success of its Jeuxdi music and racing nightsCredit: Florian Leger

When asked if he meant in a professional or literal sense, Claudic declined to elaborate, though he did launch into a rambling critique of France Galop. 

Claudic and two friends then attempted to enter a neighbouring section of Les Planches reserved for a major commercial partner and their guests, claiming they were looking for somewhere to watch the end of the France versus Morocco World Cup quarter final, which was being shown on big screens in a fan-zone area of Longchamp. 

A senior executive of the firm claimed she politely asked them to leave and was subjected to a torrent of abuse, during which it is alleged that Claudic used racial slurs in relation to holidaymakers on Deauville beach, as well as accusing France Galop and its sponsors of "filling their faces" at the expense of punters.

The second incident was captured on a cameraphone, and both Claudic and his lawyer claimed that the jockey had become agitated when he realised he was being filmed, fearing that footage would leak out on social media. 

During evidence, Claudic pointed to the extremely long hours of the working day during recent heatwaves, with horses being exercised earlier in the morning and meetings being moved to morning and evening slots. 

Claudic claimed to be looking for somewhere to watch the World Cup after racing at Longchamp on July 9Credit: France Galop

He also criticised the lack of consideration for jockeys and staff when it came to making space available to watch the football, repeating his assertion from the night in question that more generally, riders were not made to feel welcome at the racecourse. 

Claudic, 36, admitted being under the influence of alcohol but claimed to have had "one small glass", while he argued that he had been "well brought-up" and was renowned for his politeness. 

Claudic's previous brushes with authority were highlighted in a summary of the hearing released by France Galop: in both 2019 and 2023 Claudic was suspended at the request of the interior ministry – the first occasion after he lost his driving licence for five months for driving a vehicle fitted with false number plates while under the influence of alcohol – while in December 2021 he was banned for six months after testing positive for metabolites of cocaine. 

In addition to handing down the one-month suspension, the disciplinary panel of three stewards referred Claudic to France Galop's internal health service for medical, psychological and addiction evaluation.

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