Jean-Claude Rouget's prowess was never in doubt but Ace Impact Arc triumph elevates him into master category
Jean-Claude Rouget needed no further amplification of his training prowess. The man who won his first French trainers’ title in 2009 had already usurped Andre Fabre as that country’s premier exponent of his trade before Sottsass landed the Arc four years ago.
Nevertheless, what Rouget showed in his handling of Ace Impact, a brilliant second winner of the Arc for the trainer on Sunday, was that he has become a master of his profession. He exuded a quiet but unshakeable confidence in the build-up, secure in the knowledge he had the right horse for the job. A trait of the very best is that they always make it look easy.
Rouget offered a perfect vignette of himself as Ace Impact delivered his withering finish in the closing stages. Television cameras showed him rhythmically raising and lowering his arms, as though he was bringing the orchestra before him to a ringing crescendo. He was the grace to Ace Impact’s unbridled power.
Read the full story
Read award-winning journalism from the best writers in racing, with exclusive news, interviews, columns, investigations, stable tours and subscriber-only emails.
Subscribe to unlock
- Racing Post digital newspaper (worth over £100 per month)
- Award-winning journalism from the best writers in racing
- Expert tips from the likes of Tom Segal and Paul Kealy
- Replays and results analysis from all UK and Irish racecourses
- Form study tools including the Pro Card and Horse Tracker
- Extensive archive of statistics covering horses, trainers, jockeys, owners, pedigree and sales data
Already a subscriber?Log in
Published on 2 October 2023inJulian Muscat
Last updated 14:00, 2 October 2023
- ‘F-word’ hype around City Of Troy is justified for now - and it will be quite the ride seeing if he can live up to it
- For Willie Mullins over jumps read Aidan O'Brien on the Flat - the parallels behind their dominance are striking
- For Willie Mullins read Charlie Appleby: how Godolphin trainer’s dominance is suffocating the Dubai Carnival
- Sobering end to mares' sale does not paint a rosy picture for racing - and worse could be yet to come
- European Group 1s are becoming irrelevant on the world stage - and it's mad our best horses were ever rated close to Equinox
- ‘F-word’ hype around City Of Troy is justified for now - and it will be quite the ride seeing if he can live up to it
- For Willie Mullins over jumps read Aidan O'Brien on the Flat - the parallels behind their dominance are striking
- For Willie Mullins read Charlie Appleby: how Godolphin trainer’s dominance is suffocating the Dubai Carnival
- Sobering end to mares' sale does not paint a rosy picture for racing - and worse could be yet to come
- European Group 1s are becoming irrelevant on the world stage - and it's mad our best horses were ever rated close to Equinox