Tag Archive for: James Reveley

Reveley relishing reunion with Grand National hopeful Roi Mage

James Reveley will get the leg-up on a horse he helped to source as he partners Roi Mage in the Randox Grand National on Saturday.

The 12-year-old is trained in Ireland by Patrick Griffin and his son and assistant James – a duo Reveley is well acquainted with, having ridden numerous winners for them throughout his career.

A notable victory shared between them was with Maggio in the Listed Betfred Handicap Chase in 2016, the race before the Grand National in which Rule The World triumphed for Mouse Morris and David Mullins.

On that occasion, Reveley wore the blue and yellow silks previously made famous by Auroras Encore when he won the Aintree showpiece in 2013 for Sue Smith and Ryan Mania, colours belonging to a group of owners that clearly love to target the big race.

Roi Mage contesting the JRL Group Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree earlier in his career
Roi Mage contesting the JRL Group Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree earlier in his career (Mike Egerton/PA)

They did so last year with Roi Mage, who was partnered by another France-based jockey in Felix de Giles and finished an admirable seventh after his first encounter with the unique National obstacles at Aintree.

After a summer break, he joined forces with Reveley to target the Listed Grand Steeple-Chase-Cross-Country de Compiegne, a race he won by three lengths on heavy ground over three miles and three furlongs.

Most recently, he was seen in the Bluegrass Stamm 30 Chase at Down Royal, finishing second behind fellow National challenger Adamantly Chosen.

That run has prepared him nicely for his Liverpool bid and Reveley is looking forward to reuniting with him on going that is guaranteed to be testing.

“He’s a horse I’ve ridden a few times and I know quite well, I found him for the Griffins in France,” he said.

“I’d ridden him in France and I thought he’d be a good National type, they’ve had a bit of fun with him, they’ve had a couple of wins and a good run in the National last year. Let’s hope he can put in another one, as they love to have a National horse.

“I actually rode a winner for them at Aintree in the race before the National a long time ago, on Maggio in the same colours, so that’s where the connection comes from.

“They asked me if there were any horses in France that could potentially be National types and I thought of this horse, he’s turned out to be quite good for them.

“I think things have gone a bit better for him this year, his last run was good, very solid, and I liked how he stayed on to the line.

“They campaign him quietly, they don’t over-race him and that’s good for an older horse. He enjoys his life with the Griffins in Ireland and I’m quietly confident.”

Il Est Francais ridden by James Reveley (left) winning the Ladbrokes Kauto Star Novices’ Chase
Il Est Francais ridden by James Reveley (left) winning the Ladbrokes Kauto Star Novices’ Chase (Steven Paston/PA)

Reveley has already enjoyed a notable success on British turf this year when landing the Grade One Kauto Star Novices’ Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day aboard Il Est Francais.

Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm’s gelding then contested the Prix Murat at Auteuil last Saturday but something appeared to be amiss as he was all but pulled up.

“I haven’t heard the verdict yet but my immediate conclusion was that he didn’t enjoy being ridden like that,” the jockey said of the disappointment.

“He’s a dominant horse who likes to dominate, to use his stride and his jumping – and we didn’t let him do that.

“I think that could be one of the reasons why he ran so badly.”



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Il Est Francais suffers shock defeat in France

Il Est Francais lost his unbeaten record over fences after trailing home a bitterly disappointing last of five in the Grade Two Prix Murat at Auteuil.

Trained in France by Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm, the six-year-old was thoroughly impressive in winning his first three starts over the larger obstacles, with back-to-back wins at Auteuil followed by a brilliant front-running victory in the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.

Connections soon ruled out a return to Britain for the Cheltenham Festival, instead electing to remain on home soil for the time being, with a tilt at next month’s Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris – the French equivalent of the Cheltenham Gold Cup – top of his agenda.

Il Est Francais was unsurprisingly prohibitive odds to make a successful return from just over three months off the track and with the extra mile of the Grand Steep perhaps in mind, James Reveley switched to more patient tactics, initially attempting to settle his mount at the rear of the five-strong field.

The Yorkshireman eventually gave Il Est Francais his head and allowed him to stride in front, but the petrol tank quickly ran to empty on straightening up for home and he had almost stopped to a walk by the time he clambered over the final fence.

Reveley allowed his mount to coast home from there on in as Youtwo Glass narrowly denied the George and Zetterholm second string Gallipoli victory in a driving finish.

George said: “I’m obviously a bit disappointed with Il Est Francais. The horse raced a bit freely and he didn’t channel his energy properly. That cost him in the end.

“The aim was to teach him a good lesson in view of the Grand Steeple. Maybe the horse was too fresh, and we had given too much thought to the Grand Steeple.

Trainer Noel George at Kempton
Trainer Noel George at Kempton (John Walton/PA)

“He’s going to get a lot fitter. We need to think about how we’re going to ride him (in future), so as to channel his energy accordingly.

“Given that he’s so easy in the morning, it’s really difficult to know what condition the horse is really in. Few are able to lay up with him.”

Regarding the runner-up, George added: “Despite getting beaten, Gallipoli ran a blinder. He was a bit more relaxed during the race, and the fact that he has had three races under his belt this year has helped.

“We’re going to head to the Grand Steeple with him, he’ll have a good chance in that race. He’ll be a bit fresher.”



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Madara team turn attention to Cheltenham glory

Having conquered the Dublin Racing Festival, Sophie Leech is now focussed on landing a telling blow at the Cheltenham Festival with the improving Madara.

The five-year-old, who is owned by Brian Drew and Friends, was a taking winner over two miles at Prestbury Park in December but took another leap forward when sealing a rare victory for the British raiders in the Listed Ryanair Handicap Chase at Leopardstown.

It was yet another enterprising move from the Leech operation, with the trainer – alongside husband and assistant Christian – a regular visitor to France with their string, where they have managed to get their hands on Graded and Listed prizes.

However, Madara’s impressive triumph in Dublin was by far their biggest on UK or Irish soil and now has the Gloucestershire operation dreaming of success at the Cheltenham Festival, where they are leaning towards stepping the gelding up in trip for the Trustatrader Plate.

“He looks to be improving and is remarkable really – 100 per cent, I have never experienced anything like Saturday before, it was on another level,” said Leech.

“He has really settled into our way of doing things and has thrived. He’s so laid back and just takes everything in his stride. He’s old beyond his years and just a wonderful horse to be around really – he’s just a joy.

“It’s difficult to know (how high he could go) and I never imagined he would get to where he is now. But he looks to still have something in hand, so hopefully he can keep on improving.”

On Cheltenham, Leech added: “100 per cent, the dream is still alive. I think the more we think about it, we are probably erring more towards the Plate.

“However, if it was heavy ground, he could probably drop back to two miles, so he will have an entry in both (the Plate and Grand Annual) to give him all options.”

Madara was ridden at Leopardstown by former French champion jockey James Reveley, with Leech knowing the Yorkshireman well from her team’s ventures across the English Channel.

He showcased all his style and craft in the saddle when guiding Madara through the field to strike approaching the last in Ireland and the trainer is banking on calling on his services once again at Prestbury Park next month.

Madara jumping the last before winning at Leopardstown
Madara jumping the last before winning at Leopardstown (Damien Eagers/PA)

She added: “James is really keen to ride him again (at Cheltenham) and part of the idea behind getting James to ride him at Leopardstown was we wanted continuity ideally for the Festival.

“We are unlikely to get Harry Cobden (at Cheltenham) and he certainly wasn’t able to come over to Ireland, so James will keep the ride for sure.

“James is so experienced and we know him well, he has ridden lots for us in France.”



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Keith Reveley beaming over Kempton triumph for son James

Former trainer Keith Reveley has spoken of his immense pride after seeing son James belatedly break his Grade One duck in Britain aboard the hugely impressive Il Est Francais at Kempton Park on Boxing Day.

The Reveley name is, of course, steeped in northern jumps racing history, with Keith’s late mother Mary a pioneering female trainer who saddled more than 2,000 winners during an illustrious career.

Son Keith later took over the reins at the family’s Saltburn base before calling it a day himself in 2017, while James Reveley has gone on to establish himself as a leading jockey in France.

It is eight years since the proud Yorkshireman took the Gallic plunge and it could hardly have worked out better, as he has been crowned French champion jumps jockey on three occasions and won a whole host of major prizes, including a hat-trick in the prestigious Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris.

His father is delighted with his son’s achievements across the Channel, but admits it was extra special to see the Reveley name back in the big-race winner’s enclosure on home soil after Il Est Francais, jointly trained by another French-based Englishman in Noel George, produced a scintillating display in the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase.

“It was a great day and what made it even better was we managed to go, as we were en route to France to see the grandchildren and called in at Kempton on the way, so it was absolutely brilliant,” he said.

“The style with which the horse did it took me back to the old days, as James always rode well from the front. I remember him riding a horse called Night In Milan for me, who used to make the running and jump for fun around Doncaster.

“Funnily enough, we walked the track together an hour before the race at Kempton and for once everything worked out as we’d hoped. I said to him ‘Harry Cobden always likes to go a bit wide, so you should be able to get a nice run down the inside and it’s all about rhythm and jumping’.

“I said ‘make sure you give him a breather round this last corner, don’t press him the whole way’, and I honestly couldn’t believe how well everything was working out just as we’d spoken about, as it not very often does.”

James Reveley on Tazbar (left) at Kempton
James Reveley on Tazbar (left) at Kempton (Alan Crowhurst/PA)

Keith Reveley himself landed the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase – then the Feltham – with the Mick Fitzgerald-ridden Ungaro in 2006, while James partnered the stable’s Tazbar to finish second to the brilliant Long Run three years later.

In Il Est Francais, though, Keith feels his son has come across the horse of a lifetime.

He added: “The Feltham was the only Grade One I actually won as a trainer, so it was a magical day to see James win it and we just pray the horse stays in one piece. Hopefully he won’t need to start training just yet, as long as that horse is still around!

“He’s an exceptional horse. I’ve actually been to Noel’s to see him work in a morning and he’s the most gorgeous horse to look at.”

Connections have already nominated the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris as Il Est Francais’ first major target for this year, with a return to Kempton for the King George also high on his agenda.

Il Est Francais in action at Kempton
Il Est Francais in action at Kempton (John Walton/PA)

Should he come through both of those assignments unscathed, then a tilt at the Cheltenham Gold Cup may loom large in 2025, although Reveley senior does have some reservations about the suitability of that particular test.

“I must admit I think the Kempton track suits him, as the horse has got loads of natural pace, and whether he wants three and a quarter miles around Cheltenham is another thing,” he went on.

“I know he’s won around Auteuil on soft ground, but they go much slower early on in the races there and whether he’ll suit the slog of Cheltenham, we’ll have to wait and see.

“James is adamant he will suit the Grand Steep – because the pace is quite relaxed early on over there, he’s confident that the trip won’t be a problem for him, but off a flat-out pace over three and a quarter miles at Cheltenham, it’s a different ball game altogether.”

While Reveley certainly does not begrudge his son’s success, he admits he had initially harboured hopes he would continue to ride in Britain at least part-time to aid his own career before the lure of French riches proved too much for him to resist.

“He used to stay with me for the winter and then go back to France every April time and stay there for the summer,” he recalled.

“I always thought it was working well, as he’d usually get maybe 50 winners in England during the winter and I thought he had a good career, but the French people kept saying if he went full-time he’d be champion and, as it turned out, the first year he went there full-time, he was champion, so it worked out.

“I wouldn’t say it was devastating for me because I’m proud he’s done so well, but it more or less put paid to my training career because it’s a hard enough job as it is without your son moving away.

“To be fair, I think the French racing suits him because he’s always been a good horseman over a jump and obviously in France, you’ve got the bullfinch fences and different types of obstacles.

“In English races, they go very fast early on and it’s a little bit of a war of attrition, whereas the French tend to be a little more tactical and rely on the jumping a little bit more. It’s worked out very well, he’s had a great time and hopefully he has a few more years at it yet.

“It was nice to see him do it on English television at Kempton. I’ve had a lot of people commenting how good it was to see him winning over here and how it’s nice to see he’s still got his northern accent!”



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James Reveley has great faith in Il Est Francais

James Reveley believes Il Est Francais has all the required attributes for the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.

Reveley finished second in the race on Tazbar behind Long Run for his father, Keith, back in 2009 but moved to France in 2016 and has been champion jockey three times there.

Not surprisingly, he is a sought after man across the Channel, and trainers Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm can also count on his knowledge of this track when they bring their great hope over to tackle the best novices the UK and Ireland can muster.

“I sat on Il Est Francais on Tuesday morning and he felt great, so it’s all systems go, and I’m skipping the racing on Christmas Day at Pau to prioritise Kempton on Boxing Day,” Reveley told ThoroughBid.

James Reveley down at the start on Tazbar (left) before the 2009 edition of the Kauto Star Novices' Chase
James Reveley down at the start on Tazbar (left) before the 2009 edition of the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase (Alan Crowhurst/PA)

“He’s a picture of a horse and he does everything right. He’s very straightforward and a very kind animal, just about everything you want in a racehorse.

“Obviously, it’ll be a test coming to England, which is a completely different style of racing, but I think he’ll adapt to Kempton. He’s a good jumper, he’s quite careful and has a good cruising speed, so he ticks a lot of boxes for a track like Kempton.”

His only defeat in his last eight races came when Johnny Burke stepped in for an injured Reveley last March when taking on his elders.

“He became a bit unstuck against the best hurdlers of the older generation earlier this year, but he wasn’t right on the day he was beaten, and I think it was the right decision to give him a break over the summer before going over fences this autumn,” said Reveley.

Ile Est Francais with Noel George and James Reveley
Ile Est Francais with Noel George and James Reveley (Valentin Desbriel)

“He has absolutely sluiced up in his last two chases, so it’ll be interesting to see how he adapts to the English style, both the fences and races.

“He likes to dominate, but he doesn’t have to be in front and can settle in-behind as well. I have ridden him out front in the last two races because he’s been way and above the best horse and I didn’t want to break his stride.

“I don’t think the flat, right-handed track of Kempton will bother him, neither will the style of fences – and he’s got plenty of pace, so he should travel.

“The trip shouldn’t be a problem either. Last time out over two-and-three-quarter miles was the furthest he’s been and he showed no signs of stopping at the end, so he ticks all the boxes from my point of view.

“It’s great for the sport that the horse is coming over, and fingers crossed he’ll stay in one piece and show everyone what he’s capable of.

“For me, he’s capable of being a Grand Steeple-Chase horse, and why not a Cheltenham Gold Cup type? This year, we’re prioritising the Grand Steep over the Cheltenham Festival, and further down the line we will come back for some good races in England.”



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Reveley in race against time to be fit for Roi Mage National ride

James Reveley is still holding out faint hopes that he will be fit to ride Randox Grand National outsider Roi Mage at Aintree.

Reveley, who was crowned French champion jockey for a third time in December, adding to his previous titles in 2016 and 2021, has been sidelined after breaking a leg in a fall at Pau on February 19.

Now he is facing a race against time to be fit for a rare opportunity to ride in the world’s most famous steeplechase.

“I’ve got a fractured tibia and I’m on the mend, but it could be touch and go for the National, to be honest,” said Reveley.

“I’m looking to get back around Easter. My target is April 8 to be back riding.

“I’m actually getting operated on to remove a screw, as it has come a bit loose and we will see how things go over the next week to 10 days.

“You can’t rush bone injuries and I have the leg to build back up. I’m slowly getting there but it takes a bit of time and work.”

The Patrick Griffin-trained Roi Mage is a general 50-1 shot for the April 15 National, having chased home Longhouse Poet at Down Royal on Friday.

The 11-year-old carries just 10st 8lb at Aintree, having missed the cut for the big race by one last year.

Reveley has won on Roi Mage before and partnered him when a close-up third tn a Listed event at Compiegne in November.

Though keen to renew the partnership, he fears he may be fighting a losing battle.

He added: “It is up in the air, but I spoke to James (Griffin, assistant trainer) and we said we’d make a decision over the first couple of days in April as to whether I would be fit to ride.

“I said I’d love to ride him and I know the horse quite well. I think he’ll suit the track.

“It is in the balance. I would say it is more unlikely than likely, but you never know. We’ll see.

“I was looking forward to it. It is a shame really, because most of the years I can never ride in the National because it falls on the same day as the big trials in Auteuil.

“This is the first year it has been separate weekends, so if I can’t make it, I’ll be gutted.”



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