Marc Chevalier realised he was destined for a career in racing at one of the world’s most important historical sites.
Still a teenager and not taking to schooling, the French born trainer found himself riding trackwork on the beaches of Normandy.
Normandy was the landing site of the allies forces on the pivotal D-Day invasion in June, 1944, which helped turn the tide of World War II in favour of the Allied forces.
Chevalier was raised in the region in the inland northwestern French town of Saint Lo.
“Saint Lo has a big history from World War II, it was almost completely destroyed in the war and it’s not far from the beaches in Normandy,” Chevalier revealed.
“My family wouldn’t know what a racehorse is but I used to ride a bit at the pony club as a kid and school didn’t go too well.
“I didn’t fit very well so I started working in a stable in show jumping and then I was studying a horse school in France.
“They told us we had to do experience at a horse racing school to expand our horizons so I started riding trackwork at the beach and fell in love straight away.”
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It wasn’t long after the Chevalier moved to England as a fresh faced 18-year-old to work for the world-renowned Shadwell Stud.
A job breaking horses for the Aga Khan back in his home country followed and it was that connection that paved the way for his next move.
“I was working for the Aga Khan and he said it would be good for me to have an experience in Australia,” Chevalier said.
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Torrens wins at Randwick.
“They sent me there for six months and I loved it so much, I said I wasn’t coming back.
“That was 13 years ago now.”
Chevalier, now 36, started life in Australia working for Arrowfield as Paul Messara’s foreman before stints with Gary Moore, Danny O’Brien as well as Macedon Lodge.
He took out his own trainers licence during the 2021/22 season and set up a base at Hawkesbury.
“The stable has really picked up the last few months,” Chevalier said.
“We’ve had a very good season so far, our best season to date. We have a full stable of 17 horses at the moment so everything is going well.”
Chevalier will saddle up his two most influential gallopers with Torrens and Everyone’s A Star both lining up at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.
Torrens already holds a special place in Chevalier’s stable history after delivering the trainer with his maiden stakes winner by claiming the Listed Christmas Cup at Royal Randwick in December, 2022.
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Everyone’s A Star (right) wins at Rosehill.
The son of Cox Plate winner Adelaide will get the chance to provide the trainer with his second stakes victory in the Listed $200,000 Winter Cup (2400m) at Rosehill Gardens.
Torrens, a $10 chance, heads into the race on the seven-day back up after hitting the line strongly to finish sixth in the Lord Mayors Cup at Royal Randwick.
“It was a great run last Saturday when the track was heavy and I was only half sure if he would run,” Chevalier said.
“I wanted to give him a good fitness run and he did a job good. We just rode him quiet and he hit the line really nicely on a track that he didn’t like.
“He has pulled up super. Since Saturday’s race, it’s probably the easiest race he has been in for quite some time. He should be a top three chance.”
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Marc Chevalier celebrates after Tyler Schiller won on Everyone’s A Star.
The result this Saturday will determine what Chevalier does next with his stable star with options in Sydney and towards the end of Brisbane’s Winter Carnival.
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“There are more races in him,” Chevalier said.
“If doesn’t win or run second, his ratings has dropped a little bit so he could get in the Stayers Cup.
“It’s a Benchmark 90 over 2400m and he has a 92 rating so he will get a bit of weight but he can carry that.
“If he wins on Saturday we will look at going to Queensland in a couple of weeks instead for the Tatt’s Cup.”
Everyone’s A Star lines up a race earlier than her stablemate in the ATC Foundation Benchmark 72 Handicap (1100m).