'Now that he knows me, he really trusts me' - new beginnings in dressage for great stayer Vazirabad

There have been few more successful symbiotic racing relationships than that of Vazirabad and Christophe Soumillon. The great grey stayer, who seemed to have his own innate understanding of track craft, allied with a rider of perhaps unparalleled instinct, feel and natural flair. Together for 20 races, they only once finished outside the first two, finding ever more daring ways to achieve their goal together.

There were three consecutive Dubai Gold Cups and two Prix Royal-Oaks, with Soumillon invariably waiting at the back of the field before hunting his rivals down. The last time the pair were together in action came in the Gold Cup six years ago, Vazirabad's one and only visit to Royal Ascot, where they went toe-to-toe with the brilliant Stradivarius and only just came off second best.

Fifteen months later, with the old boy nagged by intermittent setbacks, Alain de Royer-Dupre and the Aga Khan Studs announced he was being retired, the trainer noting at the time that "he isn't a horse you can just turn out in a field".

His owner-breeders decided the gelding would have a new start as an ambassador for Au-Dela des Pistes, the French racehorse retraining charity with Gaelle Jonchery, an experienced equestrian instructor and competitor. After working together for a couple of months and doing a few demonstrations, it was decided between them that Jonchery would prepare him for dressage competitions. 

"We weren’t really familiar with him because his career had already ended when we started to become interested in the world of racing," says Jonchery. "It was a real challenge but a very interesting one to participate in the second career of a champion like him. We didn’t have any particular expectations, above all we have waited and listened to him tell us when he is ready for the next step."

Perfect match: Vazirabad and Christophe Soumillon win their third consecutive Dubai Gold CupCredit: Edward Whitaker

It turned out that Vazirabad is rather good at his new job. Last year he finished on the podium in several competitions, won a dressage test and even took part in the French teachers' championship.

"We chose dressage as a new career because Vazirabad has excellent natural balance and good paces," says Jonchery. "From his first competitions, he immediately caused a sensation among judges, and we have continued in this vein. 

"However, at home he has a diverse work schedule. He has already jumped, both loose and with a rider, he goes outside, works in-hand and is even sometimes ridden – or even jumped – in a halter! He's really very attentive and generous. He has a lovely stride, works hard and has good rhythm. He's also well-balanced. What's more complicated is his lack of suppleness and relaxation."

Jonchery is involved across the equestrian disciplines from the SG Eventing base she runs with partner Salome Pascoet at Rouvres, west of Paris. Quirks which Vazirabad evidently had during his career as a racehorse have made him an intriguing case study. While some of the orderliness required for dressage is obtained by repetition and routine, she still needed to work on psychology.

"Vazirabad is a very sensitive horse and, surprisingly, very unsure of himself," she says. "He needs a lot of time to gain confidence in everything around him. On the other hand, he's a very intelligent horse and he learns quickly. 

"But you have to take the time to explain things to him properly and let him think things through. I think that now he knows me, he really trusts me. We've reinforced that by working without a bridle and using only a neck collar. It was by giving him my confidence that his self-confidence grew enormously. Since then, when he's apprehensive, he gets over it much more easily because he knows he can trust me."

Au-Dela des Pistes, which also has crowd favourite Cirrus Des Aigles on its books, is a charity backed by French racing's ruler France-Galop, and the Aga Khan Studs has been an enthusiastic supporter. It recently obtained a further source of funding from the auction house Arqana and has organised demonstrations at race meetings to show the extraordinary versatility of the thoroughbred.

"Vazirabad has returned to the racecourse in a completely different dimension from in his previous life," says Jonchery. "Now he goes to show off and display his new self, and all he has learned and now enjoys.

"As soon as he returned to Deauville racecourse with me, he immediately understood that it was no longer a question of speed but of working calmly and showing off his new skills. He also loves being given carrots by children when the public visits him."

Jonchery remembers that he was particularly pleased to bump into an old friend.

"I think the best moment was during a demonstration at Compiegne racecourse," she says. "After showing off his dressage skills without a normal bridle and just with a head collar on the racecourse – which was already an amazing accomplishment – Christophe Soumillon came to meet us. Vazirabad was incredibly wise and relaxed; he started to graze on the track as he was so at ease. It was a powerful image, an ex-racehorse just grazing on the track!"

They have plenty of engagements in the months ahead, including trips to Deauville in August and Chantilly in September as well as ceremonial duties as an ambassador of the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, a meeting which yielded victories in the Prix du Cadran and Chaudenay for Vazirabad.

Jonchery is grateful for the opportunity to work with such a high-profile horse, and confirmation Vazirabad has found a deserving home comes from the way she speaks about him.

"On the dressage showgrounds, he is just another sport horse," she says. "Nobody knows who he is, what a remarkable racing career he's had or even what breed he is. But I know, and I'm proud of him and also of the trust placed in us to represent the thoroughbred breed. 

"Perhaps one day we'll be able to present him to the public at an equestrian sports event in the spotlight that he deserves."

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