'Competition is pushing us to try new ways - my results are shaped by stats'

If Freddy Head had not existed as a multiple champion jockey turned hall-of-fame trainer, it would have been necessary for some New Wave auteur to create him for the screen.

The light brown locks may have turned grey but the charming smile is still there at 75, an age many in racing refused to believe he had reached when the man who rode Miesque and trained Goldikova announced his imminent retirement last week.

Head knows a thing or two about succession, having won the Arc as a rider for his grandfather William, his father Alec and his sister Criquette. And from the moment his son Christopher came to him at the age of 20 and said he wanted to follow in the family tradition, the future of French racing's first family appeared secure.