Meet the NBA all-star who wants to win the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe

He is one of the most successful sports personalities his country has ever produced and has huge popularity both in France and in Texas, where he helped the San Antonio Spurs to four NBA Championships.

Now Tony Parker has returned to a childhood love of horses and has embarked on the life of a racehorse owner.

Nothing unusual about a wealthy sportsman investing in horses, you might think. But Parker is determined to spread the gospel that racing is a sport for everybody, with his Infinity Nine Horses stable attracting widespread attention on social media, and the launch of a new fly-on-the-wall documentary, Tony Parker: The Big Bet.

And he has made himself available to racing institutions, signing ambassadorial deals with Equidia – which co-produced the Big Bet – and France Galop.

"My idea is to modernise the world of racing and make it more popular, to shine a light on the sport and to share my excitement with the community," said Parker at a press screening of episode one at Longchamp.

Former NBA star and now racehorse owner Tony Parker flanked by Equidia director general Arnaud de Courcelles and France Galop president Edouard de Rothschild (right) at the press screening of The Big BetCredit: France Galop / Scoop Dyga

"I want to share the adventure with people and really promote a different image of horseracing. There are an awful lot of people who think that it is a sport reserved for millionaires, and that's really not the case. You can take five per cent in a horse, you can bet on a race, there are loads of different ways of getting involved.

"That was my humble offer to France Galop and it's lucky that the president trusted me. It's a huge opportunity."

Racing has already enjoyed a boost to its profile with football stars such as Barcelona and France forward Antoine Griezmann and Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti becoming owners.

But Parker – who has two million followers on Twitter and 657,000 signed up to his Instagram account – is determined to bring even more famous names into the fold at Infinity Nine, with Ferrari F1 driver Charles Leclerc recently taking a share in Afghany, a three-year-old colt in training with Fabrice Chappet.

"Charles reacted to a post I put out on social media showing one of my horses," said Parker. "He suggested the name Best Sixteen and that was the one the fans voted for.

"I told him we were filming for the series and I'd love for him to come on board and so he came to dinner with 'Coach' [Yann] Barberot. Charles had a great time and at the end of the meal he said that the next time there was a horse I was interested in, he would love to take a share."

Charles Leclerc: named one of Tony Parker's horses and took a share in anotherCredit: Mark Thompson

Parker added: "'Coach' Chappet came to me with a horse called Afghany and Charles called me yesterday to say he was up for it. That is the whole point, to make it accessible. A lot of people follow what we’re doing."

Parker was renowned in his playing days as a talent whose speed and skill more than compensated for a perceived lack of stature. Now he is happy going on record as saying that from small beginnings – Infinity Nine has five horses spread between trainers Ludovic Gadbin, Yann Barberot and Fabrice Chappet – he has the biggest ambition of all: to win the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

"You might tell me I am mad to dream so big but I have always done that since I was a child," said Parker. "Everyone told me I was too small and too slight to make it in the NBA.

"There will be people in racing who take me for a fool for saying it. Pauline Chehboub [of Haras de la Gousserie] has been joking with me that it’s taken her and her dad 15 years to have a runner in the Prix de Diane. But I won't hide what my ambition is."

Parker has given himself 20 years to win the Arc. But French racing won't have to wait anywhere near that long to feel the positive effects of his involvement in the sport.

Who is Tony Parker?

Tony Parker may not be as much of a mainstream name as the likes of Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant or LeBron James, but he certainly wouldn't be out of place in terms of his talent and accomplishments.

Parker spent 18 years playing in the NBA, 17 of which were with the San Antonio Spurs with whom he became a four-time NBA champion and was named the NBA Finals MVP in 2007. Alongside Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili, the Frenchman created a dynasty in San Antonio the likes of which will likely never be seen again, and has since had his famous No. 9 jersey retired.

The 39-year-old also left his mark when playing for the French national team, representing France at Olympic and EuroBasket level, guiding France to victory in the latter tournament in 2013.

Parker is the president of French basketball league team ASVEL, and rightfully holds superstar status both in his native country and throughout America.
Andrew Wilsher, US sports editor, Pickswise

Visit Pickswise, our sister US sports site and the #1 home of free betting picks. Loaded with data, trends, and trusted opinion on every sport, every day.

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