'Saturday was what it's all about' - Kevin Philippart de Foy aiming for the top

Kevin Philippart de Foy is using time spent with the likes of John Oxx and James Fanshawe to create a perfect "melting pot" for his training after a Saturday Ascot double enhanced his growing reputation.

Juan De Montalban was a dominant winner of the opening race but the best was yet to come, as Benoit De La Sayette steered Vafortino to tote Victoria Cup glory, the biggest victory of their respective careers.

"Saturday was what it's all about – getting winners on the bigger stage", De Foy said. "Obviously, we'd like to train top-class horses and Classic winners, but it's one step at a time, and that was a big step in the right direction."

De Foy's Newmarket operation is quickly becoming one to follow, with 18 winners from 77 runners for a profit of £13.46 to a £1 level stake.

He added: "We are running at a strong strike-rate, which is quite nice. We just have to keep trying to do the same job, running the horses in the right races and getting the best out of every single run of them.

"We started with seven horses in November 2020 and we have around 60 now. It looks like we have better quality horses than we did in the past and we just have to keep building it up slowly."

Assistant trainer to James Fanshawe before his solo venture, it's that type of experience he hopes will help him forge his way to the top.

"You learn and pick up things everywhere you go. My training is a sort of melting pot between every trainer I've worked for," De Foy said. "If my ex-bosses walk into my yard and spend a morning with me, they will see things they were doing.

"I've worked for some people who have been brilliant at weaving careers for top-class horses, such as John Oxx, Christophe Clement, Criquette Head-Maarek and James Fanshawe, and I hope that will help me in the future."

De Foy is no stranger to working with exceptional horses, having worked in Head-Maarek's yard when Treve was strutting her stuff, and although his main goal is to win the biggest races like his mentors, De Foy places a huge importance in getting the best out of all his horses, regardless of their level.

He added: "I'm someone with big ambitions and we want to train Classic and Group 1 winners, but most importantly we have to keep getting the best out of every single one of the horses.

"You want to train top-class horses, but they won't all be like that, and it's about achieving the best out of their ability. I work back from races and make a plan to get to targets, finding the most suitable targets. We don't look at the competition very often."

Although Vafortino was his big-race winner on Saturday, De Foy nominated Juan De Montalban as a horse to watch, especially when he tries a marathon trip.

"We're building him back slowly and he hit the line very well over a mile and a half yesterday," he said. "The obvious place to go is back to Royal Ascot for the Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes, but I think he could make a nice stayer in the future. He's a big horse with a massive stride."

For more exclusive insight from the up-and-coming Kevin Philippart de Foy, don't miss his weekly column in the Racing & Football Outlook available in retailers every Tuesday.

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