Le French breeder of the day: Nicolas de Lageneste (Haras de Saint-Voir)
If Nicolas de Lageneste were a horse, he’d probably be one of the best-footed ever. Everything in his career as a breeder, an owner and a trainer, a horseman as a whole, has been a success. Not an overnight success, but the result of a slow maturation, like good wines kindly nurtured and brought into full bloom by masters of their craft and trade.
The breeder of Gauloise, who is running on Thursday in the Dawn Run mares’ Hurdle (Gr2), has already celebrated five wins at the Festival thanks to Vautour, Aux P’tits Soins and Dame de Compagnie. He also “made” popular sires such as Saint des Saints, who was race by him before he entered stud.
His Haras de Saint-Voir was crowned French best jump breeder in 2020. It is his 5th title since 2009. Based in the Allier, in the Centre of France, Nicolas trains his own horses as a licence-holder and won the 2019 Grand Cross-Country at Craon in 2020 with A Dieu Vat.
Of course, Nicolas was driving the horsebox too, along with his wife Pascaline, née Vagne. The name Lageneste was also recently quoted as Nicolas’ nephew Hector started a partnership with the famous French trainer Guillaume Macaire.
More than a craft or a trade, the whole family sees horseracing as a way of life …