Simon Holt interviews David Menuisier ahead of Sunway’s run in the King George at Ascot on Saturday and with Glorious Goodwood on the horizon.
In the beginning
In 2014, David Menuisier, a French man born into a bloodstock-steeped family in Lorraine, set up as a trainer renting boxes with four horses at famous racing stables in Pulborough, West Sussex.
And, before long, two of them were lame.
Menuisier, who gained much experience as an assistant to training legends Criquette Head-Maarek, Richard Mandella and John Dunlop, had about six months to make something happen before the money ran out.
“I had to borrow” he said: “And we were on the edge, but we sold two of the them eventually and it just kept us going.
“What’s happened since is a miracle.”
Now, ten years on, Menuisier and his long-time partner Kim have six Group One runners at Coombelands Stables, once occupied by the hugely successful Guy Harwood and Dancing Brave, the equine hero of many a racing life.
And, on Saturday, a horse called Sunway bids to make the big breakthrough in the prestigious King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
It is an inspiring transformation albeit with frustrations attached as a few potentially big catches have slipped through the net.
In the 1000 Guineas, Tamfana was stuck behind rivals before flying home into fourth.
In the Oaks, War Chimes stayed on strongly to take third after hanging right and, in the Prix du Jockey Club, Sunway stumbled ruinously before going on to finish second, beaten three-quarters of a length by Los Angeles, in the Irish Derby.
And, the remarkable mare Caius Chorister, finished a head second in both the Sagaro and Henry II Stakes behind Coltrane and Sweet William respectively when trying to defy a penalty on each occasion.
Such lofty exploits are a far cry from the days when Menuisier wrote (“begging”) letters to every owner of his acquaintance only to receive just one reply – from the extrovert and enthusiastic insurance specialist Clive Washbourn.
Washbourn, a man who celebrates every winner or last bid at the conservative sales rings as if he’s scored a goal in the World Cup Final, promised a horse on the condition Menuisier could train a winner, and he kept his word.
Before long, more horses were purchased and the admirable grey Thundering Blue provided ample reward when, after patient handling, he produced dramatic improvement to win six races in 2017/18 – including the Sky Bet York Stakes.
Menuisier says: “Clive is true to who he is. Yes he is well known for getting a little excited but he’s a really nice guy, highly intelligent and always takes any bad news well.
“I was a little worried when he owned virtually every horse in the yard which is a vulnerable position for any trainer, but he has remained incredibly loyal.”
Thundering Blue’s exploits paved the way for further patronage and the achievements of Chris Wright’s Wonderful Tonight who won the Prix de Royallieu, British Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes on Champions Day, the Hardwicke and Lillie Langtry Stakes resulted in an increase in numbers.
So, from nothing, Menuisier now finds himself training about 60 horses and the beneficiary of more Group One candidates than trainers with twice the ammunition.
“It’s an unbelievable situation,” he said. “But I try not to get too excited or stop to think about it.
“It helps that the facilities here are wonderful and I never thought to train in France as this is the best racing country in the world.”
Clearly a converted anglophile, he added: “I believe there is still great passion for racing in the UK, and any new superpower will always come here whereas I think it would be much harder to get going in France even though the prize money is better.
“We have been fortunate to have something every year but this season is exceptional.”
With the King George and the Qatar Goodwood Festival (“in our back garden”) approaching, Menuisier outlined his plans:
THE BIG SIX
SUNWAY: “He has come out of the Irish Derby bucking and kicking. It was a career-best performance and, potentially, he is the best I have trained. But it’s taken time to learn that he stays well and probably wants a fast pace on quick ground. Hopefully, there will be plenty of pace in the King George on Saturday and the stiff mile and a half at Ascot should suit him well. He’s a horse who seems best ridden off the pace before picking up the pieces. Depending on what happens on Saturday, he could go for the St Leger or the Arc.”
TAMFANA: “She is a brilliant filly with lots of speed who was quite obviously unlucky in the 1000 Guineas. In the Prix de Diane, we were drawn four towards the inside and, from there, had to go forward leaving her vulnerable in the closing stages. We held her up in the Grand Prix de Paris but, after quickening well, she didn’t seem to stay. So, she’s run in three Group Ones without winning. We will give her a break now and consider a range of options including the Queen Elizabeth 11 Stakes, the Champion Stakes and the Sun Chariot. When Jamie (Spencer) got off after the Guineas (1m), he said she might not need to go much further.”
WAR CHIMES: “There’s no stamina in her pedigree but she seems to stay well. We need to go right handed as she hung right up the straight at Epsom (when third in the Oaks) and again in the Irish Oaks in which she was way out the back and then came very wide. But she finished well there and I am thinking of the Fillies and Mares at Ascot on Champions Day as a possible target with something in-between which I need to discuss with the owners.”
DEVIL’S POINT: “He’s a Guineas winner (in Germany), and was Group One placed when second in the Futurity last year. But, when we ran him in the Prix Jean Prat last time, the ground was much too fast for him. He was changing his legs and, when they quickened, he was the first beaten. I’m not convinced he stays a mile but we have a range of options. I have given him an entry in the Prix du Moulin (1m), and the Prix Maurice de Gheest (61/2f) is possible but only if the ground was soft. It’s more likely we could go for the Prix de la Foret (7f) at the Arc meeting with a prep before.”
CAIUS CHORISTER: “She’s always a bit keen and didn’t stay in the Gold Cup last time. At Goodwood, we have the choice of the Goodwood Cup (2m) or the Lillie Langtry against her own sex over a mile and six. Much depends on whether Kyprios runs in the Cup. We could then run in the Ebor in which she was sixth last year (off a 10lb lower mark) or the Lonsdale Cup at York, and there is the possibility of the Prix De Royallieu at the Arc meeting or sending her for the Melbourne Cup. We have to weigh up whether to seek a Group One win or play russian roulette and throw the dice in Australia. I think an easy two miles, such as at Goodwood, would be fine but a mile-and-six might be ideal. She has been amazing considering she won off just 53 at Yarmouth in 2022 and is now rated 109.”
SIRONA: “She ran a cracker in the Falmouth Stakes and was only beaten a half length behind the second. I was delighted with that and have put her in the Valiant Stakes (Group 3) at Ascot on Saturday. Later, there is the Atalanta at Sandown and she could be one for the US eventually.”
GOODWOOD
Besides Caius Chorister in either the Goodwood Cup or the Lillie Langtry Stakes, Menuisier may also run the following.
GOODWOOD ODYSSEY: A winner on his only start as a two-year-old and again at Sandown in April for the Goodwood Racehorse Owners Group, “will probably go for the mile-and-a-half Coral Handicap at Goodwood on Wednesday.”
MASTER BUILDER: Won at Salisbury in May and then fifth in a novice event at Kempton, could make his handicap debut “in the mile-and-three-furlongs Coral Handicap on Friday which we won with Caius Chorister two years ago.”
METAVERSE: Won at Newmarket last Saturday and “may go for the World Pool Handicap over seven-furlongs on Wednesday.”
TOIMY SON: Goes well at Goodwood but “will need a few to come out of the Coral Golden Mile on Friday.”
ENTRANCEMENT: Finished second, beaten a nose, over a mile-and-a-half at Goodwood in May and “could go for the mile-and-six Coral Summer Handicap on Saturday.”
TWO-YEAR-OLDS
Menuisier is not one for hurrying the youngsters and has run just one juvenile – Caspian King – so far this season. He says: “CASPIAN KING ran at Sandown in June which is early for us! He is a good horse, ran nicely (earning the Racing Post comment “eyecatcher”) and could go for the seven-furlong British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes on Saturday.”
ROMANTIC STYLE, a daughter of Romanised, “could run for the first time in the Tatler British EBF Maiden Fillies Stakes, again over seven-furlongs, on Thursday.”
Also worth noting: SHOW US YOUR MONEY, a son of Pinatubo whose dam is the product of Dubawi and the smart Sir Henry Cecil-trained mare Chachamaidee.
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