Dubai: Less than a year into his job as trainer for Saudi Arabia's Prince Sultan Mohammad Saud Al Kabeer, Stephane Chevalier will saddle his first Dubai World Cup meeting runner when Don Renato contests the Group 2 Godolphin Mile, sponsored by Etisalat.
The Frenchman stepped up from his role as assistant trainer to Ian Jory in April 2007 and has settled into his new job with aplomb, saddling 29 winners so far this Saudi season.
Last month he announced his arrival onto the scene in no uncertain terms, winning the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques [King's] Cup; the most prestigious race in Saudi Arabia, with Joe Louis. "It's going great," says Chevalier, who is bred for the job, having a jockey father.
"We've had 29 winners and 57 places this season."
Concentrate
Chevalier has around 140 horses at the state of the art Nofa training establishment in Riyadh, including Simpatico Bribon, the 2006 Al Bastakiya winner and the new star Joe Louis.
The latter beat none other than 2007 Dubai World Cup runner up Premium Tap in the King's Cup, and Chevalier is aiming the Argentine-bred five-year-old at the 2009 Dubai World Cup.
"The Prince decided to leave him in Saudi this year and concentrate on winning races there, but next year he could really do something in the Dubai World Cup," he says.
For now though, it is Don Renato who is Chevalier's primary concern, and the four-year-old is scheduled to travel to Dubai on Thursday.
"We've done all of his fast work at home and he's in superb form at the moment - I can't get him any better."
Chevalier has a wealth of experience, having completed stints with Christophe Clement, Rusty Arnold II and Kiaran McLaughlin in the USA, before assisting Jory. With a solid first season at the helm already under his belt, a Godolphin Mile victory would be the most significant win of his career to date.
