The smile never left Hugo Merienne’s face. After the victory of St. Donats in the first Group I of the day on the Butte Mortemart, the Prix Cambacérès, the 31-year-old coach seems to be on cloud nine. “It’s great, but I don’t know what to say”, launches the one who wins the first success of his career at this level, while being warmly congratulated by his colleagues Arnaud Chaillé-Chaillé and Nicolas Clément, to name only them, in the round of the winners. It must be said that the Merienne family is far from unknown in this environment where Adrien, his brother, evolves as a jockey, and his uncle, Julien, is a trainer.
For his part, the developer first distinguished himself in the amateur category before becoming a coach this year and joining Lamorlaye (Oise). Above all, he has solid experience in France and abroad, working with many renowned professionals, such as Willie Mullins and Guillaume Macaire. “I traveled a lot,” confirms the person concerned. Without realizing what has just happened with his resident, Hugo Merienne does not forget to congratulate his morning rider, Jean-Luc. “I’m just the conductor in the stable”, he confides to illustrate the success of his whole team, before returning to the performance of his horse St Donats. “He has matured. He is a horse with a lot of rhythm. It’s his way of racing, and you shouldn’t go against his abilities. He’s able to knock others off their train, and that makes it harder for them. A tactic perfectly implemented by his jockey, James Reveley. “I know the family of this horse perfectly, indicates the one who seems well on his way to winning a third Cravache d’or. He is very professional and has a huge heart. »
By winning this Prix Cambacérès, St Donats succeeds Kyrov and a certain Thelème, winner in 2020, who won the Grand Prix d’Automne (Group I) on Saturday. Something to dream even bigger for Hugo Merienne in the years to come.
