As broadcast on Opening Show this morning, US based French trainer, Christophe Clement has died aged 59.
Leading US-based trainer and Classic winner Christophe Clement has died at the age of 59 from cancer. The French-born trainer enjoyed over 2,500... Read More
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I'm going to counter the eulogy that Chapman gave him ("you couldn't meet a nicer guy in racing....") with this story (yes I know you shouldn't speak ill of the dead, yada yada....)
So I worked with the guy whilst at Cumani's in the late 1980s. Initially he was Assistant but based down in the bottom yard so I didn't have a huge amount to do with him but then when the main assistant left, he was promoted. And he literally hated the girls who worked in the yard. I think he was probably the most misogynistic guy I have ever had the misfortune to meet. At that time it was thought that the female of the species should not either ride or groom colts in case their hormonal smells prompted a reaction.....

. So we were assigned to ride and look after the fillies (which were often far more difficult to ride anyway).
Not content with bullying us on a daily basis and this was constant, he provoked us as well inferring that we were second class compared to the lads in the yard. Well at one time we had a colt who had broken bones in limbs both on the same side so he had to be supported (god knows why he wasn't transferred to the vets!) and CC decided that he would set up a rota amongst the lads for who should do the over night watch. I was offered 3am to 4am! And this bearing in mind we were not even allowed near colts on a normal day. I told him to feck off and refused. But you get my drift!
A couple of weeks later I was riding a Mill Reef half sister to Khayasi who was a scrawny little rat. Anyway she had a nasty lump on her back and I was concerned that she shouldn't be ridden. The vet was in that morning and sent down to look at it. So I stood and helped him by holding the filly. CC arrived and told me flatly to get out. Being a "confident" 20yo I countered that the vet had asked me to help him. With that he literally grabbed me by the shoulders and threw me hard against the barn wall saying "don't you ever backchat me again!" Regardless of how I spoke, He physically assaulted me. I had bruises across my shoulder and marks where his hands went. Two lads and the vet were horrified and all said he was out of order. If it had happened in this day and age, I suspect I could have pressed charges and won. Of course there was nothing I could do but he bullied several girls out of their jobs there by being so unpleasant.
Anyway - thought I'd just share that with y'all!