Placing: 1ST PLACE

Starting Number: 4 (not assigned)
Prix du Grand Roi (GII) | F/M | (5+) | 29F | Turf | Auteuil Hippodrome | Paris, France | €170,000

Horse: Sleptwithmysecretary
Jockey: Faolán Ó Cnáimhín
Stable: Ashton Park

Extra Images: --

Total Word Count: 298

Featured, --

Story

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word count, 298

The November morning was crisp and cool as Faolán carried his saddle towards the barn, his breath made soft clouds in the air.
    "Here's the saddle boss." he said, dumping the tack on the bale of straw outside the stall. Florian Guillory looked up from where he was strapping tendon boots to the paint gelding's legs. 
    "It's about time." He said with a snort, standing up and brushing his hands off on his jeans. 
    "Morning to you too." Faolán chuckled, reaching over the stall door to give his mount a pat. "Kiss." The gelding nickered and puckered his lips, nosing his jockey in the face.
Florian shook his head, "You have that horse eating out of your pocket...He's a race horse for crying out loud." 
    "He's just friendly. Aren't 'cha Sam?" Faolán laughed, scratching the horse's forehead. Sam blew out through his lips in response. 
Florian grumbled under his breath, though his eyes were twinkling. "Run off and do what you have to do. I need to get this guy ready to go." 
The jockey left his mount and headed to the locker room to complete his pre-race ritual. 

Ashton's gelding remained calm as Florian circled him in the holding stall, most of the jockey's had already appeared and were taking instruction from their trainers. Ashton's head trainer cursed softly, Late. Sam whinnied shrilly when he spotted his rider, bobbing his head happily. 
    "Sorry I'm late." Faolán said loudly, clipping his helmet onto his head. "What'll it be today boss?" 
 The trainer glared in his direction, double checking the gelding's girth before giving Faolán a leg up into the saddle.
    "Don't go too crazy, I want him home sound. Watch out for horse ten, I suspect he'll be the one to beat." Florian said with a defeated sigh. 

Song, Somebody Told Me - The Killers

Somebody Told Me you Sleptwithmysecretary

SO IT BEGINS.

artwork + characters, oTapirus