When we can’t make it to France to watch our horses, the fun certainly doesn’t stop for Provence Racing owners.

Transport logistics made getting over to Auteuil to see Eclair D’Ainay run in the €110,000 Prix Francois de Ganay rather tricky, so we organised a lunch at the superb Fitzdares Club at Naunton in the Cotswolds.

It was great to see so many of our owners on Sunday and we were all thrilled by another excellent display by Eclair D’Ainay. He cruised through the race, as usual, and went to the front approaching the last.

Although he couldn’t quite hold off the strong finishers, he battled on into fourth place. It was a solid effort just 15 days after finishing runner-up at Angers, when a team of seven went over to support out flagship horse.

Eclair D’Ainay has jumped the last hurdle in front in all three of his races for Provence Racing so far. With his win at Lyon-Parilly and placed finishes in his last two starts, he has won his owners more than €30,000.  

He’ll now enjoy a break, while the main jump racing action in France heads down to the south of the country.

We’re aiming to find a race for him back in France at the end of February or early March when the racing returns to the Paris tracks.

Once we have identified the right race, we’ll be sure to let everyone know and organise, with the help of our travel partners Venatour Racing, a weekend in Chantilly.

If Sunday’s lunch is anything to go by, it’s going to be so much fun.

Our owners tucked into roast beef with all the trimmings and, er, a few bottles of wine to go with it.