Prix de Diane Longines – PROFILE AND QUOTES OF Christopher Head, Trainer of Rosa Salvaje

PROFILE

Based in Chantilly since late 2018, thirty-eight-year-old trainer Christopher Head has quickly made a name for himself. The son of legendary jockey-turned-trainer Freddy Head and nephew of racing icon Christiane Head, Christopher Head has already claimed victory in the Prix de Diane Longines. That win came in 2023 with the champion filly Blue Rose Cen, who achieved the remarkable double of the Poule d’Essai and the Prix de Diane Longines. In 2021, Sibila Spain marked his first runner in the Chantilly classic, finishing an encouraging fourth.

This year, he will be presenting the filly Rosa Salvaje, bred—like Blue Rose Cen—by the Yeguada Centurion. However, she is owned by a group of partners comprising Francky Défossé, a successful young tech entrepreneur; Haras de l’Hôtellerie, based in the Orne and where Rosa Salvaje was raised; Snig Elevage (Florent Couturier, also a breeder in the Orne); and bloodstock agent Frédéric Sauque. Christopher Head also holds a share in the filly.

QUOTES

Excerpts from the press conference held Tuesday morning by France Galop

“Following Rosa Salvaje’s seasonal return in the Prix de la Grotte over 1,600m, her jockey Stéphane Pasquier and I felt she might benefit from a step up in distance. I took advantage of the reinstatement of the Prix de la Chapelle-en-Serval in the racing calendar to test her on the same course as the Prix de Diane Longines. That race served as a prep run for Channel before her 2019 victory in the Diane. I believe it’s very important for a filly to familiarize herself with the course ahead of the big day. The road crossing, in particular, can unsettle some fillies. There's a similar one at Lyon-Parilly, which is why we ran Sibila Spain there ahead of her Diane attempt.

Rosa Salvaje won that Class 2 race, demonstrating both her stamina and her ability to handle the road crossing without any trouble. Her times were good, and from that moment on, she earned her ticket to the Diane. Winning the race requires both speed and stamina—and she has both. Of course, her chances are more abstract compared to some of her rivals, but a filly only gets one shot at the Diane in her lifetime, and the 2025 edition seems wide open. Stéphane Pasquier, who knows her well and is very fond of her, will be in the saddle as usual.

She also benefits from her two-year-old season experience. To be competitive at the top level, it’s essential for horses to gain experience early on.

I’m delighted to be working with owners I genuinely enjoy collaborating with. Francky Défossé is a passionate young owner. I’ve built a strong relationship with Jean-Pierre, Isabelle et Guillaume Garçon family, who run Haras de l’Hôtellerie. They’re capable of breeding champions both on the flat and over jumps, and our story, which began with Blue Rose Cen, continues. I met Florent Couturier (Snig Elevage) through this filly—he’s a highly talented breeder as well. And of course, Frédéric Sauque needs no introduction when it comes to spotting top-class horses! I don’t typically invest as an owner, but I agreed to take a small share in the filly to feel even more involved in the adventure.”