Sport

Ourasi, the Lazy King

Ourasi is a champion trotter. A player, a rebel, and a conqueror, this handsome chestnut has a personality and liveliness which set him apart. This documentary shows the destiny of a mythical horse who today is enjoying a well-deserved rest. With fifty-eight victories, including four American Prizes (in 1986, 1987, 1988 and 1990), this unsurpassed track record surely made Ourasi the trotter of the century. "When he came out of the last bend, he would flatten down his ears and then no-one could catch him”, says Rachel Tessier, his first owner. “He flies out of the hatch like Concorde taking off. There´s him, then there are the other horses” adds Olivier, his stable lad. A rebellious horse, Ourasi had the individual quirk of always leaving it until the last few seconds before beating his adversaries, hence his nickname of “the lazy king”. His end-of-race speed-ups had the effect of sparking the crowd´s enthusiasm. He was imperial in his efforts - this burnt-chestnut horse, with a golden coat, never did anything like the others. “He was always more in control than I was. Out of the pair of us, I felt like I was actually the horse and he the jockey” confesses Jean-René Gougeon, nicknamed "driver of the sublime". "That horse really enjoyed pushing the limits of his world", adds Philippe, his first stable lad. But despite thirteen years of equine mastery, Ourasi´s line was not to be up to his great standard. To the immense disappointment of his buyers, he turned out to be a lousy stallion, apart from with one pretty bay mare: from three encounters three colts were born. Was Ourasi perhaps in love? A mythical horse, with an extraordinary destiny, he now whiles away his days happily at Gruchy stud farm.