'The objective is to breed and race winners and commercial success comes with that' Desmond Stoneham talks to Henri Bozo, manager of the up-and-coming Haras des Monceaux.

Byline: Desmond Stoneham

THE name Lucien Urano may not mean much to many across the Channel, but that is likely to change in the near future.

The sexagenarian Italian, following a brilliant career in commerce and after a highly successful period in the sport of trotting, has turned his attention to the thoroughbred and is now one of the leading owners in France.

Urano's trotters compete under the name of the ecuries des Charmes, from the Haras de Retz, near Cabourg, which he bought in 1999.

In 2002, Urano spread his wings and purchased the Haras des Monceaux to start his thoroughbred empire. Horses from this famous establishment are now making their mark while his trotters continue to shine over the cinders at Vincennes. Urano has more than 400 horses in his ownership - impressive for a man who came to France from Calabria with just a suitcase at the tender age of 13.

Managing the operation is a man perfectly bred for the job in 36 year-old Henri Bozo - his father Antoine developed the Moussac family's Haras du Mezeray for more than 30 years, his sister Anne-France is married to Dubai-based trainer Erwan Charpy, and brother Ghislain owns Meridian International bloodstock agency.

Henri Bozo, who learnt his trade in South Africa, Australia, the US with Christophe Clement and in Ireland at the Irish National Stud and with Lady Chryss O'Reilly, takes up the story.

"I started with Lucien Urano at the end of 2003," he says. "The Monceaux was built by the American industrialist Ralph Beaver Strassburger in 1925. He loved France and also had a villa in Deauville and a stable at Chantilly that bore his name.

"After his death, it was owned by Alan Clore for seven years and then had several owners, including a Canadian who bred cows and made cider here. We literally had to start from scratch and refurbish all the boxes and barns, as well as tend to the land. We have 235 hectares and are in the process of buying 30 more."

On arriving in Normandy in the late 1950s, Urano's father was already involved with trotting, but his son was determined to become a successful entrepreneur.

"He created a textile empire called Fabio Lucci, which bought the Tati chain, and the group then traded under the name Ventura," says Bozo. "The business was sold in 2007 and he then bought the Pizza Pino chain of restaurants.

"Monsieur Urano is an out-and-out businessman, but very down to earth at the same time as being very demanding. He bought Monceaux to try to do as well as he has with his trotters. The policy is long term and to invest in quality, as well as to improve the standard of stallions standing in France.

"The objective is to breed and race winners and commercial success comes with that. It is the same philosophy as that of Lady Chryss O'Reilly, who is an associate."

Bozo adds: "We started with five broodmares and now have 35, plus ten boarders. In all, there are 100 horses based at the Monceaux who are cared for by a staff of 17. In fact, nearly everybody in the village has some contact with the stud."

The ecurie des Monceaux's first major success story was the Grade 1-placed Naissance Royale, who also picked up Grade 2s at Saratoga, Woodbine and Santa Anita.

"She has a colt foal by Street Cry and is in foal to Dalakhani," says Bozo. "Another foundation mare is Royal Highness. Like Naissance Royale, she was trained by Christophe Clement and won the Grade 1 Beverly D Stakes at Arlington Park. She has a filly foal by Dansili and is in foal to Galileo. Our Prix Saint-Alary winner Coquerelle has also been covered by him and she has a filly foal by Montjeu."

Judging by the quality of the Monceaux broodmares and their matings, future success on the track looks assured, and there are more on the production line.

One of them is this season's Prix Corrida winner and Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud runner-up Alpine Rose, who is owned in partnership with Marguerite de Moussac and Skymarc Farm after being bought for EUR550,000 at last year's Arqana December sales by Patricia Boutin's Suprina.

"She's the first horse we've had with Alain de Royer-Dupre and the plan now is the Group 1 Prix Jean Romanet at Deauville, and then the Prix Vermeille. The filly has also been entered in the Arc," says Bozo.

"Our Prix de Royaumont winner Quetsche has been marked down for the Prix de Pomone at Deauville. She was bought at Keeneland [September sale] for $450,000, the first time Monsieur Urano had visited the sale. ecurie des Monceaux has 20 horses divided between Alain, Andre Fabre, Pascal Bary, Carlos Lerner, Yves de Nicolay and Jean-Claude Rouget."

The ecurie des Monceaux will break new ground at Arqana this month when selling under its own name for the first time.

Bozo says: "We have between ten and 15 yearlings who eventually go into training each year and have 50 broodmares at the stud, so we must sell some. It also helps to balance the books. But we don't just sell, as we're always bringing in new blood. Fillies are sold only if we already have enough of certain families and we try to send good-looking colts to the sales.

"There are 12 yearlings in our consignment this year, including a nice French-bred colt by US sire Smart Strike (lot 4). We also expect our Monsun filly (9) to fetch a good price and the Danehill Dancer filly (29) should be popular with buyers. We have high hopes, too, for our Invincible Spirit filly (96).

"Arqana has become a very efficient organisation and does a fantastic job - not just for the breeding industry but for racing in general."

Bozo lives at the Monceaux with his wife and three boys and is kept busy around the clock.

"Monsieur Urano telephones me three or four times a day for news from trainers or maybe about a foal. He adores his horses and just wants to breed and own as many winners as possible - thoroughbreds and trotters."

Urano might have long-term ambitions for the ecurie des Monceaux, but it has certainly got off to a flying start. In the 1060s there was a Norman presence in Calabria. Now Urano has a powerful toe-hold in the land of the invaders and maybe his love for the region and its equine roots was already in his veins.

CAPTION(S):

Quetsche: scheduled to run next in the Prix de Pomone The Haras des Monceaux's policy is to invest in quality as well as improve the standard of stallions standing in France