Francophone

The big moments have come at big venues. Her first serious breakthrough arrived at Goodwood in May 2024, one of the most celebrated racetracks in the country. Johnston admitted afterwards that running her back so quickly had been "a bit of a gamble," but the horse had been flying at home and the opportunity was too good to ignore. It paid off. Then, in September 2025, she did it again at Newmarket — British racing's most prestigious flat track — winning a second Class 1 race and proving the first wasn't a fluke. Johnston revealed that he'd actually been tempted to drop her down in class beforehand, having been unimpressed by a previous run. He's glad he didn't.

At five years old, Francophone is arguably entering her prime. Johnston believes she could take another step forward this season — she's a big, strong horse, and physically those types often do improve with age and experience. The plan is ambitious: the top Group races for older fillies, potentially across distances ranging from a mile up to a mile and a quarter. She needs decent ground — normal to fast conditions suit her best. Her jockey for 13 of her 16 races has been Joe Fanning, and together they've won 4 times, a win rate of 31%, which is a genuinely strong partnership at this level.

Her recent form makes for interesting reading too. The last six runs read 11-4-1-6-5-5 from most recent backwards, meaning she's been in and out — but that "1" is a Class 1 win at Newmarket just nine months ago. For a horse operating consistently at the highest tier of British flat racing, winning 2 from 9 at that level is a respectable 22%. Not every race is winnable when you're lining up against the best in the country, and the fact she keeps being aimed at those races tells you exactly how highly her team thinks of her.