Pascal Bary had to scotch rumours he was set to retire and on Sunday he can remind people his talents as a trainer are undiminished should Feed The Flame win Europe's most prestigious race the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
At 70 the French handler is of an age when many would be dreaming of puffing on their pipe and donning a pair of slippers but instead his star has fanned his flames of remaining in the sport.
Bary also has unfinished business as the Arc is the big prize that has eluded him during his stellar training career.
He came frustratingly close with the fancied Sulamani finishing second behind the lightly-regarded Marienbard in the 2002 Arc -- Bary was noticeably upset in the immediate aftermath of the surprise outcome.
Fourth in the Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby) behind many people's favourite for the Arc Ace Impact in June he turned into an Arc contender when he won the Grand Prix de Paris on Bastille Day (July 14).
That race is run over the same course (Longchamp) and distance (1 1/2 miles, 2400m) as the Arc which for some gives him the edge over Ace Impact.
"Just to reiterate those rumours of me retiring are false," said Bary with a smile.
"Having such a horse at the end of my career is something very fortunate.
"Jean-Louis Bouchard (the owner) is very upbeat ahead of Sunday, we have a magnificent colt.
"Obviously, we are heading there with (a mix of) pleasure and enthusiasm. And if not this year, it will be next year!
"As he will be an even better 4-year-old."
- 'No particular terrors!' -
Bary has had some lean years of late and there has been a drop in the number of horses in his stables which only adds to his pleasure to have such a horse as Feed The Flame.
"I think he's capable of winning on Sunday," said Bary.
"On a track that rates softer than during the Arc Trials, he will be more at ease.
"I can't claim to have an in-depth knowledge of the British raiders, but Ace Impact is, for me, the horse to beat, and he’s a hold-up horse too.
"He was on our shoulder in the Jockey Club (Feed The Flame finished fourth) and we will have to watch him again in the Arc."
Unlike Bary Ace Impact's French trainer Jean-Claude Rouget has ticked the Arc winner box with Sottsass in 2020.
Rouget, 70 like Bary, has had Ace Impact on the go since January, which is rare indeed for top grade horses, although he has given him a rest since he won at Deauville in mid-August.
The question marks hanging over him is will he stay (the Jockey Club is 1/4 mile shorter trip than the Arc) and will he adapt to the tricky track that is Longchamp which he has never raced on.
"Before the race, we can't be absolutely certain that he'll stay the trip," said Rouget.
"However, the manner in which he finishes his races, allied to the fact that his sire had the required stamina, lend me to feel fairly optimistic on this subject.
"The fact that he's discovering Longchamp for the first time isn't a worry: as the colt is a straight-forward ride once he settles.
"Furthermore, many horses have won the Arc without prior experience of Longchamp!"
Although Jim Crowley, riding English fancy Hukum, told AFP Ace Impact could be exposed as he is in with the "big boys now" Rouget has little fear of him coping with older and more experienced horses for the first time.
"As for the older horses... it's true that he has no form lines in which he can be measured against them," he said.
"The race holds no particular terrors!
"I'm just hoping for a race run at a proper gallop so that the hold-up horses like him can get into the race."
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