EARTHQUAKE IN LONGCHAMP: A stunning victory for Marie Vélon arouses admiration… and suspicion

July 13, 2025, will go down in the annals of Longchamp, but perhaps not for the usual reasons. What was supposed to be a run-of-the-mill race against a summer sun turned into an unexpected equestrian thriller, with a certain Marie Vélon as the lead actress , who literally blew up the script—and sparked the first rumors of a conspiracy .

Riding Apax , a horse that even the most optimistic punters wouldn’t have bet a euro on, Vélon went from the rearguard to near victory with an ease that left the commentators speechless. A final sprint of more than 400 meters led at a cracking pace, with such perfect timing that it was like being in a Hollywood action movie.

But what some are calling a “tactical masterpiece,” others are already dubbing “the sponsored miracle .” On social media, reactions were swift. Several specialist accounts posted slow-motion videos showing, according to them, a “suspicious look between Vélon and a race steward” just before the start. Others are talking about strange gestures, or even a whiplash of complicity between two supposedly rival horses.

The hashtag #VelonGate started trending on X (formerly Twitter) as soon as the event ended, fueled by dozens of theories, each crazier than the last: a microchip in the saddle, a helmet connected to the box, or even a promise of unlimited champagne in the commissaires’ box in the event of “benevolent neutrality.”

In a post-race interview, Vélon did nothing to calm the fire. Smiling and mysterious, she simply blurted out:

“I knew this day would come. All I had to do was be in the right place at the right time. The rest is just a matter of details.”

A statement that was immediately picked up by the tabloids as proof of a well-oiled plan. Some newspapers, such as Le Galop Enchaîné , claim that “internal sources” in the paddock saw a brown envelope circulating in the gloved hands of an official.

France Galop is playing the radio silence card. No official investigation has yet been opened, but the unease is palpable. “We are re-examining the footage, as we do with any exceptional performance,” a spokesperson stated soberly.

In the meantime, Marie Vélon is enjoying her newfound notoriety. Whether she’s guilty of nothing or everything, she’s now the center of conversation. As one commentator on Equidia ironically summed up:

“Either she bought the judges, or she bought gravity. Either way, it’s genius.”