Old man Olivier still fighting father time ... and doing pretty well

Jockeys & Trainers / La Casaque Noire / 22 October 2007 / Leave a Comment

Peslier notches 42nd Group One winner in French racing and has eyes on at least one more this season, The Prix de Diane. La Casaque Noire reports...

A few weeks ago I highlighted why the British punter just won't have French jockeys, at almost any price. So, bang on schedule, up pops Christophe Lemaire to win another Champion Stakes at Newmarket - and with a perfectly judged ride to boot, while over here Olivier Peslier clocks-up his 2000th French winner.

For most of the year Peslier seemed to be suffering from "near the end of career syndrome", looking a shadow of his former self. Of course, put him on a Group horse in a Group race and he still looks the Group One jockey of old. But put him in a run of the mill handicap and he looks ... well, let's just say it's not been happy viewing.

However, that said, recent weeks have seen him transformed back into the maestro of old. The reason? Simple - the emergence of a couple of decent two-year-olds from his employer, the Wertheimer Brothers, the best of which might be the unbeaten Anabaa filly, Goldikova.

Having signed a new contract with them, he's hoping that he'll have some Classic material for next year. He's now riding with the youth of a teenager blended with the wisdom of age, and it really is impressive stuff.

Number 2000 was chalked up on Thursday aboard Moonlanding, despite the unruly beast having dumped him to ground on the way to the start! After that he notched another couple of winners, both for his boss(es) and both with perfectly judged rides.

Peslier is only the fifth jockey to reach this milestone, and he's in good company, the others being Roger Poincelet, Yves Saint-Martin, Freddie Head and Dominique Boeuf.

The four-time Cravache D'Or (champion jockey) has ridden 42 Group One winners in France, with another 10 in the UK (including the 1998 Derby aboard High Rise and this year's 2000 Guineas on Cockney Rebel). Three other Group One wins came this year - Cockney Rebel, when completing the Irish Guineas double, Lawman in the Prix Jean Prat and Doctor Dino (excellent third in the Champion Stakes) when winning the Man O'War Stakes in the USA.

But despite having ridden such an impressive list of winners, when asked the name of the best horse he's ever ridden, the answer is swift - Peintre Celebre, the very impressive Arc winner of '97.

Meanwhile, the flat season is nearing it's close. Stephane Pasquier, for my money easily the best jockey in France, is on the verge of winning his first "Cravache D'Or". He's ridden 152 winners and currently has a near 20 win lead on the Pau-based Ioritz Mendizabal and Christophe Soumillon.

Peslier himself has 95 winners and is once again homing-in on the century.

One remaining ambition still stands - to win the Prix de Diane. He was cruelly robbed of this when Daniel Wildenstein removed all his horses, including Aquarelliste from Andre Fabre in 2001. Just a few weeks later she was winning the French Oaks under Domique Boeuf.

Perhaps Goldikova can set the record straight next year?