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A marked drop in his book of rides combined with a timely offer from Switzerland will see French jockey Olivier Placais bow out of the Kranji scene very soon.
Photo by Singapore Turf Club
The 27-year-old rider, who still has over three months left in his current Singapore Turf Club licence, has decided to cut his Kranji stay short after he could not say “non” to a lucrative contract from a top trainer in Switzerland, his former stomping ground before he relocated to Kranji in November 2009.
But before the former three-time Swiss champion jockey takes French leave, a second Group success would come as a fitting farewell present as he calls time on his 2 ½ year stint in Singapore.
Placais, who has up to now racked up 75 winners in a little under 1,000 rides at Kranji, is booked to leave Singapore on March 27. His overall score reads as 80 winners as the former Andre Fabre apprentice also rode five winners when he first came to Kranji in 2002.
With four Kranji race-meetings left before he begins his new Swiss adventure with multiple-champion trainer Miroslav Weiss at the beginning of April, Placais is determined to leave Singapore with a flourish, especially at his last ride in a feature race, Sunday's $200,000 Group 3 Merlion Trophy (1200m), aboard the Theo Kieser-trained Yin Xin.
The Quorum four-year-old has quickly established himself as a consistent sort scoring five times (all on Polytrack) for three seconds in eight races (1100m to 1200m) that have taken him from Initiation to Kranji Stakes C level.
“I've never ridden him in a race, but he gave me a very good feeling last Tuesday in a working gallop,” said Placais whose only feature win at Kranji was registered with the Bruce Marsh-trained Race Ahead in the Group 2 Queen Elizabeth II Cup in 2010.
“He apparently clocked 33.5secs on Track 6 but I doubt so as he was always on the bit. I did give him a dig in the last 400m but he could not have run such a time.
“Still, he did it very easily but he's facing a steep step-up in class on Sunday. His wide draw (11) is also a bit of a concern.
“He's never beaten any champions. The best horse he has beaten is probably Rafaga, but I still think he won't be out of his depth.”
Placais, whose best haul was in 2011 when he finished fifth on the Singapore jockey's premiership on 44 winners, said he had thoroughly enjoyed his second Kranji experience, though the going had been tougher in the new 2012 term – a major factor to his decision to head home.
“I've had a very good time here. The competition is very tough, but it also brings out the best in you especially when you are up against jockeys from all parts of the world,” said Placais who will be based in Zurich.
“The experience has definitely improved my riding. I'm also grateful for the support from many trainers and owners, to whom I say a big 'merci'.
“But the partnership I have struck up last year did not last as long as I wished. It has become increasingly difficult to get good rides even though I was still busting my guts in the morning riding trackwork - and Miro's offer could not have come at a better time.
“Miro has been champion trainer in Switzerland in the last 10 years. He was looking for a jockey after his stable jockey Mathias Sautjeau retired last year.
“He's got a big string of horses - about 60 which is double that of the other trainers there - and riding for such a powerful team can only be good to any jockey. Mathias was the Swiss champion jockey in the last couple of seasons.”
Other than Yin Xin, probably his best chance of Sunday's 12-race card, Placais is booked on three more rides - Good General, Grand Vitess and Jeram Rose Wood. He is booked for only one ride on Friday night's meeting - April's Knight, his last winner at Kranji on February 24.