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France is set to be represented by a plethora of talent in Hong Kong during December, as the rising and current stars of the French flat game head to Sha Tin and Happy Valley in pursuit of riding experience and the wealth of prize money on offer.
France's most promising rider, Alexis Pouchin, 24, follows in the footsteps of several former apprentices of legendary handler Andre Fabre to take the trip to Hong Kong, most recently Mickael Barzalona and Christophe Soumillon. Both of the aforementioned were successful when plying their respective trades in the Far East, with Soumillon claiming Group 1 honours in the Hong Kong Derby, Chairman's Sprint Prize, Classic Mile, and Gold Cup. Barzalona was tied for second in the prestigious International Jockey's Championship with Hong Kong local Zac Purton in 2021. Another leading French jockey, reigning winner of the Cravache d'Or for Champion French rider Maxime Guyon, is another have tasted Group One success in Hong Kong have ridden Junko to success in last year's Hong Kong Vase for trainer Andre Fabre.
Commenting on the prospect of taking rides there for the first time, Pouchin told the Hong Kong Jockey Club: "I had two propositions – the first was to go to Japan and the second was to Hong Kong. My boss Mr Fabre really likes Hong Kong, and he didn't give me the choice. He said, 'go to Hong Kong because it has top-class tracks, both tracks are good, and they are a different style."
Pouchin arrives on the back of a bumper season, which was defined by his partnership with the evergreen mare Mqse De Sevigne, whom he was onboard for five of her Group 1 victories. Having notched up his first career Group 1 in 2023 in the Prix Rothschild at Deauville, Pouchin has scarcely come up for air, rattling off a sum-total of 10 Group 1's across the past two seasons, with wins coming in Germany as well as his native France.
"I didn't expect to win three Group 1 races last year and then this year to win six Group 1s (in France). I wanted to aim for one or two this year, which would be nice, but I won six, including with Mqse De Sevigne, and it was amazing. The best conclusion of the year is to come to Hong Kong,"
Wintering in the Far East has become something of a rite of passage for French racing's starlets, with Hong Kong being notorious for it's hypercompetitive nature as jockeys jostle for a limited number of rides each week. Pouchin joins countrymen Alexis Badel, Antoine Hamelin, and the recently retired jockey-turned-successful trainer Gerald Mosse in making the move. Mosse alone, who spent a number of years at Happy Valley and Sha Tin, retired with 659 career victories in the jurisdiction.
Alex Pouchin was in action at Sha Tin on Sunday and although he left the venue empty-handed, the upcoming jockey couldn't have been happier to secure five rides at his opening meeting.
"I was not expecting five rides. I am happy that the trainers give me the confidence because it's very hard to get the confidence when you don't know anyone. I am quite happy," he said. "It's nice because there are no big races in February in France, so if there is support and if I win some races then I can stay longer. It depends if I have support and the results, but it won't be the last time I am in Hong Kong, for sure."
