Search

show me:

Beuzelin Doing Hard Yards To Break Into Sydney Ranks

3 minute read

There was a time jockey Louis Beuzelin was content to be a ‘big fish’ but that all changed when he decided the time was right to try his luck in Sydney and he says he's in for the long haul.

Jockey LOUIS-PHILIPPE BEUZELIN.
Jockey LOUIS-PHILIPPE BEUZELIN. Picture: Steve Hart

There was a time jockey Louis Beuzelin was content to be a 'big fish' but that all changed when he decided the time was right to try his luck in Sydney and he says he's in for the long haul.

That time was a few years back when, based in Singapore, he had the chance to make the move to Hong Kong but ultimately elected to stay put and continue racking up the winners in Singapore.

As we know, racing is to cease in Singapore later this year though the 32-year-old says he'd been eyeing Australian racing for a while and, while he knew he'd be a 'small fish', was ready to "start all over again".

"I intended to come over here last year and seeing the announcement that racing in Singapore would be ceasing came as no surprise,'' Beuzelin said.

"I had made my decision before that, it was just a question of time as my wife was pregnant and we had to wait for the arrival of our baby.

"The closing of the Singapore Turf Club just cemented my decision."

Very few international riders can just walk into the strong Sydney jockeys' room and command attention so Beuzelin knew he had to earn whatever rides came his way.

On the advice of Sir Michael Stoute he contacted a number of trainers including Chris Waller and Ciaron Maher before finding a place with Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott.

It was Tulloch Lodge that provided the French born, Barbados raised, hoop his first Australian winner when So United won at Royal Randwick just before Christmas.

"I never expect things to happen overnight,'' he said.

"I am aware it is going to take time to be part of the ecosystem and I respect that. I want to be part of that tight-knit circle.

"As far as getting rides, there's no secret to breaking through and having opportunities. That's working and showing you're hungry, and that's what I do. I think Gai and Adrian are conscious of my work ethic.

"I know it takes some time but I'm doing everything I can in my power to succeed here.

"My philosophy is a jockey is only as good as the horse they're riding so my goal is to get on the fast ones."

The huge prizemoney on offer in Australia is a drawcard for any rider and Beuzelin says it's impressive how well funded racing is in this country, especially when you compare it to the UK.

That's coming from someone who's ridden in most of the biggest jurisdictions on the planet, as well as a number of obscure ones like Morocco, India, Denmark and Qatar, so it's no surprise he wanted to be a part of one of the biggest stables in the land.

"I've just been in awe and pleasantly surprised at every turn,'' he said.

"The way they run their business here is very interesting and I think it's the way forward regarding the racing industry. I left the UK because of no prizemoney and it hasn't changed.

"They don't have a strong format for their industry. It's a shame because the quality of the horses and the trainers they have in the UK, they are the mecca of racing."

Beuzelin has only had four Sydney rides so far and has a big chance to snare his second local winner when he partners the lightly weighted Kitty Chat for the Waterhouse-Bott team in the Chandon Handicap (1200m) at Rosehill on Saturday.

The filly was an impressive maiden winner at Canterbury on New Year's Day so is being thrown a little in the deep end stepping into a Benchmark 72 but she's already shown some class with a close second to Group 1 winner Joliestar on debut.

He'll have his work cut out to a degree from the outside alley but from what he's seen of the filly, Beuzelin says he'll have plenty to work with.

"She's got the quality, the form speaks for itself, I'll just get out of her way,'' he said.

"I adapt to my horses. I won't put her out of her comfort zone.

"It'll make my life easier if we have something to track through and something to aim at. But I'm well aware you can't write the script before the race is run."

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's Rose


Racing and Sports

Think. Is this a bet you really want to place?

For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit www.gamblinghelponline.org.au