Olivier Peslier

Veteran jockey Olivier Peslier will make his final rides in the saddle at La Teste-de-Buch on Thursday, the Frenchman announced on Tuesday. A four-time winner of the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, the 51-year-old rider confirmed to Equidia that he had "carefully thought about his decision". Also named the French Champion Jockey four times--in 1996, 1997, 1999, and 2000--Peslier has ridden over 3,700 winners worldwide in his 35-year career. At least 165 victories were at Grade/Group 1 level, including three Breeders' Cup Mile scores aboard the talented Goldikova (Ire)...

Dr Christoph Berglar's homebred 4-year-old distaffer Amazing Grace (Ger) (Protectionist {Ger}--Amabelle {Ger}, by Danehill Dancer {Ire}), who finished 3/4-of-a-length behind G1 Deutsches Derby hero Sammarco (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) when second in July's G1 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis at Munich in her latest start, is set to dine at the top table again after annexing Saturday's G2 T Von Zastrow Stutenpreis at Baden-Baden. Connections immediately nominated both G1 Preis von Europa and GI E. P. Taylor S. as possible destinations after she defeated stablemate India (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) in a hot renewal of...

Fresh off a confidence-boosting triumph in last month's Listed Prix Melisande at ParisLongchamp, Juddmonte's homebred 3-year-old filly Raclette (GB) (Frankel {GB}--Emollient, by Empire Maker) continued her resurgence with a narrow victory, back at the Bois de Boulogne venue, in Thursday's G2 Prix de Malleret (Prix Le Bonbon) to set the stakes action rolling on Bastille Day. The April-foaled bay debuted with a 'TDN Rising Star' display at Deauville last August, closing her juvenile campaign with another win at Chantilly in September, but was off the board in her first two...

Emblem Road (Quality Road), who won the $20-million G1 Saudi Cup in February, will return to the racecourse in the 2000-metre G3 Grand Prix de Vichy on July 20. Representing Prince Saud bin Salman Abdulaziz, the 4-year-old entire was 50-1 when he ran out a half-length winner of the Saudi Cup for trainer Mitab Almulawah. Transferred to Alessandro Botti, who is based in Chantilly, Emblem Road will summer in France, before going on to the Breeders' Cup at Keeneland in November. He took a spin over the Chantilly turf course...

Working his way back to the level of his success in last year's G1 Prix Ganay, Gestut Schlenderhan's Mare Australis (Ire) (Australia {GB}) was steered to a cosy win in Sunday's G2 Grand Prix de Chantilly in what amounted to one of Olivier Peslier's masterclasses. Always comfortable on the front end kept company by the pacemaker Soho (Ger) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), the 3-1 shot took command at the top of the straight and had the energy to shy at the advertising boards en route to a two-length verdict over Bubble Gift...

Juddmonte's unbeaten 3-year-old filly Agave (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) defeated subsequent Listed Grand Criterium de Bordeaux victrix Singforthemoment (Ire) (No Nay Never) when graduating over ParisLongchamp's one-mile strip in a Sept. 2 debutantes' heat, her sole juvenile outing, and doubled up in style going 10 furlongs on seasonal return with a three-length tally and a career high in Saint-Cloud's Mar. 10 Listed Prix Rose de Mai last time. Upped in trip once more for Saturday's G3 Prix Penelope back at Saint-Cloud, the May 15 G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and June...

The daughter of one of France's most renowned jockeys and a winner of 23 races, apprentice Megane Peslier seemed poised to have a big year this year in her native country. Instead, she will be riding at Gulfstream Park, hoping to become the latest rising star in the jockey ranks to come out of France. "It is one of the reasons I came here, if they can be successful I think I can be too," she said of the trio of Flavien Prat, Julien Leparoux and Florent Geroux. "If I...

Juddmonte's hitherto unbeaten 3-year-old filly Agave (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) accounted for subsequent Listed Grand Criterium de Bordeaux victrix Singforthemoment (Ire) (No Nay Never) when breaking through over one mile contesting a Sept. 2 debutantes' heat at ParisLongchamp in her only prior start and lined up for this stakes bow as the 6-5 favourite. Employing patient tactics in rear until turning for home, the May 15 G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and June 19 G1 Prix de Diane entry made smooth headway out wide to challenge with 300 metres remaining and...

Everest Racing, David Redvers and Barbara Keller's 2-year-old filly Malavath (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) encountered promising sorts when hitting the board over six furlongs in both August starts at Deauville and graduated in a six-furlong Chantilly maiden last month. Returning over the same course and distance of that breakthrough score for Saturday's G2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte, the Francis Graffard trainee exhibited late dash to claim a first black-type success with aplomb. The 15-2 chance was swiftly away and tracked the leading duo in third through halfway. Nudged along passing the quarter-mile...

One of the also rans when Coolmore's Snowfall (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) posted her 16-length rout in the G1 Epsom Oaks, Ali Saeed's 3-year-old filly Teona (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) enjoyed a confidence-boosting score in last month's Listed August S. at Windsor and the 18-1 chance caused a major upset to down the reopposoing 1-5 favourite in Sunday's G1 Qatar Prix Vermeille at ParisLongchamp. The 280,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 yearling raced in third for most of this 12-furlong contest as Snowfall's stablemate La Joconde (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) set...

Largely unconsidered as the 26-1 outsider of six, Merry Fox Stud's homebred 2-year-old filly Acer Alley (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) created waves with a late burst for glory in Sunday's G3 Prix La Rochette at ParisLongchamp. She had previously bettered a June 11 first-up fourth going seven furlongs at Compiegne with a June 21 Saint-Cloud maiden score over the same trip in her only other start last time and raced fifth of the six runners from flagfall here. Nudged into contention with 500 metres remaining, Acer Alley came under increased pressure...

Former French champion jockey Olivier Peslier will ride multiple Group 1 winner Wonderful Tonight (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) in the G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in October, her trainer David Menuisier announced on Tuesday. The regular rider of the bay is William Buick, who will most likely be aboard one of Godolphin's duo of Classic winners Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) or Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) in the ParisLongchamp cornerstone. "I think he is one of the best in the business," said Menuisier of the veteran Frenchman. "He...