Dominique Boeuf takes the Championship
The International Jockeys Challenge was marked this year by
the participation of 11 times British Champion Jockey, Pat
Eddery, who was to retire after his final competitive rides in
Mauritius. With about 4,600 wins, Eddery tasted success in every
country he had ridden except at the Champ de Mars, the oldest
racecourse in the Southern hemisphere. Eddery’s aim was to score
at least one in Mauritius before stepping down.
As
the photo nearby shows it, the atmosphere
was excellent at Mauritius.
In temperature nearing the 33 degrees celcius, the Champ de
Mars attracted an estimated crowd of about 32,000 people. The
card promised thrilling races and the entertainment was minutely
organised by the Mauritius Turf Club throughout the day. The
tenth International Jockeys Day was jointly sponsored by Air
Mauritius and Beau Rivage Hotel and 17 overseas jockeys were
invited to attend the event. Jeffrey Lloyd, mauritian champion
jockey for the second consecutive year, represented South
Africa, while Yashin Emamdee was the mauritian representative.
The Mauritius Turf Club invited 9 Young Stars to compete in a
Young Star Competition. South African, Marco Van Rensburg, and
Nishal Teeha, from Mauritius, finished dead heat in first place
with 16 points each. French jockey, Dominique Boeuf, won a
double at the close of the day to snatch the title from British
jockey, Darryll Holland. Boeuf won a hard fought battle on
Atlantic Mist and showed his impressive jockeyship on Moyenne in
the final race of the day. 3rd in the French Championship this
year, Boeuf who was at his second participation this year in
Mauritius, had a pillar to post win on Atlantic Mist. The grey
travelled untroubled throughout the race and resisted the 5/2
favourite President Bill ridden by Y. Emamdee to give the
Frenchman his first mauritian win. Holland started the day with
an impressive finish on Market Research in the second race. In a
thrilling finish, Holland just managed to snatch victory from
Liszka, ridden by Y. Emamdee. The British Champion Jockey
managed a double on Fashion Editor, in the fifth race. Showing
great skill and flair, Holland waited patiently for the final
straight to quicken his mount. The latter responded admirably
and won in comfortable style. Emamdee himself was rewarded for
all his hard work with a fantastic win on Boomerang depriving
Pat Eddery his much sought win on 10/3 favourite Milad. Despite
coming back without a win, Eddery was given a standing ovation
by the mauritian public for his outstanding career.
(Yahia
Nazroo)
Championship Table
|
International Jockeys Contest |
|
1. |
Dominique Boeuf |
25 pts |
|
2. |
Darryll Holland |
24 pts |
|
3. |
Yashin Emamdee |
18 pts |
|
4. |
Kerrin McEvoy |
11 pts |
|
5. |
Mick Kinane |
10 pts |
|
6. |
Davy Bonilla |
8 pts |
|
7. |
Thierry Thulliez |
8 pts |
|
8. |
Pat Eddery |
6 pts |
|
9. |
Brett Prebble |
3 pts |
|
10. |
Pat Smullen |
0 pts |
|
11. |
Jeffrey Lloyd |
0 pts |
|
Young Stars Competition |
|
1. |
Nishal Teeha |
16 pts |
|
2. |
Marco Van Rensburg |
16 pts |
|
3. |
Swapneel Rama |
11 pts |
|
4. |
Sam Hitchcott |
10 pts |
|
5. |
Graig Newitt |
8 pts |
|
6. |
Cedric Segeon |
4 pts |
|
7. |
Miguel Blancpain |
2 pts |
|
8. |
Ms Lisa Jones |
2 pts |
|
9. |
Ms Michelle Payne |
0 pts |
