French jockey Pierre-Charles Boudot is free to ride again in Europe having secured his licence from France Galop.
Boudot, a former triple-champion jockey in his homeland, had his licence suspended by French racing’s ruling body in 2021 on the back of rape charges. It was revoked indefinitely in late 2022 at the request of France’s Interior Ministry.
But the 33-year-old was exonerated of those charges last week and he was granted his licence on Tuesday. The 2019 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe-winning rider, who has always denied wrongdoing, is expected to return to the saddle next week.
At the height of his career, Boudot rode a number of Group One winners for Aidan O’Brien including a memorable 73-1 shock on Order Of Australia in the 2020 Breeders’ Cup Mile in Keeneland. He rode Audarya to success in the Filly & Mare Turf at the same meeting.
During his time on the sidelines, Boudot spent some time riding out at Ballydoyle. His list of successes also includes a French Oaks victory for Donnacha O’Brien on Fancy Blue in 2020.
His agent confirmed that Boudot has his licence back and posted on social media: “Bravo to you for having endured these five years of nightmare. Proud to have accompanied you through this ordeal. The best is yet to come.”
Perhaps the jockey’s most memorable success came in 2019 when landing the Arc on Waldgeist, denying Enable a historic hat-trick. He was able to race-ride in Qatar earlier this year when granted a temporary licence after some jockeys refused to ride over concerns about the track.
Aidan O’Brien has indicated a fascinating clash between Christmas Day and Benvenuto Cellini is on the cards in the Curragh’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby later this month.
Christmas Day delivered O’Brien a 12th Epsom Derby success last weekend. Despite this, most post-race attention was on stable companion Benvenuto Cellini and the circumstances of how he was declared a non-runner by the stewards following a slow break from the stalls.
Having started a 3-1 favourite, Benvenuto Cellini cocked a hind leg on a running guard inside his stall just before the gates opened. He was 10th past the post but was controversially declared a non-runner by the stewards.
The champion trainer’s confirmation that both colts emerged from Epsom in good shape saw them trade at general 3-1 odds each for the Curragh’s €1.25 million feature. O’Brien is chasing an 18th success in Ireland’s premier classic.
His son Joseph rode two of them, Camelot and Australia, and trained the 2018 winner Latrobe that was ridden by his brother Donnacha. His colt James J Braddock, third at Epsom despite getting unruly in the preliminaries, is also likely to target Irish Derby compensation.
The more immediate classic focus is on Chantilly on Sunday, where Diamond Necklace is a heavy favourite to add the French Oaks to her success in last month’s 1,000 Guineas at Longchamp.
A total of 14 entries remain in the €1 million Prix de Diane, with O’Brien leaving in another trio of fillies, Moments Of Joy, Beautify and White Sand Beach.
The Musidora runner-up Felicitas is among a likely strong British challenge, alongside the Newmarket Guineas runner-up Evolutionist, as well as Inis Mor from David Menuisier’s yard. Oisín Murphy is set to take over in the saddle on the Goodwood winner from Saffie Osborne.
Menuisier reported: “There’s usually a lot of pace in the race but this year it is quite difficult to know who is going to line up. It will depend on what Aidan declares to set the pace, really. The Ribblesdale was also in the equation, but I feel much more comfortable keeping her at this trip.”
In jockey news closer to home, Billy Lee is cutting out a sparkling pace in his pursuit of an elusive first Irish jockeys’ championship. He will try to add to his 34 winners so far this season with a handful of rides in Limerick on Wednesday.
It was in Limerick last July that Lee’s hopes of becoming champion were dashed when he broke a collarbone in a nasty spill. It kept him out of action for two months as Dylan Browne McMonagle went on to be crowned champion.
The latter missed the start of this campaign with a back issue and has so far notched 18 winners. Paddy Power make him and Lee 11-10 joint-favourites for the championship. Prior to last year, Lee was runner-up three times in a row to Colin Keane in the title race, losing by eight in 2024 and just three in 2022.
Keane is nearest to Lee in the table with 26 winners and has seven rides at Limerick. Best of them, despite a high draw, could prove to Res Ipsa for his Juddmonte employers in a mile maiden. The colt is a brother to the Group Three winner Red Letter.
