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French jockey Eric Legrix
will end a glittering career in the saddle with three rides at Kranji on
Sunday. He will then head home to try his hand at horse-training.
In a career spanning 28 years, Legrix has ridden more than 1,300 winners.
The 44-year-old said he has been thinking about retirement for a while, and
after giving it much thought, made the tough decision last week. It was only
a couple of weeks ago that he was granted a MRA licence till the end of
2010.
“I will be joining Pascal Bary as assistant trainer at Chantilly and
hopefully I’ll be able to get my trainer’s licence as soon as possible,”
said Legrix.
It was Bary, trainer of this year’s Singapore Airlines International Cup
winner GLORIA DE CAMPEAO, who supplied Legrix with perhaps his biggest win –
the Breeders’ Cup Turf with MISS ALLEGED at Churchill Downs, in 1991.
The globe-trotting Legrix has also ridden with success in most Asian
jurisdictions, including Hong Kong, Macau, Malaysia, Japan and all over
Europe.
“I am very happy with my achievements as a jockey, but like most things in
life, all good things come to an end one day and you have to move on,” he
said.
“I’ve spent two great years in Singapore and I’d like to take this
opportunity to thank the Singapore Turf Club for all the help they have
given me, not forgetting the trainers and owners for their support.
Legrix’s biggest win in Singapore came in the 2008 Queen Elizabeth II Cup
astride TRIGGER EXPRESS. It was one of 44 wins he has registered at Kranji.
His most notable win in Malaysia was achieved on SHANTOU MAYOR in the
Selangor Gold Cup last year.
“It was time to switch to something else, but in the same industry as racing
has been so good to me. Besides, I haven’t been in France for four years and
I sure look forward to being with friends and family again.”
“I’ve always enjoyed riding in Asia. I had 330 winners in Hong Kong, and I
was the first French jockey to ride in Japan on a contract.
Indeed, Legrix can look back on his domestic and international career with
pride, though losing his country’s biggest race, the 1985 Prix de l’Arc de
Triomphe, in the inquiry room was a sour point. His mount SAGACE was
relegated to second behind RAINBOW QUEST.
In all, Legrix captured 91 Group races, including the 1991 Prix de Diane
with CAERLINA, the 1991 Breeders’ Cup with MISS ALLEGED and two Hong Kong
Derbies - HELENE STAR (1993) and JOHAN CRUYFF (1998).  |
