One of Europe's elite riders, Pierre-Charles Boudot, is the sixth participant to be confirmed for The Saudi Cup's International Jockeys' Challenge (IJC) on Friday, Feb. 19 at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh.
The Frenchman, who rode 12 Group 1 winners in 2020, including on Champions Day at Royal Ascot and the Breeders' Cup at Keeneland, is the second of seven male jockeys to be announced, while Nanako Fujita of Japan will fill the fifth of seven spots for female riders.
He said: “I'm very excited to be competing in the International Jockeys' Challenge this year. Being asked to come and ride against the world's best feels like a great achievement and I'm very proud.
“2020 was a crazy and incredible year for me. I picked up some extra rides due to Covid and I ended up with 12 Group 1 winners, including three for Coolmore, two at the Breeders' Cup and one at Ascot on Champions Day too.”
The 28-year-old was not involved in last year's IJC but did ride in two races on The Saudi Cup undercard on the Saturday, finishing fourth on the Fabrice Chappet-trained Intellogent in the Middle Distance Turf Cup and fourth on Ala Sawab in The Jockey Club Local Handicap.
Remembering the day in 2020, Boudot said: “I rode on Saudi Cup day last year and it was a great experience. The turf was perfect and the dirt is possibly the best in the world.”
The Frenchman has been busy riding winners in France already this year and is set to arrive at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in good form, though Europe's premier Flat race, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe which takes place in October, will again be his top target.
“This year, I would like to begin with a nice winner at the Saudi races and then I hope to find myself another good horse for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. I have been riding in France this month and things are going well. I've got a very good strike rate at the moment, with 17 winners from 40 runners, so I feel in good form and I'm ready to go.”
Popular Japanese rider Fujita was set to line up in last year's International Jockeys' Challenge but suffered a broken collarbone a fortnight before while riding in Japan.
The exciting 23-year-old jockey is looking forward to the prospect of taking her chance this year: “I would like to thank the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia for selecting me as one of the participants at the International Jockeys' Challenge.
“It is a great honor for me, and I am excited to receive the invitation. I look forward to riding together with world-renowned top riders in Saudi Arabia”.
This year's International Jockeys' Challenge will take place on Friday, Feb. 19 – the day before the $20 million Saudi Cup. Jockeys will be made up of seven international women, two local men and five international men. The prize money in each of the four races will be $400,000 and there is a $100,000 prize pot for the Jockeys' Challenge with $30,000 going to the winner.
Half of the 14 riders have now been confirmed:
Sibylle Vogt, 25, (SWI)
Jorge Ricardo, 59 (BRA)
Jessica Marcialis, 30 (ITA)
Maria Lujan Asconiga, 27 (ARG)
Nieves Garcia, 43 (SPA)
Pierre-Charles Boudot, 28 (FRA)
Nanako Fujita, 23 (JPN)
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