Having ended his first season with Godolphin on a high, jockey Mickael Barzalona can hardly wait for the 2013 campaign to get under way.
The crack French rider shot to prominence last year when he partnered his first Group One winner, Andre Fabre’s Wavering in the Prix Saint-Alary in May.
Less than a month later the legendary French handler trusted the young jockey with the ride on leading Epsom Derby candidate Pour Moi.
What followed was a much talked about super-cool ride as Barzalona brought the Coolmore-owned colt from last to first in the straight, after which he proceeded to stand up in the stirrups before passing the post.
Despite that heart-stopping moment of apparent over-confidence, Godolphin announced in March that Barzalona would join the Dubai-based outfit to ride alongside Frankie Dettori and another new recruit, the Brazilian Silvestre de Sousa.
The partnership was cemented perfectly as Barzalona guided outsider Monterosso to a surprise win in the world’s richest race, the Dubai World Cup, his flamboyance once again in evidence as he saluted the crowd with 50 yards still to run.
This time, the race was already in the bag.
While things did not take off immediately after Barzalona arrived in Britain, he enjoyed success in the second half of the season, notably on star juvenile Certify.
But his crowning moment came when he partnered Encke to win the Ladbrokes St Leger at Doncaster, denying Camelot the Triple Crown with a canny ride.
Barzalona is thrilled with his debut year in Britain and can look forward to even more opportunities next season following Godolphin’s much publicised split with Dettori.
“I am very pleased with my first season in England. I had some amazing highlights, like winning the St Leger with Encke,” Barzalona said.
“I have always dreamed of joining the Godolphin team and riding a Classic winner for them was brilliant.
“I’m going to Dubai for the winter and I hope to ride Monterosso again in the Dubai World Cup.”
