The Championships Day 2: French jockey Christophe Lemaire on mission to win Queen Elizabeth Stakes with Japanese raider Rousham Park

Superstar jockey Christophe Lemaire won the Melbourne Cup on his first visit to Australia and will be hoping to have a similar impact on day two of The Championships at Royal Randwick.

He’s the French-born superstar on a Japanese raider here to hunt the Sydney autumn carnival’s biggest prize.

Globetrotting riding weapon Christophe Lemaire arrived in Sydney on Tuesday morning as he prepares to partner Japanese star Rousham Park in the Group 1 $5m Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Royal Randwick this Saturday.

Lemaire, best known in Australia for winning the 2011 Melbourne Cup on Dunaden, is one of the world’s most accomplished riders with 97 Group 1s and more than 2800 winners.

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The 45-year-old has ridden successfully across the globe but revealed he’s never set foot in Sydney before this week.

“This is very important for me,” Lemaire said.

“I always like to travel around and I think riding in Sydney at least once in a jockey’s career is important.

“I am lucky enough that I won the Melbourne Cup once but Sydney is also a major city for horse racing in Australia with the top jockeys and horses.”

French superstar Christophe Lemaire at Royal Randwick for the barrier draw on Tuesday.

That Cup victory 14 years ago still lives long in the memory and coincidentally came in his first visit to Melbourne.

He arrived in the country without a guaranteed Cup ride as suspended jockey Craig Williams battled to keep the ride on Dunaden.

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Williams failed to get a ban overturned, paving the way for Lemaire to get the coveted steer and win the staying test.

“On that occasion I had very good tips from the late John Marshall,” Lemaire said.

“We walked the track together and he explained to me perfectly how to ride Flemington.

“This time John won’t be here to help me but as an experienced jockey, as soon as you walk the track you can see quickly where to come and how to ride your horse.

“Of course you have to respect the horse and the way he likes to run but Randwick doesn’t look to be tricky.”

Lemaire still got some valuable intel on Royal Randwick last weekend while riding successfully at the Dubai World Cup with three-time Queen Elizabeth Stakes-winning jockey Tom Marquand also riding at the meeting.

Jockey Christophe Lemaire after winning the $1m Group 2 UAE Derby on Admire Daytona. Picture: AP Photo/Altaf Qadri

Rousham Park, trained by Hiroyasu Tanaka, is one of three international raiders hoping to take down Australian-based superstar Via Sistina in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

The 2023 Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Dubai Honour, to be ridden by Marquand, and fellow Japanese raider Geoglyph will also hunt the biggest prize on offer during The Championships.

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Lemaire has ridden Rousham Park to multiple stakes success in Japan while he was also aboard when the talented six-year-old was narrowly beaten by Rebel’s Romance in the Group 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf (2414m) at Del Mar last year.

“I think it was a good experience for him travelling to America,” Lemaire said.

“He performed well in the Breeders’ Cup.

“He is used to racing on right-handed turning racecourses and is quite adaptable. The only thing is the ground.

“If it rains a lot and after checking the forecast, it might rain a lot on the Friday night so hopefully not too much.

“I am not sure he can handle heavy tracks, Japanese horses aren’t used to racing on very deep ground so this is my only fear.”

Rousham Park is a $17 chance to win the Queen Elizabeth Stakes. Picture: Lo Chun Kit/Getty Images

Rousham Park, a $17 chance in Queen Elizabeth Stakes betting, has drawn towards the outside in barrier 12.

Lemaire believes it will suit his racing style.

“He is not the quickest out of the gates so usually he races in the middle of the pack,” he said.

“I think it will be the case again with this draw.

“I am quite happy with the outside draw because he has a big stride, he likes to have some space to accelerate so I think from the middle of the pace, coming down the outside, he can show his class.”

Lemaire will travel to Canterbury Park on Wednesday morning to pilot Rousham Park in his final tune-up for the Queen Elizabeth.

Originally published as The Championships Day 2: French jockey Christophe Lemaire on mission to win Queen Elizabeth Stakes with Japanese raider Rousham Park