French jockey Corentin Berge had to wait longer than anticipated to partner Sicillian at the races, but he made that opportunity count at Arawa Park on Sunday, earning his first win on New Zealand soil.
Berge arrived in New Zealand last month and had five raceday rides prior to the Arawa Park Hotel Rotorua (1400m), a take two aboard the Wexford-trained mare having been scheduled to ride her at Matamata last Saturday before the late abandonment.
He retained the ride for the following weekend and had confidence that she could produce a winning result, having shown promise as a three-year-old and resuming in Rating 65 company.
Sicillian only stepped fairly from the gates and Berge pressed on to find cover off the rail in midfield, while Beetlegeuse ensured a solid tempo up-front. That pace played into the hands of Sicillian, who ranged up at the top of the straight and comfortably ran down the favourite Sweetazme, kicking clear by 1 – ¼ lengths to Sneak Peek and Live On Air.
“I was pretty confident in this filly, I’d ridden her at the trials two or three weeks ago and was supposed to ride her in the last meeting at Matamata before it was called off,” Berge said. “I thought she could be my first winner so it’s really nice to get that done.
“I didn’t have any clear instructions, her trainers (Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott) gave me a free card, but she probably started a bit slower than I expected. In saying that, we didn’t end up too far from the leader and it all worked out well.”
Originally from Toulouse, Berge rode 86 winners in his homeland before seeking further opportunities in Germany where he added another six wins to his tally, including success at Listed and Group Two level.
Now plying his trade in Matamata, Berge is working for Te Akau Racing, having been in contact through a French association with Cambridge Stud.
“I’m from Toulouse, I started my apprenticeship in the southwest of France before going to Chantilly, which is the main place for horse racing,” he said.
“After I lost my claim, I moved to ride a bit in Germany for a couple of months, but it wasn’t all exactly as I’d expected, so I decided to come over to New Zealand.
“I was looking for a country not only for racing, but also for a nice lifestyle and opportunity for international jockeys. I think New Zealand was a good fit for that and it’s going well so far.
“There wasn’t a real connection between France and New Zealand, but I was lucky because a French trainer, Nicholas Clement, trained for Cambridge Stud a few years ago so he got in contact with them, which led me to Te Akau.
“Te Akau have given me a few trial rides over the last few weeks and are really open to giving me the opportunity to ride for other stables in the mornings, so I try to ride for Wexford, Pam Gerard and Graham Richardson as well.”
Berge is enjoying his new surroundings in the Waikato, while adjusting to a different pattern of racing than what he is accustomed to at home.
“I arrived last month and it’s a nice country, I’ve ridden on four racecourses and the facilities are nice for the horses,” he said.
“The races here are quite different. In a typical French race we start slow and the last 400m is very quick, but here, the races have a stronger pace throughout.”
Berge is available to be booked for rides through his agent Ted McLachlan (021 147 7378).