May 24, 2024

When I see him riding in a race, I can see that he has returned to his usual calm style after a break. This week he will be taking on the big event, the Japan Derby, with Regaleira. "I'm looking forward to riding Regaleira in the Derby, who won the Hopeful Stakes. I checked her out at the Miho Training Center last week. There is a lot of media coverage leading up to the Derby, so there is a unique atmosphere on the day. You can challenge the Arima Kinen and Japan Cup again the following year, but a horse only gets one chance to win the Derby, so even I feel the pressure when I ride," he said, revealing the severity of the classic three-year-old race.

Christophe became a Derby jockey in 2017 when he won the Derby with Rey de Oro. He was trained by the renowned former trainer Kazuo Fujisawa. While the two had shared many victories, this was their first title together. "I was really happy to win the Derby with Rey de Oro. I was confident before the race, but I felt like I had won when he made a move down the straight in the middle of the race. It was my first Japanese Derby win, but it was also Mr. Fujisawa's first. It was strange that he hadn't won the Derby after winning so many big titles. I knew he only had a short time left until retirement, so I was glad to be able to repay the kindness he showed me." Former trainer Fujisawa reflected, "Whenever we asked a jockey as renowned as Christophe to race, my staff and I always felt a good sense of tension. I think that no matter what race he was riding, his trust in the horse was transmitted to the horse through the reins."

This time, "CL by C. Lemaire" pop-up stores were held in Osaka and Tokyo. We asked him, "Have you noticed people wearing branded clothing during the races?" to which he replied, "Of course! I can see from my horse in the paddock that fans are wearing my branded clothing and items at the racecourse. When I launched the "CL by C. Lemaire" brand, my dream was to have people get excited at the racecourse, just like soccer and baseball fans get excited at the stadium wearing the uniform of their favorite team. Horse racing rules prohibit jockeys from making unnecessary gestures in the paddock, but deep down I am happy."
Christophe has won the derby in both Japan and France. In 2009, he won the French Derby with Le Havre. Although Le Havre sadly passed away in 2022, the brand sells polo shirts featuring his owner's color, purple.

The interview gave the impression of high expectations for Regaleira, and hopes are high for her to win a G1 race two weeks in a row following the Oaks.