Legendary French jockey Olivier Peslier, who punters nicknamed ‘Blue Samurai’, to retire this week at 53

LEGEND of the saddle Olivier Peslier will hang up his boots later this week after an incredible 35-year career.

The Frenchman banged home 3,700 winners around the world, a whopping 165 of them at Group 1 level.

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He will take his final two mounts at La Teste racecourse near Bordeaux on Thursday before saying au revoir to his riding career.

Peslier, 53, was the go-to man in big Group 1 races around the world in his pomp in the late 90’s and early 2000’s.

He famously picked up the ride late in the day on High-Rise in the 1998 Derby – before steering him home by a head at odds of 20-1.

He also rode the 2000 Guineas winner Cockney Rebel and had plenty of success over the years at Royal Ascot, including on the wondermare Goldikova in the 2010 Queen Anne Stakes.

And he famously rode an Ascot winner for the late Queen in 2017, steering home Dartmouth in the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes.

In his home country he bagged four Arc de Triomphe’s, riding the winner of the historic race for three straight years between 1996 and 1998 when he was one of the most feared riders in the world.

He is great pals with Frankie Dettori, who put off his own retirement last year to continue his career in California.

Both men were two of the first true international jockeys and he was a punters pal wherever he went – including in Britain.

He was so beloved by punters in Japan they nicknamed him the ‘blue samurai’.

One fan said on X, formerly Twitter: “One of the absolute elite riders. Farewell Olivier and good luck!”

Another punter said: “What a great jockey, I will always remember his relationship with Goldikova. Happy retirement.”

While another, apparently having a dig at Dettori, posted: “A much more dignified way to end ones career than inflicting endless retirement saga nonsense on us, as his Italian friend did last year.”

Confirming his decision to pack in his riding career to the Racing Post, Peslier said: “I have earned more than 3,700 victories around the world, 502 Group race wins of which 165 were Group 1s including those in Arabian races.

“Like everyone, my turn has arrived. I’m a tiny bit younger than Dettori and I’ll be stopping just before him.

“It’s been an extraordinary career and I would hope I can say it’s been an exemplary one.

“I’ve had some wonderful moments in Britain, at Royal Ascot and winning the Derby. I also had a great deal of success in Japan and winning the Japan Cup was wonderful.

“I’ll be staying in and around the sport but I’ll wait a while to see exactly how that plays out. 

“My career has been marked by some great moments of joy.”

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