Beuzelin crosses his Heart, hopes turn to Don
The French jockey has always worn his heart on his sleeve. When he first arrived at Kranji in 2019, he made no bones about his ambition of not just making a good fist of but of going for the title.
After a decent enough start, the English-trained rider has been making steady inroads since his first full season in 2020 (albeit interrupted by COVID-19), with the unspoken first calls on champion trainer Michael Clements' horses an invaluable conduit to that dream goal.
But when the former Sir Michael Stoute protégé found out he had been jocked off from the Thai Falcon Racing Stable-owned Big Hearted – his 'cheval de coeur' (French for the 'horse in his heart') – in the Group 2 Stewards' Cup and the Group 1 Singapore Derby shortly after they ran ninth to Minister in the Kranji Mile on May it was a wake-up call he was still some way off Kings of Kranji like current ruler Vlad Duric (who incidentally is the one taking his place on Big Hearted), Joao Moreira or Manoel Nunes.
"Of course I was down when I was taken off the ride on Big Hearted and it was given to Duric," said Beuzelin.
"Don't get me wrong, I've got nothing against Duric. He has the experience and the contacts here to garner the pick of the rides; he's just doing his job, he did what he had to do.
"I came here to be among the leading jockeys here, and that lesson has taught me there's more to it than just working hard and riding winners. I was naive – you need to be good at the PR side of things as well.
"With more time, I will put myself in that position one day, command the better rides."
Bitterly disappointed at first with the loss of a plum Singapore Derby prospect, he questioned his own ride in the Kranji Mile, but after reviewing the replay ad nauseam, he made peace with himself.
He respected the decision, and took it as a one-off, certainly not splitsville. Besides, he takes four rides from Clements this Saturday: Starfortune, Day Approach, Voluminous and Karisto.
But that hot fusion of Barbadian-Gallic blood would not let him walk away without making a stand, watered down with a dash of British phlegm.
"Big Hearted could not win the Kranji Mile on the Short Course. He needs the Long Course over 1600m," said Beuzelin who sits in fifth spot on 18 winners and returns from a one-day suspension for careless riding this Saturday.
"I knew it would be hard but I thought there was maybe a small hope. I still went in trying my very best to win.
"During the race, he was on the inside of Minister and Top Knight and when those two made their runs, he had every chance but he didn't quicken.
"I found out one week later I had lost the ride. It was a blow, but I've copped it on the chin and moved on.
"It was a thorn in my side, but I took it in a positive manner. There wasn't much point being bitter about it.
"Anyway, it's not like Big Hearted is the standout in the Stewards' Cup. He can still win, but I think it's Rocket Star who will be hard to beat, and Mr Malek has kept improving."
Instead of wallowing in self-pity, Beuzelin picked himself up by pulling out the list of four-year-olds in search of another ride for this Saturday's $150,000 Group 2 Stewards' Cup (1600m).
With time running out, he had to find one who was still without a jockey, preferably one who's not without hope, and could then have a tilt at the Derby.
He got lucky.
In the spirit of the true international flavour of his already eclectic background, he found solace in South Africa and South America – the Ricardo Le Grange-trained Argentinian-bred Senor Don (x Senor Candy), a two-time winner, both over the Polytrack mile.
"The top three were all taken, so I had to find a fourth chance with some hope of winning should the favourites falter," he said.
"I think Senor Don ran a cracking race in the Kranji Mile (closing seventh). I spoke with Ricardo two weeks ago, of course I first tried my luck on Rocket Star just in case, but Jimmy (Wong Chin Chuen) has ridden the horse very well so far, and he should stay on.
"I'm happy to be on Senor Don. He's a proven miler, and I'll give it my best as always."
