How is a 23-time champion jockey able to claim in a race?
The situation came to light at Lingfield in England on Saturday when Didier Gengoul was engaged to ride Rainbow Rising for trainer David Menuisier, listed as claiming three pounds when acceptances came out.
Gengoul has been champion jockey 23 times in Martinique and Guadeloupe however, the French Caribbean territories have only recently come under the jurisdiction of ruling body France Galop, so officially Gengoul has only ridden 76 winners and therefore eligible to claim.
Menuisier told the Racing Post he queried it with Weatherbys, the racing administrator and equivalent of Racing Australia in England.
"I asked them if they were sure, and suggested they might want to speak to France Galop, because he's won a lot more races than that and I didn't want to end up being disqualified, but they were happy," Menuisier said.
"But at Lingfield on Saturday the clerk of the scales asked if he could claim, and I again said I was more than happy for him not to if there was any doubt and left it up to him.
"He didn't claim in the end, which is absolutely fine as I just didn't want any problem."
Rainbow Rising finished second in the mile and a quarter maiden, beaten three-quarters of a length as a 20/1 chance.
