French apprentice jockey Roxane Liegeois has by no means been afraid to journey the world over for a possibility.
Her profession has already taken her from France to racetracks throughout the United Arab Emirates and, most lately, to Southern California, the place she is starting a brand new chapter and discovering success.
On Aug. 16, that transfer produced an essential milestone when Liegeois rode Chasing Kat to victory at Del Mar, incomes her first U.S. win at one among American racing’s most recognizable summer time meets. This was solely the most recent step in a profession that has already uncovered her to a number of very completely different racing cultures.
A Racing Training Across the World
Her path into the game started in France, the place Liegeois enrolled in a horse racing college at 16 and spent three years studying the career. She started her apprenticeship at 17 and had her first race trip in 2021 whereas working for coach Christophe Ferland.
Liegeois reached her first main profession milestone the next yr. On Sept. 1, 2022, she rode Lastrada to victory for Ferland in a one-mile race at Longchamp, incomes the primary win of her profession in what was her forty first official begin.
“My first winner was in France at Longchamp for my first boss,” Liegeois stated.
She in the end collected 4 victories in France earlier than increasing her profession past her personal nation. About three years in the past, Liegeois began spending the winter racing season within the United Arab Emirates, the place she gained expertise at tracks together with Meydan, Abu Dhabi Turf Membership, Jebel Ali Racecourse, Al Ain Racecourse, and Sharjah Racecourse.
Journey and adaptableness shortly turned an essential a part of how Liegeois approached constructing her profession.
“I prefer to journey and attempt to trip all over the place,” she stated. “When there’s a break in Dubai, I used to be serious about going some place else, just like the USA, to get expertise and see if I might trip in races.”
Her time within the UAE introduced one other milestone on Nov. 1, 2024, when Liegeois rode the Yas Racing-owned Raddad Al Wathba to victory in a 1,600-meter maiden race for Arabians at Al Ain. Educated by Eric Lemartinel, Raddad Al Wathba overcame a gradual begin and took command within the ultimate 200 meters to win by greater than two lengths, giving Liegeois expertise aboard a really completely different sort of racehorse.
“It was a completely completely different racing expertise,” she stated. “Arabian races may be harder to trip.”
After two seasons working for Lemartinel and gaining expertise with Arabians, Liegeois made one other change forward of the 2025-’26 UAE season, becoming a member of Thoroughbred coach Bhupat Seemar at Zabeel Stables in Dubai.
Liegeois initially struggled to choose up mounts, however because the season progressed her alternatives elevated.
“At first, it was somewhat bit exhausting to get some rides as a result of it was the primary time I got here to his secure and he had many jockeys working for him,” Liegeois stated. “However on the finish of the season, I began to trip extra for him.”
Alongside the way in which, Liegeois was additionally adapting to a mode of racing that differed significantly from what she had discovered in France.
“In France, we take extra time with the horses,” Liegeois stated. “We’d spend an hour coaching one horse, and we work primarily on Tapeta [all-weather surface] or turf. The type of racing is completely different, so you must trip with completely different ways.”
The French type additionally emphasised approach, whereas racing within the UAE required her to turn out to be bodily stronger and alter to a sooner type of filth racing.
“In France, it’s extra about approach than energy,” she stated. “Once I first got here to Dubai, it wasn’t simple. I needed to turn out to be stronger and harder in the way in which I rode.”
A New Chapter in California
The expertise Liegeois gained within the UAE helped put together her for one more racing tradition — North American horse racing — and made her transition to the USA really feel extra acquainted than her earlier transfer from France.
“It’s somewhat bit comparable in Dubai and within the USA,” she stated. “It’s filth racing, the races are sooner, and also you want robust horses.”
After a promising first season in Dubai, Liegeois plans to return to Seemar’s operation for one more yr. Till then, she used the UAE offseason to maintain increasing her expertise, this time in Southern California.
“I got here to California just for just a few months, simply to get expertise,” Liegeois stated. “I hoped I may additionally have the possibility to trip in additional races.”
Liegeois started working for coach George Papaprodromou, who gave her that chance. On July 3 at Los Alamitos, she completed fourth aboard Desert Kat in her U.S. debut.
“I got here to study the American type and American coaching,” Liegeois stated. “Whereas it’s somewhat extra much like Dubai, I wished to maintain enhancing in that distinctive American racing type as a result of it nonetheless has its variations.”
Even seemingly small variations in racing can considerably influence a trip. Throughout her first U.S. race, Liegeois misplaced her whip, which she attributed to variances within the tools and driving type she was accustomed to abroad.
“The reins are completely different, and my whip was too massive for right here,” she stated. “So, I simply tried to study American racing type sooner. I skilled more durable, did some workouts, and tried to be prepared for the following good one.”
Her second U.S. mount got here aboard Victoria’s Jewel at Del Mar on Aug. 6. Ten days later, Liegeois returned to the Del Mar beginning gate aboard Chasing Kat for Papaprodromou.
This time, the whole lot got here collectively. Chasing Kat, despatched off at 6.60-1 odds within the 5 ½-furlong claiming race, gave Liegeois her first U.S. victory in simply her third American begin.
“It wasn’t simple racing right here at first, however that’s why I got here … to study,” Liegeois stated. “In these two months, I’ve improved lots and discovered lots. To get my first win after solely three races right here occurred actually quick, so I’m very pleased with that.”
Liegeois stated she has seen extra feminine jockeys in American racing total than in Dubai, though throughout her time in Southern California she has nonetheless incessantly discovered herself the lone girl among the many riders round her. Nonetheless, she feels gender has little to do with what a rider can accomplish as soon as the gates open.
“There are extra males driving, so it’s simpler to search out good males than good ladies as a result of we’re fewer. However some males are higher than ladies, and a few ladies are higher than males. It’s the identical.”
What issues most, Liegeois believes, is constant to work via the troublesome stretches, a lesson she has carried together with her since attempting to earn her first rides in France.
“Once I began, it was actually robust, and for a very long time I used to be simply attempting to get rides,” Liegeois stated. “You need to keep targeted and actually decided about what you need. It’s not simple, but it surely’s attainable.”
Constructing Towards a Attainable Return
What was meant to be a brief working journey to the states throughout the UAE offseason instantly started to seem like the beginning of one thing extra.
“The plan was simply to return right here, go to and see if I prefer it,” Liegeois stated. “And I had one winner already, so I believe I ought to come again.”
Liegeois stays dedicated to returning to Dubai, the place preparations for the 2026-’27 UAE racing season start in September, earlier than racing will get underway in October. The season will convey one other demanding stretch, with Liegeois sometimes exercising six or seven horses every morning earlier than heading to the races on race days.
“It’s actually intense as a result of it’s a seven-month-long season,” she stated. “We by no means cease. Day-after-day is tough work—get up each morning early, go to the races within the afternoon, and simply do the identical for seven months.”
Whereas racing at Del Mar, Liegeois discovered an identical routine, persevering with to get on as many as 9 horses every morning as she works to refine the American driving type she traveled the world over to study.
However her first U.S. victory has modified the way in which she appears to be like at what may come after her subsequent season in Dubai. Fairly than merely returning for one more transient go to, Liegeois hopes to return again to the USA to compete extra critically, safe an agent, and start pursuing a bigger e book of mounts.
“I really feel like right here in California I’m already beginning possibly to construct one thing,” she stated. “That offers me motivation to proceed and attempt to be higher. I simply need to enhance and trip extra races, and hopefully get some good horses and confidence from the trainers and house owners right here.”
