Roger Poincelet (3 March 1921 - 1 November 1977) was a French

jockey A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used to describe the individual ...

who rode a total of over 3,000 winners in a long career on both the

flat Flat or flats may refer to: Architecture * Flat (housing), an apartment in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and other Commonwealth countries Arts and entertainment * Flat (music), a symbol () which denotes a lower pitch * Flat (soldier), ...

and, initially,

jumps Jumping or leaping is a form of locomotion or movement in which an organism or non-living (e.g., robotic) mechanical system propels itself through the air along a ballistic trajectory. Jumping can be distinguished from running, galloping and o ...

. He is regarded as one of the finest French jockeys ever. His first win came on

Prince Aly Khan Prince Ali Salman Aga Khan (13 June 1911 – 12 May 1960), known as Aly Khan, was a Pakistani diplomat of Iranian and Italian descent. He was the son of the Aga Khan III, and the father of Aga Khan IV. A socialite, racehorse owner and jockey, ...

's Manchuria on 17 May 1937. In his home country, he won three

Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris, France, over a distance ...

s - on

Coronation A coronation is the act of placement or bestowal of a coronation crown, crown upon a monarch's head. The term also generally refers not only to the physical crowning but to the whole ceremony wherein the act of crowning occurs, along with the ...

in 1949, Nuccio in 1952 and, lastly, on Prince Royal in 1964. He also went on to win five British classics - the

2,000 Guineas The 2000 Guineas Stakes is a Group 1 flat race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres) and scheduled to take place each year at ...

on Thunderhead in 1952, the

1,000 Guineas The 1000 Guineas Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 ...

and Oaks on Never Too Late in 1960, the 1,000 Guineas again on

Hula Dancer Hula Dancer (foaled 1960 in Kentucky) was an American-bred France, French-trained Thoroughbred horse racing, racehorse. Background Hula Dancer was a grey mare sired by Native Dancer. Owner Gertrude T. Widener, Gertrude Widener raced Ambrose Lig ...

in 1963 and, most notably, the

Derby Derby ( ) is a city and unitary authority area in Derbyshire, England. It lies on the banks of the River Derwent in the south of Derbyshire, which is in the East Midlands Region. It was traditionally the county town of Derbyshire. Derby gai ...

on the rank outsider,

Psidium ''Psidium'' is a genus of trees and shrubs in the family Myrtaceae. It is native to warmer parts of the Western Hemisphere (Mexico, Central and South America, the West Indies the Galápagos islands). Taxonomy This genus was described first by ...

in 1961. Psidium had been the less-favoured of two horses from the same stable. Poincelet kept Psidium at the back of the field until reaching Tattenham Corner. He then brought the horse on a path along the outside of the field to win the race. In doing so, Psidium became the longest priced Derby winner for 48 years. Sovrango, the stable's number one horse, finished fourth. After he retired from race riding, Poincelet began training horses in 1971. He died in a Paris hospital on Tuesday, 1 November 1977, aged 57, after a long and painful illness.

Major wins

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It is ...

1,000 Guineas Stakes The 1000 Guineas Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 ...

- (2) - '' Never Too Late (1960)'', ''

(1963)'' *

2,000 Guineas Stakes The 2000 Guineas Stakes is a Group 1 flat race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres) and scheduled to take place each year at ...

- '' Thunderhead (1952)'' *

Ascot Gold Cup The Gold Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 2 miles 3 furlongs and 210 yards (4,014 ...

- '' Pan (1951)'' *

Champion Stakes The Champion Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlong ...

- '' Hafiz (1955)'' *

Epsom Derby The Derby Stakes, also known as the Epsom Derby or the Derby, and as the Cazoo Derby for sponsorship reasons, is a Group 1 flat horse race in England open to three-year-old colts and fillies. It is run at Epsom Downs Racecourse in Surrey o ...

- ''

(1961)'' *

Epsom Oaks The Oaks Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old fillies. It is run at Epsom Downs over a distance of 1 mile, 4 furlongs and 6 yards (2, ...

- '' Never Too Late (1960)'' *

King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes The King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot o ...

- (2) - ''

Vimy Vimy ( or ; ; Dutch: ''Wimi'') is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region of France. Located east of Vimy is the Canadian National Vimy Memorial dedicated to the Battle of Vimy Ridge and the Canadian soldiers ...

(1955)'', ''

Right Royal Right Royal (1958–1973) was a French Thoroughbred race horse and sire. He was the best two-year-old in France in 1960 when his wins included the Grand Critérium. He was the dominant three-year-old of his generation in Europe in the spring ...

(1961)'' ----

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

- (3) - ''

(1949), Nuccio (1952), Prince Royal (1964)'' *

Prix du Jockey Club The Prix du Jockey Club, sometimes referred to as the French Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Chantilly over a ...

- ''

(1961)''

External links

Pathe footage of Thunderhead winning the 2,000 Guineas in 1952Pathe footage of Vimy winning the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes in 1955

References

1921 births 1977 deaths French jockeys Sportspeople from Paris {{France-horseracing-bio-stub