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By Ray Hickson

There was a time jockey Louis Beuzelin was content to be a ‘big fish’ but that all changed when he decided the time was right to try his luck in Sydney and he says he's in for the long haul.

Louis Beuzelin after his first Sydney win on So United. (Pic: Steve Hart).

That time was a few years back when, based in Singapore, he had the chance to make the move to Hong Kong but ultimately elected to stay put and continue racking up the winners in Singapore.

As we know, racing is to cease in Singapore later this year though the 32-year-old says he’d been eyeing Australian racing for a while and, while he knew he’d be a ‘small fish’, was ready to “start all over again”.

“I intended to come over here last year and seeing the announcement that racing in Singapore would be ceasing came as no surprise,'' Beuzelin said.

“I had made my decision before that, it was just a question of time as my wife was pregnant and we had to wait for the arrival of our baby.

“The closing of the Singapore Turf Club just cemented my decision.”

Very few international riders can just walk into the strong Sydney jockeys' room and command attention so Beuzelin knew he had to earn whatever rides came his way.

On the advice of Sir Michael Stoute he contacted a number of trainers including Chris Waller and Ciaron Maher before finding a place with Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.

It was Tulloch Lodge that provided the French born, Barbados raised, hoop his first Australian winner when So United won at Royal Randwick just before Christmas.

“I never expect things to happen overnight,’’ he said.

“I am aware it is going to take time to be part of the ecosystem and I respect that. I want to be part of that tight-knit circle.

“As far as getting rides, there’s no secret to breaking through and having opportunities. That’s working and showing you’re hungry, and that’s what I do. I think Gai and Adrian are conscious of my work ethic.

“I know it takes some time but I’m doing everything I can in my power to succeed here.

“My philosophy is a jockey is only as good as the horse they’re riding so my goal is to get on the fast ones.”

The huge prizemoney on offer in Australia is a drawcard for any rider and Beuzelin says it’s impressive how well funded racing is in this country, especially when you compare it to the UK.

That’s coming from someone who’s ridden in most of the biggest jurisdictions on the planet, as well as a number of obscure ones like Morocco, India, Denmark and Qatar, so it’s no surprise he wanted to be a part of one of the biggest stables in the land.

“I’ve just been in awe and pleasantly surprised at every turn,’’ he said.

“The way they run their business here is very interesting and I think it’s the way forward regarding the racing industry. I left the UK because of no prizemoney and it hasn’t changed.

“They don’t have a strong format for their industry. It’s a shame because the quality of the horses and the trainers they have in the UK, they are the mecca of racing.”