Derby-winning jockey Richard Kingscote takes up New Year offer to ride in Miami

03 January 2023 , 11:38

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Derby-winning jockey Richard Kingscote will ride for four weeks in Miami, Florida (Image: PA)

Derby-winning jockey Richard Kingscote is to spend the early part of 2023 overseas after accepting an offer to ride in Miami, Florida.

Kingscote, 36, has taken up an invitation to ride at Gulfstream Park for four weeks, a period that will coincide with the staging of the track’s richest race, the $3 million (£2.5m) Pegasus World Cup on January 28.

The jockey’s profile has snowballed after a breakthrough 2022 in the saddle in which he rode Desert Crown to victory in the Derby and ended the campaign landing the Champion Stakes on Bay Bridge on Qipco British Champions Day.

He is less well known internationally with his trips to the US limited to five rides at the Breeders’ Cup and only one first three finish.

“I leave on January 17,” said Kingscote, who will ride as a freelance. “I have a month there. I’ll be there for the Pegasus but whether I will be riding in it, I don’t know yet. I have an agent sorted and the flights are booked.

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“I’ve only done Breeders’ Cups before and spent time Australia when I was an apprentice. So it will be very new to me. I don’t really know what to expect but it should be interesting.

“It came up when I was in Bahrain. I’ve not ridden since the start of December so I’ve had a good break.”

Kingscote will get back into the groove in Dubai this week where he has four rides on the opening day of the Meydan Carnival, including Misty Grey for his former boss Tom Dascombe in the Group 2 Al Fahidi Fort.

Longer term he can also look forward to building on last year’s successes with both Desert Crown and Bay Bridge remaining in training with Sir Michael Stoute.

“Last year was an awesome year and there is still lots to look forward to next year so it’s exciting,” Kingscote said.

Jon Lees