Dubai: Dubai World Cup winning jockey Mickael Barzalona has promised the "best is yet to come" as he prepares life with a new employer in the world of horse racing.
"This win is possibly the biggest of my career for now, but the best will follow," Barzalona told Gulf News after guiding Monterosso to an amazing win to pick up the top prize of $6 million (Dhs 22 million) on World Cup night at Meydan late on Saturday.
The 20-year-old Barzalona, who was born in Corsica and now based in France, is one of the few jockeys who have been making a huge impact in the sport. He is soon to join the Godolphin stable at Newmarket in England as a retained jockey.
"We had spoken about our strategy out there and all I was thinking about is to get a good position. Once I got past the first turn I got this inner feeling that the pace was good. So I asked him [Monterosso] to go and he did," Barzalona disclosed.
"After that he quickened really really well and I had to do nothing at all. It is then that I said that no one is going to come and beat me now. I saw from the corner of my eye and I would have been more surprised if some had caught up with me," he related.
Barzalona's confidence was so high that he pumped his hand in celebration much before the horse got past the finish line. "I could not believe it when no one was coming after me on the straight. This is a dream and I have no words to describe it," he said.
"I think I know this horse so well. Right at the first turn I had this feeling that he was going for it. It was something deep within and ultimately he expressed himself so well," he said.
