Dubai: British champion jockey elect Silvestre de Sousa is unlikely to be seen in action for most of the 2015-2016 UAE racing season having revealed his intention to ride in America during the Winter months.
De Sousa enjoyed a successful stint as retained rider for champion trainer Musabah al Muhairi where he rode 40 winners for finish runner-up to Richard Mullen (44).
Earlier this year De Sousa became the latest top international rider to join a growing portfolio of brand ambassadors for Al Basti Equiworld, the UAE’s leading supplier of horse feeds and supplements.
“I don’t have any set plans but I think I’ll probably spend Christmas over there and see if I am getting rides and getting winners,” he told the Racing Post.
“I’m riding as a freelance and have no guarantees so I have to see how it goes. I’m just going for the winter, look at it like that.”
Last month De Sousa told Gulf News that while he enjoyed his time in the UAE he did not want to commit to a full riding contract.
“I don’t want to put anything on the table at this point of time,” he said. “We still have a long way to go before the season ends over here (Uk), and I will decide after that.”
While it is accepted that De Sousa will have to adapt to the American style of racing former trainer Seth Benzel, who will act as his agent, believes that it will not be an obstacle.
“I don’t think Silvestre will have a problem at all. He carved his early days out in Brazil, and we know a lot of good jockeys have come from South America, so I don’t think style will be a problem; in fact,” he told the Thoroughbred Daily News.
“I think it’s going to be an asset. He’s ridden at many different racetracks and in many different situations - and that includes surfaces.”
