ENGLISH TEXTS crucial issue , and in the racing world , resourcefulness still prevails .
Morgan Regairaz ’ s career came to an abrupt halt on November 28 , 2021 . A fall at Auteuil with his beloved horse , his greatest champion , the four-time Grand Prix d ’ Automne winner Galop Marin , sealed his fate . Morgan walked away with a forearm fracture and , more insidiously , a severe injury to his left thigh . “ A tendon graft was necessary , but unfortunately , it didn ’ t take ,” he explains . “ I had to quit mid-2022 , not just racing but all sports . Day-to-day life is manageable , but if I try jogging , I limp for ten days !” Letting go of his jockey career was painful . “ I had hoped to ride until I was 40 . I was winning Group 1 races every year , I had just started with Losange Bleu . The break was devastating . I didn ’ t pursue higher studies — just a CAP through AFASEC . Finding a new path wasn ’ t easy .” Fortunately , Morgan had a project , though he thought he would take it on later : buying his wife Marie ’ s family farm in Manche , near Utah and Omaha Beach . “ After two years of renovations , we ’ ve just opened four guest rooms , and business is going well . Our Instagram page already has 20,000 followers !” The place is named Galop Marin , bridging Morgan ’ s past and future . His transition also includes work as a consultant for Equidia and as an ambassador for PMU , introducing betting shop owners to the world of racing . “ These are very fulfilling roles that keep me involved in the sport I love .” Now a father to eight-yearold Rose and three-year-old Ange , Morgan has found balance . “ I ’ ve finally accepted the end of my jockey career . Away from the hectic pace of racing , I get to watch my children grow . I ’ m thrilled with my new life !”
From Jockey to Chimney Sweep : A Bold Leap ! For his project , Morgan received a € 2,000 grant from the Jockeys ’ Association , just like Boris Chameraud . A former top obstacle jockey , Boris won the Prix Maurice Gillois in 2002 with Le Chablis and the Grande Course de Haies d ’ Auteuil in 2005 with Lycaon de Vauzelle . After suffering a third consecutive collarbone fracture , he decided to retire in the fall of 2013 . “ I arranged a mutual separation with my employer , Isabelle Pacault , which allowed me to take a one-year training program through Pôle Emploi to run a PMU bar . There was a lot to learn before obtaining the required license .” For Boris , it was a return to his roots — his parents had also owned a similar establishment . He and his wife Audrey ran the business in Mimizan , Landes , for seven years until COVID forced them to reconsider . “ The pandemic forced us to close temporarily , which was hard financially . We realized we ’ d always be vulnerable to another crisis .” They left the PMU bar behind , but what next ? “ I had no diploma aside from my horse racing experience . It wasn ’ t easy to start over — it took determination . We moved back to my home region , Deux-Sèvres .” Boris ’ brother , a plumber , mentioned that his boss was buying a chimney sweeping business and needed employees . Boris seized the opportunity . “ I now clean industrial boilers and heating systems . Some machines are so big I can stand inside them ! I learned everything on the job .” Even after leaving the PMU , Boris felt the need to stay connected to the thrill of competition . In October 2024 , he acquired a claiming horse , Benimaru , who won his first race at Saint-Cloud under the training of Stéphanie Penot . “ We attend the races to see him run , which keeps us in touch with our friends .” Boris is also a race steward at the Niort racecourse .
Choosing the right moment to retire Alexis Poirier had the luxury of deciding when to retire . “ When I rode Doctor Kaléo in the Prix du Président de la République in April 2021 , I knew it was my last race . I only told my parents , my fiancée , and my boss , Alain Couétil .” His career ended with a sixth-place finish at
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