Pierre-Charles Boudot set for return to the saddle next week

Pierre-Charles Boudot is expected to return to competitive action in his homeland next week after being cleared to ride by France Galop.

The leading French jockey was able to reapply for his licence after last week being exonerated by a court of charges against him relating to allegations of rape.

Boudot – who has always strenuously denied any wrongdoing – has not ridden in France since his indictment in May 2021, initially being suspended for two days by France Galop with that subsequently extended on several occasions, before his licence was revoked indefinitely in November 2022 at the request of the Ministry of the Interior.

However, with a court of appeal having cleared his name in a decision that brought the long process to a close, the 33-year-old is now ready to make a comeback, with his agent Herve Naggar confirming to the Press Association that Boudot had received a licence from France Galop on Tuesday morning.

Naggar posted on X: “@PCBOUDOT will finally get back in the saddle next week in France. Bravo to you for having endured these five years of nightmare. Proud to have accompanied you through this ordeal. The best is yet to come.”

Regarded as one of the world’s elite riders, Boudot has won numerous Group One contests both at home and abroad, arguably enjoying his finest hour when denying John Gosden’s Enable a historic third win in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe aboard Andre Fabre’s Waldgeist in 2019.

During his suspension, he returned to race-riding very briefly in Qatar earlier this year, partnering Marco Botti’s Giavellotto to finish third in the Amir Trophy, being granted a temporary licence by the local authorities after numerous international jockeys refused to ride over concerns with the track.