Winner of the Prix du Jockey-Club onboard Ace Impact at the start of June, Italian 31 year-old jockey, Cristian Demuro subsequently followed that up with Feed The Flame in the Grand Prix de Paris. Two days later he won three races at Chantilly, in the process recording his 1,000th victory on French soil. A remarkable feat after just ten years plying his trade in the country. 

With 866 races to his name in Italy, almost 200 in Japan, the younger brother of Mirco secured his first French success in 2013, on François Doumen’s Rageur. The dual-discipline trainer did much to support the young visitor after his move, and also gave him his first group ride, on Xcellence in the Prix Imprudence.

With accomplishment came recognition. He enjoyed some fine moments for well-known owner, Gérard-Augustin Normand, and for trainer Jean-Claude Rouget he has won all of the French classics, La Cressonnière the first of these in the 2015 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches, before going on to win the Prix de Diane with her a few weeks later.

The consecration for all his hard work came in 2020 when Demuro rode Sottsass to victory in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, a maiden win for both the Italian and Rouget in one of the world’s most renowned and coveted races.

Title-holder of most wins in a calendar year in his native Italy (264 in 2012), Cristian Demuro is now well-established in his adoptive home. He can look, with a certain calm that comes with great success, at the future, notably the Deauville August meeting in which his mentor will have a plethora of good horses for him to ride. Then come the Arc preps, and the Arc itself, and French Derby winner, Ace Impact, will be aimed straight at the prize.