He has hung up his boots, having said his farewells after two rides at La Teste de Buch on Thursday. Four times a Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner, Olivier Peslier takes a few minutes to share his thoughts with us.

You decided to retire on Thursday. Why then?

I’ve given it a lot of thought, I’ve been riding less lately. I gave it until Laris’ [unsuccessful] hat-trick bid on Monday. I rode him and, given how things are, I decided to stop. I considered stopping at the same time as Frankie Dettori but I was in the middle of a divorce and administration necessitated more time. I had to defer it to later, but I knew it was time.

I imagine your retirement has evoked a lot of memories?

I think about Goldikova, Peintre Célèbre, Symboli Kris S; there have been a lot of notable horses but I will always remember Peintre Célèbre’s Arc victory. As a jockey, winning the Arc is hard to put into words.

Do you know what the future holds for you?

I’ll take some time, take a step back, and see how things are after the holidays. I’ll stay in France, at Bayonne, where I’ll be close to my two daughters.

Will you miss the pelotons?

I’ll still go racing; it’ll be different, but I’ll still ride work. I decided to stop at La Teste where there are some good purebred arab races, and I’ll ride for Thomas Fourcy who has consistently put his trust in me. I’ve always ridden his best horses and it’s a way of showing my appreciation. What’s more, it’s a region that’s very dear to me. When I won the Arc with Peintre Célèbre in 1997, I jumped straight on a plane and was there the next day.