The Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Christophe Lemaire can't believe his luck after being summoned from Japan as a standby rider for the Australian hoop Craig Williams who was suspended from riding in yesterday's 6-million dollar race.
After landing the big prize aboard the second favourite Dunaden, Lemaire said he understood how Williams must have felt.
Two years ago the 32-year-old French rider suffered injuries in a fall just before the famous Arc de Triomphe meeting in Paris, after which horses he was booked to ride won four prestigious group one races.
Lemaire flies out of Melbourne this morning for the Breeders Cup in the United States.
