Alexis Badel Credits Japan for Strong Hong Kong Start

French jockey Alexis Badel has launched the new Hong Kong racing season with impressive momentum and points to a productive off-season in Japan as the key to his sharp return. The 35-year-old rider, now in his sixth full-time campaign, opened the term with four horse racing wins from the first three meetings, including a treble that lifted his career total to 278 victories.

Badel understands how quickly fortunes can shift in Hong Kong racing. The tough circuit is not a source of many promises, but requires the full stamina of the body and mind. After winning three events at the start of the season, he admitted that the sport was quite unforeseen, but at the same time, he liked his bright start.

During the summer, Alexis Badel spent several weeks riding in Japan, where he recorded 12 winners at nearly a 17 per cent strike rate. Among those successes was a Listed triumph at Chukyo aboard 28-1 outsider Mario Road. The competitive rides sharpened his race fitness, but he says the experience went beyond results. Time in Japan with his young family gave him a calmer mindset and a refreshed outlook heading into the demanding Hong Kong schedule.

“It’s had a positive impact on the mind as well as the body,” Badel said. “I had a great time in Japan and some success on the track.”

Since the departure of fellow Frenchman Antoine Hamelin, Badel stands as the lone French representative on the Hong Kong roster. He continues a tradition of French jockeys adding skill and flair to a lineup largely filled by riders from the southern hemisphere. Names like Gerald Mosse, Olivier Doleuze, Eric Saint-Martin, and Maxime Guyon remain well respected among Hong Kong racing followers, and Badel now carries that torch.

His patience and tactical understanding were on full display when guiding Class 5 horse My Flying Angel to a long-awaited first win. Winless in 19 previous attempts, the horse benefited from Badel’s decision to focus on rhythm and comfort rather than aggressively using a low barrier. The approach allowed the runner to settle and finish strongly, rewarding connections with a breakthrough victory.

“I had a good draw so I focused on the clean jump, but after that, I gambled on comfort,” Alexis Badel explained. “Overall, today was a consequence of smooth rides and good horses in good condition.”

Badel’s professional journey in Hong Kong has been an emotional rollercoaster with both dramatic successes and difficult failures. In the 2020-21 season, he was tied fifth for the overall rankings with 58 horse racing wins; however, the next couple of seasons, he was sidelined with an injury and lacked chances to ride. He was diagnosed with a broken collarbone only three weeks before the Hong Kong Sprint after having a Group 1 victory to celebrate with Wellington in the Chairman’s Sprint Prize. That forced him to watch Ryan Moore guide Wellington to victory while he recovered.

He responded remarkably when he drove Voyage Bubble to a memorable victory in the 2023 BMW Hong Kong Derby. On that day, Alexis Badel was exemplary with his timing and positioning, as he went back from the wide draw and then went around the revs in the middle stages. However, he was eventually parted with the horse, which serves as a reminder of the unforeseen nature of racing, although Alexis Badel didn’t fail to acknowledge the feat.

Now approaching 300 career Hong Kong winners, Alexis Badel is focused on steady progress rather than setting bold targets. He prefers to let results speak for themselves, aiming to give each horse the best possible chance regardless of class or prestige.

“I think you just go out there trying your best to give the possible results on the horses you’ve been given,” he said. “And if you achieve that, at the end of the season, you’re probably doing okay. I just focus on the execution.”

With the new campaign starting in Horse racing, Alexis Badel is in a good position to have another successful season as he has the perfect blend of experience, discipline, and rejuvenated energy from his Japanese trip. His initial goal rate indicates that he is a player who intends to challenge the upper part of the table, although he has still acknowledged the tough nature of the Hong Kong competition.