Mickaëlle Michel has set her sights on a 100 winners and Top 10 finish on the South African Jockeys Log this season, and she expects to be back from Japan and riding at Turffontein on 24 October.
Mickaëlle rode into everyone’s hearts, and into the Top 20 last season with 47 winners, a remarkable achievement considering she only had her first South African ride midway through December and took several weeks to familiarise herself with horses, track and trainers.
Mickaëlle said on Thursday: “I know that 100 winners sounds ambitious, but one has to set yourself high ambitions. I also hope to ride more Graded winners. I’ll be in South Africa for the duration of the season.”
She’s just finished her fifth stint in Japan and has pushed her resident tally to 60 winners overall – which includes 30 in her first season, a standing record for a visiting jockey with a limited-period license.
“They grant licenses in Japan for two or three months at a time. I now have to fly back to France to arrange a work visa for South Africa. I have already received a mail from the authorities, which is a good sign. I hope to be in Paris by the 14th of October, then a nip back to Japan and on to South Africa.”
Mickaëlle and her husband-coach Fred Spanu will be based in Johannesburg, which makes travelling to Durban and Cape Town for rides, more convenient. “We considered Cape Town as a base, but I ride a lot of work at Randjes and don’t want to miss out.”
She also hopes to reunite with James Crawford’s ace runner, Star Major, the horse many experts believe would have won the 2026 Hollywoodbets Durban July if he wasn’t withdrawn.
Mickaëlle said: “I can’t wait to sit on Star Major again. James Crawford sent me a video of him the other day, he is doing well and looks fantastic.”
