Silvestre De Sousa
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Silvestre de Sousa (born 31 December 1980 in São Francisco do Maranhão, Brazil) is a Brazilian
flat racing Horse racing is an equestrianism, equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all spor ...
jockey A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase (horse racing), steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used ...
who is based in Britain and was three times champion jockey (2015, 2017, 2018).


Background and early career

De Sousa was born in São Francisco do Maranhão,
Maranhão Maranhão () is a States of Brazil, state in Brazil. Located in the country's Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Region, it has a population of about 7 million and an area of and it is divided into 217 municipalities. Clockwise from north, it ...
, the youngest of ten siblings. He moved to
São Paulo São Paulo (; ; Portuguese for 'Paul the Apostle, Saint Paul') is the capital of the São Paulo (state), state of São Paulo, as well as the List of cities in Brazil by population, most populous city in Brazil, the List of largest cities in the ...
when he was 17 years old and sat on a racehorse for the first time when he was 18. This came after a chance meeting with a man who worked at the local Cidade Jardim racecourse, who introduced him to Fausto Durso (one of the leading jockeys in
São Paulo São Paulo (; ; Portuguese for 'Paul the Apostle, Saint Paul') is the capital of the São Paulo (state), state of São Paulo, as well as the List of cities in Brazil by population, most populous city in Brazil, the List of largest cities in the ...
at the time, later twice champion jockey in
Macau Macau or Macao is a special administrative regions of China, special administrative region of the People's Republic of China (PRC). With a population of about people and a land area of , it is the most List of countries and dependencies by p ...
). Durso suggested that de Sousa had the build of a jockey. In an interview with the magazine ''Thoroughbred Owner & Breeder'', de Sousa remembered an inauspicious beginning to his career. “I started very badly…it took me six months to get my first ride, but 16 months later I was champion apprentice and had lost my claim.”


David Nicholls

In 2004 de Sousa moved to Ireland, joining trainer
Dermot Weld Dermot K. Weld (born 29 July 1948), in Kildare, is a former jockey, and one of Ireland's most successful racehorse trainers, setting the record in 2000 for the most winners trained in Ireland with 2,578. He won the Irish Flat Training Champion ...
. However, the move did not work out; de Sousa initially struggled to adjust to the change in environment. After two years without a racecourse ride in public, he was offered the chance to move to England and link up with Thirsk-based trainer David Nicholls. He rode in his first race soon after and by the end of his first season in Britain (2006) he had ridden 27 winners from 195 runners for a win rate of 14 percent.


Mark Johnston

With Nicholls using his son Adrian as first jockey, de Sousa decided to freelance. After winning 21, 35 and 68 races in 2007, 2008 and 2009 respectively, he reached his maiden century of winners in 2010 and attracted the attention of northern trainer Mark Johnston. In a 2011 BBC interview Johnston said, "I noticed him last season when he rode 100 winners for mainly small trainers, often on horses at long odds". With support from the Mark Johnston yard, de Sousa made a good start in 2011. After initially being excluded from some bookmakers’ lists for the flat-jockeys’ championship, with monthly totals of 24, 20 and 27 winners in May, June and July respectively he was heading the title race. His association with Johnston led to big wins at
Epsom Racecourse Epsom Downs is a Grade 1 racecourse in a hilly area near Epsom in Surrey, England which is used for thoroughbred horse racing. The "Downs" referred to in the name are part of the North Downs. The course has a crowd capacity of 130,000 includin ...
on Derby Day and twice at
Royal Ascot Ascot Racecourse is a dual-purpose British racecourse, located in Ascot, Berkshire, England, about 25 miles west of London. Ascot is used for thoroughbred horse racing, and it hosts 13 of Britain's 36 annual Flat Group 1 races and three Gra ...
; his first wins at the Royal meeting came on Fox Hunt in the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes and Namibian in the Queen's Vase. De Sousa described his Ascot victories as "unbelievable", saying “when you look at my background, you would never think I would ride a winner in Royal Ascot”. The 2010 champion jockey
Paul Hanagan Paul Hanagan (born 8 September 1980 in Warrington, Cheshire) is a Classic-winning British flat racing jockey. Hanagan was twice been crowned champion jockey on the flat in Britain, riding 165 winners in 2011 to defend his title, having won hi ...
regained the lead by September; having incurred a four-day suspension in early October, de Sousa's chances of a first title were fading. He continued to focus on his championship challenge with 32 winners in October; however, Mark Johnston's decision to put de Sousa on Fox Hunt in Australia's
Melbourne Cup The Melbourne Cup is an annual Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held in Melbourne, Australia, at the Flemington Racecourse. It is a 3200-metre race for three-year-olds and older, conducted by the Victoria Racing Club that forms part of the ...
was another blow to his title bid. Explaining the logic behind his decision to send de Sousa to Melbourne to ride the Duke Of Edinburgh winner, Johnston said “He (de Sousa) would rather win four races at
Wolverhampton Wolverhampton ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands of England. Located around 12 miles (20 km) north of Birmingham, it forms the northwestern part of the West Midlands conurbation, with the towns of ...
and be called champion jockey than have to come out here. But I hope that if he wins the Melbourne Cup then he'll realize that's much bigger than being champion jockey”. Fox Hunt finished seventh in the Cup. Despite failing (by four winners) to pass Hanagan in the title race, 2011 was de Sousa's best-ever season. He finished with 161 winners. While Hanagan suggested he would not try for a third successive title, de Sousa had no such qualms. "I don't have to waste. I wake up every morning, eight
stone In geology, rock (or stone) is any naturally occurring solid mass or aggregate of minerals or mineraloid matter. It is categorized by the minerals included, its Chemical compound, chemical composition, and the way in which it is formed. Rocks ...
. Of course, I get tired at the end of the day but after sleeping, you're fresh again." He was again runner-up (to Richard Hughes) in 2012, and third behind Hughes in 2013.


Godolphin

From 2012 to 2015 de Sousa was retained as a jockey by Godolphin. He won his first
Group 1 Group 1 may refer to: * Alkali metal, a chemical element classification for Alkali metal * Group 1 (motorsport), a regulation set of the FIA for series-production touring cars used in motorsport. * Group One Thoroughbred horse races, the leading e ...
on Hunter's Light in the 2012 Premio Roma and landed further Group 1 success with Sajjhaa in the 2013 Dubai Duty Free Stakes, Farhh in the 2013 Lockinge and
Champion Stakes The Champion Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile 1 furlong a ...
and African Story in the 2014
Dubai World Cup The Dubai World Cup (Arabic: كأس دبي العالمي) is a Thoroughbred horse race held annually since 1996 and contested at the Meydan Racecourse in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The race is operate ...
. Soon after losing his retainer with Godolphin, de Sousa was crowned
British flat racing Champion Jockey The champion jockey of flat racing in Great Britain is the rider who has the most wins during a season. For most of its existence, the jockeys championship was decided on the number of winners ridden between Lincoln Handicap Day and November ...
2015. The following year he finished second in the championship to Crowley, but regained his title in 2017. He rode his 200th winner of the year at
Lingfield Lingfield can refer to: * Lingfield, County Durham, England, a village * Lingfield, Surrey, England, a village ** Lingfield Park Racecourse ** Lingfield Cricket Club, prominent in the 18th century ** Lingfield railway station, serving the villag ...
on 18 October, and with 155 wins in the Championship period, he effectively won the title with weeks to spare. He identified the highlights of his year as the day he rode six winners - five at
Sandown Sandown is a seaside resort and civil parishes in England, civil parish on the south-east coast of the Isle of Wight, England. The neighbouring resort of Shanklin and the settlement of Lake, Isle of Wight, Lake are sited just to the south of t ...
and one at Goodwood - and his
Cesarewitch Handicap The Cesarewitch Handicap is a flat handicap horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Newmarket over a distance of 2 miles and 2 furlongs (3,621 met ...
win on Withhold. Speaking of retaining his title, he said, "I can't see why I won't be going for a third title. I want to do very well again next year and if I had the same support this year I hope to ride plenty of winners. If the good horses come I will ride them, but if not I will go to Catterick relatively minor trackand anywhere else to ride the winners."


King Power Racing

De Sousa retained his champion jockey title in 2018, beating
Oisin Murphy Oisin Murphy (born 6 September 1995) is an Irish jockey based in the United Kingdom who competes in flat racing. He has won two British Classics and a number of Group 1 races. He has been British Champion Jockey in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2024 ...
into second place. He spent the winter racing in
Hong Kong Hong Kong)., Legally Hong Kong, China in international treaties and organizations. is a special administrative region of China. With 7.5 million residents in a territory, Hong Kong is the fourth most densely populated region in the wor ...
, where he rode more than 40 winners, including Group 1 victory on Glorious Forever in the Hong Kong Cup in December. He returned to Britain at the start of the 2019 season, having signed a retainer in late 2018 with King Power Racing,the operation founded by the late Leicester City owner
Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha Khun (courtesy title), Khun Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha (; born Vichai Raksriaksorn, ; 4 April 1958 – 27 October 2018) was a Thai billionaire businessman and the founder, owner, and chairman of King Power. He was the owner of Premier League team ...
and run by his son, Aiyawatt.


Hong Kong

After three seasons riding for King Power Racing, de Sousa was released from his contract and spent the 2022 season riding as a freelance. Having found it difficult to re-establish himself as a freelance, de Sousa moved to Hong Kong for the start of the season in September 2022. During the winter he rode 45 winners and was in fifth place in the jockeys' standings, with his mounts earning £7.7 million in prize money. On May 12, 2023, de Sousa was given a 10 month ban by the Hong Kong Jockey Club for a breach of betting rules, after he admitted facilitating fellow jockey Vagner Borges in placing a bet on a horse. He withdrew an appeal against the length of the ban.


Return to Britain

After serving his ban, de Sousa returned to Britain in March 2024, riding as a freelance. On 3 May 2024 he achieved his first success in a Classic race when he rode Elmalka, trained by Roger Varian to victory in the 1000 Guineaa. This was followed later the same month by a second Classic victory when he rode Devil's Point in the Grade 2 German 2,000 Guineas.


Personal life

De Sousa is married to bloodstock agent and former apprentice jockey Victoria Behan. The couple have three sons.


Major wins

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-west coast of continental Europe, consisting of the countries England, Scotland, and Wales. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the List of European ...
*
1000 Guineas The 1000 Guineas Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile ...
- (1) - ''Elmalka (2024)'' * British Champions Sprint Stakes - (1) - ''Donjuan Triumphant (2019)'' *
International Stakes The International Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at York over a distance of 1 mile, 2 furlongs and 56 yards ...
- (1) - '' Arabian Queen (2015)'' *
Champion Stakes The Champion Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile 1 furlong a ...
- (1) - '' Farhh (2013)'' *
Lockinge Stakes The Lockinge Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It is run over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres) at New ...
- (1) - ''Farhh (2013)'' * Nunthorpe Stakes - (1) - '' Winter Power (2021)'' * Queen Anne Stakes - (1) - ''Charyn (2024) '' *
Queen Elizabeth II Stakes The Queen Elizabeth II Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres), and it is ...
- (1) - ''Charyn (2024) '' ----
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
*
Prix Jacques Le Marois The Prix Jacques Le Marois is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbred colts and fillies aged three years or older. It is run in August each year at Deauville over a distance of ...
- (1) - '' Charyn (2024) '' * Prix Morny - (1) - ''Pretty Pollyanna (2018)'' ----
Hong Kong Hong Kong)., Legally Hong Kong, China in international treaties and organizations. is a special administrative region of China. With 7.5 million residents in a territory, Hong Kong is the fourth most densely populated region in the wor ...
* Hong Kong Cup - (1) - ''Glorious Forever (2018)'' ----
Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
* Premio Roma – (1) – ''Hunter's Light (2012)'' ----
United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates (UAE), or simply the Emirates, is a country in West Asia, in the Middle East, at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is a Federal monarchy, federal elective monarchy made up of Emirates of the United Arab E ...
* Dubai Turf - (1) - '' Sajjhaa (2013)'' *
Dubai World Cup The Dubai World Cup (Arabic: كأس دبي العالمي) is a Thoroughbred horse race held annually since 1996 and contested at the Meydan Racecourse in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The race is operate ...
- (1) - '' African Story (2014)'' * Al Maktoum Challenge, Round 3 - (1) - ''Hunter's Light (2013)'' ----


References


External links

*https://twitter.com/SilvDSousa
Racing Post
*https://web.archive.org/web/20120127002448/http://www.racingforchange.co.uk/ *http://willowracing.com {{DEFAULTSORT:Sousa, Silvestre De Brazilian jockeys Living people 1980 births British Champion flat jockeys Sportspeople from Maranhão