'He built bridges like no-one else' - Olivier Peslier's long-time British agent leads tributes on retirement of riding great

Olivier Peslier’s long-standing British agent Dave ‘Shippy’ Ellis has paid tribute to the four-time Arc-winning jockey, who announced his retirement on Tuesday.

The 51-year-old has been a familiar figure at British racecourses since the 1990s and in that time won two Classics, the Derby (High-Rise) and 2,000 Guineas (Cockney Rebel) as well as a host of Group 1s at Royal Ascot plus the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot on Harbinger.

Newmarket-based Ellis said: “I believe there will be a big party after the last at La Teste [today], where all the trainers, owners and jockeys will be, and it’s a shame I won’t be there.