'Dream come true' as 18-year-old De la Sayette wins Lincoln on first turf ride

What a story. The former work experience lad, still a teenager, rides the winner of the Lincoln on his very first ride on turf. No wonder he called it a fairytale.

The 18-year-old apprentice Benoit de la Sayette may go on to be champion jockey five times over but he will always remember the day he launched his career with a "dream come true" victory at Doncaster on Haqeeqy.

He had been thrilled just to be given the ride in the £100,000 highlight on the opening day of the British turf season, on a horse who had been ridden by former champion jockey Jim Crowley when winning here last September.

But the youngster was not just making up the numbers on the 9-2 second favourite, who played a full part in a magnificent afternoon for the new John and Thady Gosden training partnership.

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The 7lb claimer showed a patience beyond his years as he waited for a gap, grabbed his chance when it appeared and conjured a blistering turn of speed from his mount to lead in the final half-furlong and win readily by a length and a half.

"The main goal was to get him as relaxed as possible," De la Sayette said afterwards. "I wanted to take a lead off Johan but it didn't run so it had to be a blank canvas.

Haqeeqy (7): leads home Brunch and Hortzador in the Unibet LincolnCredit: Edward Whitaker

"He jumped beautifully and I tried to put him beyond someone so he could switch off, that was the main thing to make sure he would last to the end and didn't pull too hard. Luckily enough a gap opened up which I wasn't expecting, I thought I was going to be trapped the whole way. The turn of foot he showed was absolutely thrilling. To have a feeling like that, you can't get better.

Members can watch the Lincoln replay here

"What I've learned and the boss has taught me is that the cooler you are on the horse the better they will run. If you start to get a bit revvy on them that's when they can start to make mistakes. Just wait for something to happen, if it doesn't happen look for next time. I wanted to stay as cool as I can. It's a dream come true, a fairytale."

This time last week, riding the Lincoln winner had seemed a decidedly unlikely prospect for a jockey who had joined the champion trainer's yard for work experience at the age of 15.

"Just to ride in the Lincoln on my first turf ride was unbelievable," he said. "I have to thank the boss for putting me on such a wonderful opportunity.

"They let me know on Monday. When the boss told me I was riding him my face lit up, I couldn't believe it. He was entered a long time ago and I said there was no chance I'd ride him but they legged me up – I can't thank everyone enough.

John and Thady Gosden: their new partnership as joint-trainers has had a storming startCredit: Dan Abraham

"To be put in that position was a big boost in confidence from the boss."

De la Sayette had partnered just nine winners previously, though he was pretty much bred for the job.

"My father [Geoffrey de la Sayette] was a jockey in France," he said. "He was champion amateur rider then came over to work for Godolphin. I always wanted to be like him, follow the family footsteps, and I was pretty much born on a horse."

Having started at the local pony club, he rode in pony races throughout Europe from the age of nine and said: "I was lucky enough to have two wonderful parents driving me around everywhere and giving me wonderful opportunities.

"They're the main reason I'm here today. At the age of 15 my father got me work experience with Mr Gosden and I've been there ever since."

De la Sayette also paid tribute to the support he has received from Gosden snr and said: "The boss is unbelievable. Any slight mistake you make in a race he'll run me through it and explain what could be changed. To have him as my boss, I couldn't ask for a better one."

Michael Dods was philosophical at seeing runner-up Brunch beaten by a potentially top-class winner.

"He's run a blinder," the trainer said. "We were giving the winner 7lb with his claim off and I think it was a very good run.

"We were beaten by a very good horse. I've said all along to win a Lincoln you've got to be a Group horse."

Gosden's second Lincoln winner carried the colours of Hissa Hamdan Al Maktoum, daughter of the leading owner-breeder whose recent death – along with that of trainer Rebecca Bastiman – was marked by a minute's silence before racing on Saturday.

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