APR 14, 2025

Marc Lerner has called time on his New Zealand adventure, but that quest for new horizons has far from worn off – he is now taking his saddle to Malaysia.

Kuala Lumpur – his upcoming base – is not uncharted waters, as the 34-year-old French jockey has often made hit-and-runs to the Sungai Besi track.

Towards the end of his six full seasons at Kranji, Lim’s Kosciuszko’s regular partner ventured twice across the Causeway, notching three wins – including the Group 1 Perak Derby with the Lawson Moy-trained Trumpy on April 7, 2024.

While in New Zealand, he returned for a third cameo on March 16 for the Tunku Gold Cup meeting, again not returning empty-handed, with one win aboard One Abracadabra for Sivan Veerapen on the undercard.

His Tunku Gold Cup ride Super Salute failed to fire, running seventh to Noah Khan, but, incidentally, just returned to winning ways two runs later at Ipoh on April 13.

Lerner said Super Salute would be his ride from now on, but the former EW Barker Trophy winner is not the only thing he is looking forward to.

“I’m very happy to return to Malaysia as I have many friends there. It was a no-brainer for me to come back,” said Lerner, who booted home 223 Kranji winners from 2018 to 2024, including eight at Group 1 level, half of them from Lim’s Kosciuszko.

“I could’ve gone to France or Australia, but I’ve always enjoyed Malaysia for its lifestyle, which I got to experience during my short visits there.

“It’s also a lot nearer to France than New Zealand. It’d take me more than 24 hours to fly back home from New Zealand.

“When a good friend of mine encouraged me to come back to Malaysia for a longer term, I didn’t have to think too long and hard.”

The globetrotting jockey, who boasts countries like Germany, France, US, Dubai and Qatar on his CV, said he was not taking French leave on New Zealand, a country which he said had quickly grown on him.

He had nothing but praise for his Kiwi experience, especially his reunion with ex-Kranji trainer Stephen Gray for whom he won two Group 1 races on Hard Too Think in 2021.

But one blemish about racing in the Land of the Long White Cloud became a push factor: the endless hours on the road.

“New Zealand was wonderful. I rode 10 winners in 89 rides, and finished third with Whangaehu in a Group 1 (Herbie Dyke Stakes). I can’t complain,” he said.

“There was plenty to like, but the 4,500km per month driving to the different tracks was worse than I thought it would be.

“It was a shock to the system, especially after six years in Singapore where everything was at your doorstep and we rode only once a week.

“The travelling was not just tiring, it also took up a lot of my time. It left no time for anything else.

“Besides it was always my plan to try it out for six months, and never on a long-term basis.”

In fact, Lerner’s name has been missing from a New Zealand race programme for quite a while. He said he took a break after his return from his last Kuala Lumpur pitstop visit.

“I didn’t ride back in New Zealand after the last trip,” he said.

“I enjoyed some holidays with my wife Mathilde and I also had to start packing.”

He has also wasted no time in setting the Malaysian wheels in motion.

He has four bookings at the Sungai Besi meeting on April 20 – Baby Twins for Jerome Tan, Lim’s Fuji for Moy, Grand Supreme for Sivan and Arigato for Lim Shung You.

“I leave tomorrow night and land in KL on Wednesday morning, and ride on Sunday,” he said.

“I know two of my four rides, I rode them in Singapore – Baby Twins and Lim’s Fuji. It’s a good start.

“I’m sure competition will be tough, but I’m really looking forward to it.”

Source : Michael Lee