Olivier Peslier has ruled himself out of the running to ride Native Khan in the Derby after it was revealed Kieren Fallon will partner Recital.
Top French jockey to stay at home
Olivier Peslier has ruled himself out of the running to ride Ed Dunlop's Native Khan in Saturday's Investec Derby after it was revealed Kieren Fallon will partner Aidan O'Brien's Recital.
Peslier was widely considered the first-choice deputy to replace Fallon in Saturday's Epsom Classic but he is retained to ride in France on the same day.
The French ace, who won the Derby aboard Luca Cumani's High-Rise in 1998, rode Native Khan when the pair finished third in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, and was offered the plum mount once Fallon turned down Dunlop's advances.
However, Peslier must instead ride Evaporation in the Group Three Prix du Palais-Royal at Longchamp for his retained owners, the Wertheimer brothers, at Longchamp on the same afternoon.
Peslier's British agent Shippy Ellis confirmed: "Olivier Peslier was offered the ride but is unable to take it due to a retained ride in the Prix du Palais-Royal at Longchamp on the same day."
Fallon, a three-times winner of the Premier Classic, has sided with the colt whom he partnered to victory in the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial.
O'Brien is set to have four runners, with Christophe Soumillon aboard Dante runner-up Seville, Colm O'Donoghue riding Treasure Beach and the trainer's son, Joseph, on Memphis Tennessee.
The riding arrangements were announced by O'Brien's wife, Anne-Marie, on her Twitter account.
The Irish trainer has also left in Roderic O'Connor among the 17 horses confirmed at the five-day stage, but the Irish 2000 Guineas winner is instead likely to run in the French Derby at Chantilly on Sunday.
