![\"\"](\"https:\/\/static.timesnewsgroup.com.au\/prod\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2026\/01\/ValentinLeBouef-4296_83395.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
“After that, I began working with trainers such as (Rodney) Foster, (Beau) Tindale, and Frankie Stockdale, who trusted me and gave me regular rides.”<\/p>\n
Despite a knack of landing placings on horses at massive odds, including one at 90-1 and another at 70-1, a much-anticipated first win on Aussie turf eluded him for months.<\/p>\n
But on 8 November, the break he had been searching for finally arrived at Geelong, when he booted home his first Australian winner aboard Nostra Bella, trained in Ballarat by Karlene Tindale.<\/p>\n
Le Boeuf gave the daughter of Nostradamus a textbook ride, easing out of a speed battle before finishing hardest for a half-length win.<\/p>\n
A stirring first win in the saddle served as a double breakthrough, with Tindale \u2013 a long-time and highly successful harness racing trainer in Western Australia and Victoria \u2013 notching up her first victory as a gallops trainer.<\/p>\n
What followed was every bit as exciting for Le Boeuf, who had little time to celebrate or even savour his success.<\/p>\n
A few hours later, he was an hour down the road having his first ever ride at Flemington for another Ballarat trainer, Rodney Foster.<\/p>\n
Le Boeuf said he would always be grateful to the Tindale family for his first winner and the wider support of the Ballarat racing community in helping him establish himself.<\/p>\n
“Winning is always special, but winning your first race in a foreign country is something truly unique,” he said.<\/p>\n
“On the same day, I also rode at Flemington on Champions Day \u2013 an incredible experience.<\/p>\n
“I love Australia \u2013 racing here is different, with an atmosphere and excitement that I’ve never seen anywhere else.<\/p>\n
“For me, Australia is number one in the world for horse racing.”<\/p>\n
In a move he hopes will ignite his career and reinforce his commitment to making it in Australia, Le Boeuf has only recently taken on a jockey agent, linking up with Matt Sinclair.<\/p>\n
He joins a talented and emerging group of riders under Sinclair’s guidance, including Hannah Edgley, Sheridan Clarke and Sam Kennedy.<\/p>\n
“Our first discussions have been very positive,” Le Boeuf said.<\/p>\n
“For the previous two to three, I had been freelance, travelling a lot, riding every day, and developing new connections with more trainers<\/p>\n
“My goal is simple: keep improving, work hard, and seize every opportunity to remain consistent and achieve results.”<\/p>\n
Le Boeuf is certainly racking up the miles in his pursuit of success, with a recent seven-day stretch taking him everywhere from Pakenham, Traralgon and Donald to Cranbourne, Stony Creek and Ararat for races and trials.<\/p>\n
Karlene Tindale, the trainer of Nostra Bella, praised Le Boeuf’s exceptional work ethic, resilience and persistence, saying it had not gone unnoticed among Ballarat’s trainers.<\/p>\n
“He’s been trying to get a go, which is hard to do,” she said.<\/p>\n
“Our son (trainer Beau Tindale) was pushing and pushing to put him on.<\/p>\n
“We were going to have Craig Newitt on Nostra Bella, but he had another commitment at Flemington that day, and we rang some others who couldn’t make the weight, so we settled on Val. I’m glad we did.<\/p>\n
“It was his first win in Australia and he was over the moon.<\/p>\n
“He is a lovely guy \u2013 just loves the horses.<\/p>\n
“Full credit to him for giving it a crack; he’s not afraid to go anywhere to get a go.<\/p>\n
“I hope everything falls into place for him.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
IT’S a long way from home in France, but Ballarat is the next best thing as Valentin Le Boeuf chases his riding dreams. The 26-year-old French jockey, whose riding career has taken him from his homeland to New Caledonia and on to Australia, is hellbent on progressing his career having settled in Ballarat earlier this […]<\/p>\n