JORDAN Gainford rode a winner at Compiegne last week for leading French-based trainers Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm.

He explained: “I met Noel at Cheltenham and told him I would love to go over and ride out and see his place, which is near Chantilly. He invited me over one Sunday and showed me around. I rode out for him Monday morning and he asked if my licence covers French racing, which it does.

“I rode one for him in a maiden at Compiegne on May 7th and finished sixth. Noel called me a few days later to ask if I would come back to ride there on the 14th. I was free that day so went over and had two rides. One of them, Noire Wulf, won a three-year-old hurdle first time out.”

The jockey plans to go back to France next month during the National Hunt break here. Asked if the language barrier caused any problems, Jordan said: “Anyone who talks to me, I just say ‘No French’ and that seems to work!”

We must also give a shout out to adopted Irishman Elliot Ohgren who finished a very close second in a Fegentri race at Auteuil last Sunday. The race was the opener on Grand Steep day and also taking part were Patrick Mullins and Harry Swan.

Elliot, from Stockholm and a former champion amateur in his homeland, has been with the Willie Mullins yard for at least four years. He has ridden a winner on the track here already.

At Auteuil last Sunday, he was riding 100/1 shot Antikap De Couely for trainer David Cottin and looked sure to pull off a shock win, only to be headed on the line by stable companion Meme Pas Kap.