On January 23, 2022, Antoine Wiels reached the peak of his career by winning the Prix de Cornulier, associated with
Flamme du Goutier
.
To achieve his ends, the jockey had imposed a drastic diet on himself in order to ride the mare trained by Thierry Duvaldestin, as close as possible to the minimum weight of 65 kg.
"I only had one meal a day," he recalls.
I lost two kilos, and it was trying.
His goal achieved, the 33-year-old obviously celebrated this success and had a good time.
"I went on vacation and I gained four kilos," he says with a burst of laughter.
I can no longer yo-yo with my weight.
It's too complicated.
With my saddle, I approach 70 kg on the scale.
»
“I will have to return 15 kg to some jockeys.
This is no longer possible "
Barely two months later, Antoine Wiels therefore decided to draw a line under the discipline of mounted trotting, like Matthieu Abrivard, a few weeks earlier.
“I am stopping my career as a jockey, continues the person concerned.
I'm just a little disappointed not to have reached the figure of 400 mounted trotting victories, but I'm still going out the front door with this success in Le Cornulier.
It remains to be seen who will be the future jockey of
Flamme du Goutier
.
Visibly relieved to make this decision, the pilot with 1,137 successes in France advances other arguments on his choice: “The lowering of two kilos of the minimum weight, which was voted recently, is complicated.
In addition, the provincial events will resume, and the jockeys will go up to free weight.
I will have to return 15 kg to some.
This is no longer possible.
Such a difference in weight therefore does not allow the professional to compete on equal terms.
So Antoine Wiels convinced his boss, Jean-Paul Marmion, about his stoppage.
"He was understanding when I told him about my weight issues," he says.
It's not going to fundamentally change things, because I'm going to continue to be associated with the harness horses as before.
»
Florian Desmigneux, a long-term replacement?
In this little game of jockeys' musical chairs, the winner is called Florian Desmigneux.
The freelance rider has already been associated with a few horses from the stable, under saddle, and should continue to be so if the results are there.
“Florian is light and can make himself available for the team almost everywhere in France.
It's an asset,” says Antoine Wiels.
"It could be a turning point in my career if I manage to gain their trust," tempers Florian Desmigneux.
Holder of 243 successes, the 27-year-old professional discovers a magnificent opportunity to join a structure that has been running around a hundred victories a year for many seasons.