Christophe Patrice Lemaire is a French-born jockey. He takes his middle name from his father, who made a name for himself in the world of French handicap racing.
In 1999 he obtained the licence required for a French jockey, and began racing. He has steadily built up a good track record, becoming the seventh leading jockey in 2003, and winning the French Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris in the same year.
In 2002 he also began racing in Japanese Central Racing (中央競馬, chūō keiba?) races using the short-term licence (短期免許, tanki menkyo?) system, taking part mainly at local racecourses such as Chukyo Racecourse (中京競馬場, chūkyō keibajō?) and Kokura Racecourse (小倉競馬場, kokura keibajō?). He produced impressive results each year. In 2004, as a Grade I jockey, he came second in the Emperor's Cup (天皇賞, Tennōshō?) (Autumn) on Dance in the Mood and second in the Japan Cup on Cosmo Bulk, and in the 2005 Daiwa Major he came second in the Mile Championship, but was not fortunate enough to win a Jūshō pattern race (重賞, jūshō?) in Central Racing.
However, in 2005, riding Heart's Cry in the Arima Kinen, he led the race, on a horse which until then had always been content to play catch-up, and pulled off the feat of putting the first dent in the record of the year's undefeated triple winner, Deep Impact. This was his first Jūshō pattern race win at Grade I, and at the same time a new record of four consecutive wins of the same race by a foreign jockey, beating the record set by Olivier Peslier.
In 2006 he rode Heart's Cry to victory in the Dubai Sheema Classic. He also rode Pride in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, beating the favourite, Hurricane Run.
In 2008 he rode the winner of England's second classic of the year, the 1,000 Guineas, aboard the Pascal Bary trained Natagora.
In September 2009, he was chosen by the Aga Khan as first jockey.
He won the 2011 Melbourne Cup in a photo finish riding Dunaden.