French jockey Christophe Lemaire has been granted a permanent licence in Japan.

Lemaire, who won the 2011 Melbourne Cup on Dunaden, started riding in 1999 and has been a regular on the Japanese circuit during the northern hemisphere winter months with a short-term licence since 2002.

His big wins in Japan include the 2013 Japan Cup on Vodka and he was the retained rider for the Aga Khan in Europe from 2010 to 2013.

"He's going to be staying permanently in Japan now," his agent Helen Barbe said.

"He's had to pass two exams and it's the first time a foreign jockey has been authorised a full-time Japanese licence so he's delighted."