Christophe Soumillon

As the only inexperienced member of the line-up for Sunday's G3 Prix Vanteaux, Al Shira'aa Farms' Jannah Rose (Ire) (Frankel {GB}--Sophie Germain {Ire}, by Indian Ridge {Ire}) had her work cut out but after her command performance in ParisLongchamp's Classic pointer all were left pondering where her considerable talent will take her. Off the mark in professional if not flashy fashion over a mile at Chantilly in September, the Carlos Laffon-Parias-trained half-sister to the G2 Lanwades Stud S. winner Creggs Pipes (Ire) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}) was nevertheless not missed...

Into black-type company on her second start after a winning debut over 7 1/2 furlongs at Saint-Cloud in October, Peter Savill's Autumn Starlight (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}--Falling Leaves {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) emerged from Saturday's Listed Prix la Camargo at that venue with her perfect record maintained and reputation enhanced. Tracking the early leader Heavenly Breath (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in third under Christophe Soumillon, the 14-5 second favourite looked to have it to do a furlong from home as that 8-5 market-leader who had run second to Blue...

Having wowed with a six-length win over a mile at Saint-Cloud in November, Malcolm Parrish's exciting colt American Flag (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}--Tres Americanqueen {Fr}, by American Post {GB}) returned to the same course and distance on Saturday to put his name among the 2023 Classic hopefuls with an impressive success in the Listed Prix Omnium II. Held up initially by Christophe Soumillon, the Yann Barberot-trained relative of the G2 Grand Prix de Deauville winner Tres Blue (Ire) (Anabaa Blue {GB}) was cajoled forward nearing the end of the back...

Jockey Christophe Soumillon rode his first winner since returning from his 60-day suspension with his very first mount in France. He was aboard Black Milord Tavel (Fr) (Saddex {GB}) on Saturday, who won a two-mile Chantilly handicap by a head for trainer Eric Lecoiffier. The Belgian earned his suspension for elbowing fellow jockey Rossa Ryan out of the saddle in a race at Saint-Cloud on Sept. 30. Soumillon, who lost his retainer with His Highness The Aga Khan for the elbowing incident, had traveled to South Africa last weekend and...

Christophe Soumillon, who is currently serving a two-month suspension for elbowing fellow jockey Rossa Ryan off his mount earlier this year, will not serve a lengthier ban, after France's Gaming Police opted not to pursue their inquiry into the matter, Jour de Galop reported on Thursday. Stephane Piallat, who leads the Gaming Police, told JDG, "We have taken into account the explanations of Christophe Soumillon. He reassured us that he was not at risk for disturbing the public order if he returned to competitive riding. So it's a no-cost warning....

According to information obtained by Jour de Galop, France's Gaming Police mailed a letter to France Galop earlier this week requesting that suspended jockey Christophe Soumillon's licence be withdrawn indefinitely or that his ban be lengthened, the paper writes in its Sunday edition. Soumillion was suspended for two months after elbowing fellow jockey Rossa Ryan out of the saddle during the running of the G3 Prix Thomas Bryon on Sept. 30. "The fall (of Rossa Ryan) was not accidental, but was caused by Christophe Soumillon. This behavior is voluntary and...

Christophe Soumillon, who was banned from race-riding for two months for causing Rossa Ryan to be unseated from his mount mid-race at Saint-Cloud, will no longer be the retained jockey for the Aga Khan Studs. An announcement released by the operation on Tuesday morning read, "Following last Friday's incident at Saint-Cloud, which resulted in the fall of Rossa Ryan, the Aga Khan Studs have taken the decision to cease their retainer with jockey Christophe Soumillon with immediate effect. "From this week onwards, Soumillon may still ride in the Aga Khan...

In the headlines for an infamous moment of pure madness on Friday afternoon, jockey Christophe Soumillon returned to the winner's enclosure aboard His Highness The Aga Khan's Erevann (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}--Ervedya {Fr}, by Siyouni {Fr}) after winning Saturday's G2 Qatar Prix Daniel Wildenstein at ParisLongchamp. The 'TDN Rising Star', who had earlier annexed June's G3 Prix Paul de Moussac at Chantilly, relinquished his perfect record when beaten two necks in the Aug. 14 G1 Prix Jacques Le Marois at Deauville when last seen and lined up as the 7-5 pick...

Jockey Christophe Soumillon has had his twelve-day suspension for careless riding in the G1 Coral-Eclipse S. reduced to eight days following an appeal hearing on Thursday. On board Vadeni (Fr) (Churchill {Ire}), the pair cut across and impeded the third- and fourth-placed finishers William Buick on Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) for Charlie Appleby and James Doyle on Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) for John and Thady Gosden after the winning post, as Soumillon celebrated. The stewards reviewed the race and subsequently handed out their suspension. Soumillon, speaking via...

Alessandro and Giuseppe Botti trainee Breizh Sky (Fr) (Pedro The Great--Anna Danse {Fr}, by Anabaa) announced his arrival with a breathtaking 'TDN Rising Star' display, winning by 5 1/2 lengths, contesting a six-furlong newcomers' heat at Saint-Cloud in his May 17 debut last time and lined up in the colours of Alain Jathiere for this black-type debut. Swiftly into stride and leading throughout this one-turn test, he was stoked up in early straight and, despite racing greenly and rolling around on the front, fended off all challenges under urging inside...

Delivered by fate to coincide with the centennial year of The Aga Khan's Studs, the Jean-Claude Rouget-trained Vadeni (Fr) (Churchill {Ire}) descended on Sandown on Saturday to mark the occasion by providing his owner-breeder with a landmark first G1 Coral-Eclipse S. success. In the kind of tight finale that could comfortably have been predicted given the highly-competitive nature of this year's renewal, the Prix du Jockey Club hero held a fast-diminishing neck margin over the arguably unlucky Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}), with the race's other 3-year-old Native Trail (GB)...

Confirming his position as the chief three-year-old sprinting colt, Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum's Perfect Power (Ire) (Ardad {Ire}) produced his customary generous effort to emerge on top in a highly-competitive and tight G1 Commonwealth Cup on Friday. First establishing himself in the top tier when storming up the stand's side to win the G2 Norfolk S. here 12 months ago, the relentlessly-professional star of the Richard Fahey set-up had since garnered the G1 Prix Morny, G1 Middle Park S. and G3 Greenham S. before being stretched beyond his capabilities...