Soumillon sacked by Aga Khan

Jockey Christophe Soumillon has been sensationally sacked as retained jockey for the Aga Khan after successful 8 year partnership.

However, Soumillon, who won the Arc last year on the Aga Khan's brilliant filly Zarkava, will ride the owners horses for the remainder of 2009.

The brash rider has often attracted controversy and was criticised for making derogatory remarks about trainer Andre Fabre last weekend.

And the owner's statement read "it has been decided, as human relations have become difficult, that his contract will not be renewed for 2010.

"This separation is on amicable terms and he could well be retained in the furture to ride Aga Khan horses."

Soumillon told the Racing Post: It's very regrettable that this has come about. Not everybody is perfect but at least I finished in beauty with Zarkava in 2008"

Tough, and without any inside knowledge, one can only speculate why such a long term relationship has been terminated.

He is a top, top jock.

Soumillon still in shock after loss of Aga Khan job


CHRISTOPHE SOUMILLON has admitted that he is still in shock after Tuesday's dramatic news that he had lost his job as first jockey to the Aga Khan after this year.

The jockey's contract has not been renewed for 2010 due to "difficult human relations" with the owner but he will continue to ride for himthis year and will wear the green and red silks aboard Beheshtam - who is still as short as 12-1 for the Arc - in Saturday's Listed Grand Prix de Clairefontaine.

"Obviously, it is a hard blow which I did not expect but I don't hold any resentments against the Prince," he said in a statement on his website.

"On the contrary, he is someone who has played a significant part in building my career. He is a true sportsman, honest and has given a lot to me both on a sporting and intellectual level.

"Thanks to him, I have had the luck to be associated with two outstanding horses, Dalakhani and Zarkava, who have enabled me to reach the top. We have had eight brilliant years, a fruitful partnership with many victories at the highest level."

'Soumillon is not a friend of mine,' says Fabre


CARELESS talk about Andre Fabre on Tuesday cost Christophe Soumillon his job with the Aga Khan, but the words from Fabre on Wednesday were composed, cutting and potent as the French training legend criticised his former stable jockey's riding and summed up his feelings towards him by saying: "He is not a friend of mine, he never has been and he never will be."

Fabre was speaking one day on from the shock announcement that the Aga Khan has sacked his long-term number one rider due to "difficult human relations".

That decision, which will come into effect at the end of this year, came after Soumillon made disparaging comments about Fabre's height at a gala dinner in Deauville on Saturday.


In response, Fabre, who axed Soumillon in 2007, said: "Soumillon is a top-class jockey, but I blamed him a lot of times for killing the horses and for using his whip much too much.

"I told him many times and it was the main cause of me not using him as a jockey. He still uses the whip too much for my taste, but that is only my opinion and apparently some other trainers like it.

"To be fair, though, Soumillon is the least of my concerns. He is not a friend of mine, he never has been and he never will be. I don't care at all [about him]."

Now he knows who's boss. The MDK way

THE Aga Khan has moved swiftly to secure a top-class jockey for 2010 by snapping up Christophe Lemaire to replace Christophe Soumillon as his retained rider.

Following the Aga’s decision to axe Soumillon from the end of the year in response to the jockey’s derogatory comments about
trainer Andre Fabre, Lemaire will assume one of Flat racing’s most prized positions.

Soumillon faces layoff after serious race fall


CHRISTOPHE SOUMILLON will miss the ride on Shemima in the DFS Park Hill Stakes at Doncaster on Thursday and faces an uncertain period on the sidelines after suffering an open fracture to an elbow in a fall at Nancy yesterday.
Christophe Soumillon: had to settle for second behind easy winner Chopastair

Initial reports suggested the three-times French champion jockey could be out for several months, but last night the seriousness of the injury remained unclear pending further examination.

Soumillon layon the ground for 45 minutes after his dramatic fall from the Carlos Laffon-Parias-trained Burlada in a claimer after the filly jinked into the hedge that served as the running rail entering the straight. Soumillon was thrown back on to the track and wasclipped by another horse.

He was rushed to hospital for x-rays prior to an operation on the injured elbow. He had no other serious injuries.

Soumillon's agent Edith Dutertre said last night: "He has an open fracture to an elbow and hopefully no other serious injury. He appears to be in good form and has been talking to his wife. "

Tom Queally will now take the ride on the Alain de Royer-Dupre-trained Shemima.