NEWS
Aga Khan to part ways
with stable rider Soumillon
Posted: Tuesday, August 25, 2009 4:15 PM
by Mike Curry
The partnership between the Aga Khan and regular rider Christophe Soumillon will come to an end at the conclusion of the 2009 racing season.
The 28-year-old native of Belgium has served as the first call rider for the powerful European breeding and racing operation for the previous eight years. Soumillon was the regular rider of undefeated 2008 European Horse of the Year Zarkava.
“After eight years under contract as the first rider in France, it has been decided as human relations have become difficult and after mutual agreement that his contract will not be renewed for 2010,” the Aga Khan Studs said in a statement on its website. “This separation has been agreed on amicable terms and Christophe Soumillon will ride out his contract for the rest of the 2009 season, and he could well be retained in the future to ride Aga Khan horses.
“The Aga Khan Studs will make public their future riding arrangements when they have been finalized.”
In addition to Zarkava, Soumillon has been the regular rider of French classic winner and 2003 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe Lucien Barriere (Fr-G1) winner Dalakhani, 2007 European champion three-year-old filly Darjina, French classic winner Darsi, and Group 1 winner Montmartre.
“Over the last eight years, the Aga Khan Studs and Christophe Soumillon have enjoyed many successes at the top level, including four Group 1 wins with Dalakhani and five Group 1 wins with the unbeaten Zarkava in 2008. The Aga Khan Studs would like to take this opportunity to thank Christophe Soumillon for their successful association since 2002.”
Mike Curry is a Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor
