Christophe Soumillon, one of the sport’s most successful and high-profile jockeys, was banned for 60 days on Friday after an extraordinary incident at Saint-Cloud in Paris in which he elbowed his fellow rider, Rossa Ryan, from the saddle in the middle of a race.
Ryan was riding Ralph Beckett’s Captain Wierzba in a juvenile contest over a mile when Soumillon moved his mount, Syros, to his right, with his elbow making contact with Ryan as he did so. Ryan turned three somersaults after hitting the turf but walked away from the incident unscathed. Syros went on to cross the line in second place, before being disqualified by the stewards a few minutes later.
“I felt a little bit of pressure from Rossa on my outside while trying to keep a better position behind Ryan [Moore, on eventual winner Continuous],” Soumillon told Sky Sports Racing afterwards. “I was just behind Ryan at the time and I put my elbow against him just to make him understand I wasn’t going to the inside. Unfortunately, when I asked my horse to stay there and go a little bit to the right I have pushed him for a stride or two and he fell off.
“Straight away I knew I made a mistake and I’m terribly sad about what happened because I hate to see stuff like this. When you are doing that, it is even more terrible, so I really want to apologise to everyone, all involved with the horse. I have just seen the jockey and he is fine and I’m happy about that, and the horse too. As for all the people who love racing, it was not a nice act from my side and I’m terribly sorry and want to apologise for what happened today.”
Despite the severity of his punishment, Soumillon will still be free to ride Vadeni, the French Derby and Eclipse Stakes winner, in Sunday’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp, as his ban runs from 14 October to 12 December.
“Unfortunately, my end of season is now gone, but I accept the sentence for what I did and the terrible decision I made,” Soumillon said. “I shouldn’t do that, I didn’t do it on purpose to make him fall off his horse, I was just trying to keep my position, but maybe I did it with a bit of power and it was a misjudgment from my side.
“Wow - Soumillon put an elbow out there” - @LynchySSR is shocked by events in the Prix Thomas Byron… pic.twitter.com/gpGeOyqTtw
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) September 30, 2022
“I don’t really understand what happened in that moment, it went so fast, but it is a terrible thing I did. I know a lot of people will not excuse me and I feel very bad at the moment for that.”
Beach ready for place in Sun again
Saffron Beach provided Jane Chapple-Hyam with her first Group One winner in the Sun Chariot Stakes 12 months ago and added another at Deauville in August, but her impressive consistency at the highest level could face its sternest test to date when she attempts to repeat her Newmarket success on Saturday.
Homeless Songs, who powered five-and-a-half lengths clear of Tuesday, the subsequent Oaks winner, in the Irish 1,000 Guineas in May holds a slight edge on ratings, while John and Thady Gosden’s Laurel, who did not see a racecourse until late July and remains unbeaten after two starts, will also have her backers at around 6-1.
It is still a huge step up for such an inexperienced filly, however, while Homeless Songs was some way short of her Classic-winning form when she returned to action in the Matron Stakes at Leopardstown three weeks ago, having missed several possible engagements over the summer due to unsuitably fast ground.
Saffron Beach (2.42), who finished second, was two-and-a-half lengths in front of Homeless Songs there and is reunited with William Buick on Saturday, who is 3-3 on Chapple-Hyam’s filly. She should also appreciate this return to Newmarket as all of her very best form is over a straight mile, and the Rowley Mile in particular.
Newmarket 1.31 After a slightly stop-start career to date, Al Husn made short work of her field on her handicap debut in mid-September and her pedigree – by Dubawi out of a Sea The Stars mare – suggests this step up to a mile-and-a-quarter will bring further improvement.
Ascot 1.51 John Ryan’s Manaccan has improved from run-to-run over the summer and put up a fresh career-best when narrowly beaten at Group Three level last time. This slight ease in class should see a return to winning form.
Newmarket 2.06 This auction event is long on numbers but possibly a little short on depth. Amichi, a winner on the July course over the summer, is the clear pick of the 28 runners on that form.
Ascot 2.25 This comes quite quickly for Hamish after a big run in the Irish St Leger while High Definition, a former winter favourite for the Derby, is still without a win since his juvenile days. That could open the way for Cresta, who improved to record an emphatic Listed win at Windsor in August.
Ascot 3.00 This drop back to Group Three company after some solid runs at the highest level could well see Flaming Rib return to winning form and a price around 7-1 looks generous.
Fontwell Park 1.25 Blame The Game 2.00 Icare Grandchamp 2.35 Huelgoat 3.10 Romanor 3.45 Vorashann 4.20 Special Buddy 4.55 Fortuna Ligna
Newmarket 1.31 Al Husn 2.06 Amichi 2.42 Saffron Beach (nb) 3.17 Kingsley Pride 3.52 Enfjaar 4.27 Mellow Yellow 5.03 Printemps
Redcar 1.36 Ararat 2.12 Tele Red 2.47 I’m A Gambler 3.21 Barefoot Angel 3.57 Pisanello 4.32 Skye Breeze 5.07 Billy No Mates 5.37 Lotus Rose
Ascot 1.51 Manaccan 2.25 Cresta 3.00 Flaming Rib 3.36 Symbolize (nap) 4.10 Romantic Rival 4.45 Equality
Wolverhampton 5.00 Jenny Ren 5.30 Solitary Trees 6.00 Connemara Coast 6.30 Dragon Glory 7.00 Newyorkstateofmind 7.30 Emperor Spirit 8.00 Larkin 8.30 Salonica
Redcar 3.21 Richard Fahey’s Barefoot Angel took a big step forward to win a Group Three at Ayr in September and would not need to find much more improvement to follow up here.
Ascot 3.36 Several of these are regulars in big-field handicaps at this track and Symbolize, a close second in the Balmoral Handicap on Champions Day last season, could emerge as the pick of them at around 7-1.
