Christophe Soumillon - banned for eight days
Soumillon: Had his ban reduced

Christophe Soumillon has ban reduced to five days on appeal after Royal Ascot incident


Christophe Soumillon has had his ban reduced to five days from eight days on appeal after the incident in the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.

The Ascot stewards had concluded his ride aboard Puerto Rico in the St James's Palace Stakes had aided his stablemate Gstaad who narrowly lost to hot favourite Bow Echo in a tight finish.

Soumillon rejected the team tactics element of the decision, however, with the disciplinary panel agreeing it was not his intention to cause interference to benefit the stablemate.

The panel said: "[We are] satisfied that there was a breach on the basis that [Soumillon] rode Puerto Rico in such away which gave an advantage to Gstaad, a horse from the same stable. For the avoidance of doubt, we are not satisfied that [he] intended so to do.

"For reasons which we will set out in our detailed decision, we do not consider that the facts of this case sit easily with any of the situations set out in the table of penalties for a breach of the rule, each of which implies an element of intent, either in relation to the interference caused or the advantage given. We consider that, absent any intention on the part of [Soumillon] to benefit his stablemate, this breach should be dealt with as what is in effect a case of interference, significantly aggravated by the fact that it had the consequence of benefitting a stablemate.

"In those circumstances, we consider that an appropriate sanction is a suspension of five days. Accordingly, the disciplinary panel allows the appeal against sanction by reducing the period of suspension from eight days to five days."

Video Play Button

Unlimited Replays

of all UK and Irish races with our Race Replays

Discover Sporting Life Plus Benefits Sporting Life Plus - Join For FreeSporting Life Plus - Join For Free


More from Sporting Life

Safer gambling

We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.

If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.

Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.

Like what you've read?

Next Off

Follow & Track
Image of a horse race faded in a gold gradientYour favourite horses, jockeys and trainers with My Stable
Log in
Discover Sporting Life Plus benefitsWhite Chevron
Sporting Life Plus Logo

Most Followed

MOST READ RACING