When Aidan O’Brien learnt that he would be without his right-hand man Ryan Moore for a sustained period back in August due to an injured femur he needed not just a replacement, but a man that had a proven track record of excelling on the biggest of stages.
With only a handful of riders capable of fulfilling such demands the master of Ballydoyle moved swiftly to secure the services of 10-time French champion jockey, and another useful ally from seasons gone by, Christophe Soumillon.
Since joining forces for their latest chapter the pair have scooped a host of Group One prizes including last month’s Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes with the now retired Delacroix and the bet365 Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket earlier this month with Precise.
And now their blossoming partnership will bid to continue to flourish on the global stage as the pair bid to take this year’s Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar, which gets underway on Friday, by storm, something which has got the Belgian ace hugely excited.
Soumillon said: “I don’t have any contracts with anyone so when Aidan called me I was very happy to do the next few weeks, and months, that he needed me to be there for him. When I learnt that Ryan had hurt himself it was sad to hear, but at the same time I knew I had a big responsibility to follow in his footsteps as we all know how good he is.
“When you ride for Aidan you need to make sure you ride his horses perfectly every time. I’ve really enjoyed the last month or so doing this role. I know that this is not going to be forever so you enjoy each day as if it is the last.
“I think we have plenty of good chances that could win over there, and that has never really happened for me in America before.
“We just need a bit of luck with the draws, and they have to make sure they jump out the gates well as in America you have to be in the best position to ride a finish in the straight.
“I’m so proud to be in this position and everybody knows how important it is for Aidan to try and win as many Group Ones as possible this season to try and beat his record so I need to be very focused and on top form mentally and physically.”
It is 20 years since Soumillon tasted victory aboard Shirocco in the Breeders’ Cup Turf.
And it would appear that the 44-year-old has one of his best chances at the meeting in the Longines-backed mile-and-a-half test aboard Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe runner-up Minnie Hauk on Saturday.
Soumillon said: “She ran an amazing race in the Arc. I still think if the ground was not that sticky that she would have probably won the race. I was comfortable the whole time and she responded really well when I asked her to go. I don’t think I was too early to go with her as she showed in the Oaks that she needs to pick up early in the straight.
“When you get beat on the line in a race, and on a day like that, it is a bit upsetting as you want to do the best to win the trophy, but there are no regrets now a few weeks on. The good thing is that the filly has come back from that race good and she will go for the Breeders’ Cup Turf, where she will be the big favourite for that race.
“We are going to try to do what so many great horses have done in the past in going from the Arc to the Breeders’ Cup Turf. She has got so many amazing abilities. Her gate speed is good and she should be perfect for this race.”
Precise has already showcased her ability at the highest level in Ireland and England with victories at Group One level in the Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh and in the bet365 Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket last time out.
And having been impressed with her success on the Rowley Mile, the father-of-three is confident the daughter of Starspangledbanner is the one to beat in search of a top level hat-trick in the John Deere Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies’ Turf on day one of the meeting.
He added: “She was really impressive the first time I saw her in Leopardstown. She passed me with a very strong turn of foot and I was quite amazed by that.
“When Aidan told me I was going to ride her I was very happy. She won amazingly well last time. I think she is a superstar. She has a lot of experience and she goes into this race with a lot of good things on her hands.
“The only thing at Newmarket was that she didn’t jump great out of the gate. That is something we need to make sure doesn’t happen in America as if it is a tactical race it is difficult to make up too much ground. Hopefully, everything will work out for her and she looks to be a deserving favourite for this race.”
So far Soumillon has had to settle for second best on both his Group One starts aboard Gstaad in the Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stakes at the Curragh and the Darley Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket.
However, he believes the step up to a mile in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, which will wrap up the opening day of the meeting, can help him secure a first victory on the son of Starspangledbanner.
He added: “I think we were very unlucky the last two times. I think that is the only time I was a bit upset about one of my rides since riding for Aidan last time out in the Dewhurst. I should have maybe let him go a bit more in the beginning of the race. James (Doyle on Gewan) rode a good race that day on a good horse.
“If I had the chance to run the race again I would have stayed straight behind him out of the gates, or maybe let him go, and it could have maybe been a different result.
“He is quite fast so I’m not worried about his gate speed. I’m sure if the pace is strong from the beginning he will be able to relax and pick up like he does. He has been second three times in Group Ones and the way he has run his last few races I expect him to be great in America.”
It has so far been a season of frustration for The Lion In Winter, however after showing signs of returning to his best in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot last time out Soumillon believes he is capable of going one better in Saturday’s Fanduel Breeders’ Cup Mile.
Soumillon said: “I think his last race at Ascot will give him a lot of confidence and I was very happy with the way he jumped out of the gate and he wasn’t over racing. He was just a little bit awake before the start, but he showed he still wanted to go. I really liked the way he was running in Longchamp the time before as he was against a very good field.
“He was only beaten in the last one hundred and fifty yards at Ascot by a horse that was 100/1 that came up on my right, but I was very happy with the run.
“We know the mile in America is on quick turf, and it is not always an easy race, but I’m sure if he is able to have a good draw, and get close to the pace, he will have the chance to do something big.”
While Soumillon has most of his rides set in stone one which remains up in the air is as to who he will partner in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, however he admits he would be happy to partner either Brussels, Mission Central or True Love in the five-furlong dash.
He added: “There is Mission Central, who won well at Ascot, and Brussels, who ran great at Newmarket. I think both of them have a great chance. Both of them are very fast and the only thing for them now is that it is a different type of racing around the turn, but both of them gave me a great sensation last time.
“True Love looks amazing as well. She is a special filly, and what she did last time at Newmarket showed that. She would have a very big chance over there as well. She is a big filly, and we know that the track at Del Mar is tight, but she looks to have lots of speed which you need in a race like this.
“A lot will depend on the draw in a race like this. If you are drawn on the complete outside, and you jump the same time as everyone, you can be three or four horses wide before the turn and it is never really easy there.
“I leave everything to Aidan and he knows what horse each jockey needs and I’m trusting him one hundred percent.”
What will be a busy 48 hours for Soumillon in the saddle ends aboard Bedtime Story, who will bid to secure a breakthrough top level success in the Grade One Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf, a race that O’Brien last won back in 2022 with Tuesday.
He added: “She ran a great race last time, but the pace was probably a bit slow for us. I was quite far back and I tried to ride her a bit quietly as she likes to be ridden like that. I think she also needs faster ground. At Ascot it was better, but the time before at Longchamp it didn’t suit her. I really like the way she ran in the Prix de Diane as she finished very strongly.
“She is a filly that needs to be quiet in the race to make sure she relaxes, and if the pace is strong she could make something happen. I like the way she finished her race last time and even though she has run many races at the highest level this year I still think she is fresh to go there.”
While Soumillon is readying himself for an appearance at the Breeders’ Cup he has been non-stop out away from the racetrack in the build-up to the meeting after putting youngsters through their paces at the Soumillon International Pony Academy.
Soumillon said: “We started the academy two years ago and I’m very happy and proud of this project because every holiday we do camps for the kids and we have eighteen to twenty children riding with us at a time.
“We’ve just finished the first week of the holidays. I always try to be there for the kids so that is why I’ve not been riding in France much over the past week. I’m always with them in the morning and it is a great thing to enjoy.
“We now have a lot of sponsors that help us provide everything for the kids. We do have those related to racing figures attend, but we invite children, from Belgium, France and Britain, who might be having family, mental or money problems, to try and help them.
“I hope that this gives them a passion for our sport and I think a good majority of them will go into the horse racing industry.”
And although Soumillon might be in the twilight of his career, talk of retirement, and throwing even more of his weight into his burgeoning academy, is still some way off, even more so given that he is riding at the top of his game.
He added: “I couldn’t imagine the academy would give me so much pleasure. I was riding in between one thousand two hundred to one thousand five hundred races a year, but now I’m just four or five hundred a year.
“I’m riding in fewer races, but I think I’m much fitter and healthier, mentally, I’m so happy and relaxed.
“My youngest son is now eight and I think he is a very good rider.
“I think he is going to be quite tall so I’m not sure if he will be a jockey, but if I can have the target to keep going and have one day in my life where I ride with him, like Ryan is probably waiting for also with his son Toby.
“To say we have done that we could then close the book and it would be very exciting to do that.”
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