With the news that Ballydoyle main jockey Ryan Moore will be out of action for the last two months of the season with a fractured right femur – it’s been reported that Aidan O’Brien will turn to Christophe Soumillon in the coming weeks to ride some of the stable big-guns.
Christophe Soumillon To Hook-Up With Aidan O’Brien, With Ryan Moore Injured
Apparently, Ryan Moore has been riding with a fracture in his right femur for the last few months, but has now succumbed to this injury and will miss the last few months of the season.
This, of course, also means Moore will have to sit out rides on big Ballydoyle fancies over September and October – including the St Leger at Doncaster on September 13th.
O’Brien currently has the hot favourite for the St Leger in Scandinavia, who impressed when winning the Goodwood Cup last time out, heading the market with the horse racing betting sites.
Ballydoyle Number Two Wayne Lordan Suspended
The Ballydoyle stable, of course, have a few other stable jockeys to call upon.
However, after the Moore injury news, the issue O’Brien also has is his Epsom Derby winning-rider Wayne Lordan is also out between 9th-18th September due to a suspension.
Which is why Aidan O’Brien has acted quickly to try and secure the services of veteran rider Christophe Soumillon to help with the Ballydoyle demands in the coming months.
Lordan is appealing his ban, that he got at Goodwood on Sunday 24th August – however, if unsuccessful will not only miss the St Leger meeting, but also the Irish Champions Festival (13th-14th Sept) – where Coral-Eclipse winner Delacroix is expected to be in action.
Ahead of the final English Classic of the season, Aidan O’Brien has eight of the remaining 15 St Leger runners.
Aidan O’Brien said in a recent press conference.
“Christophe has ridden a lot for us. I don’t know how long Ryan is going to be out for but I will tell him to take as much time as he wants.
“Christophe has always been a part of our plans. He’s not tied down to anybody now and he’s a world-class jockey everywhere in the world. He has been riding for us a lot since he’s been released.”
Christophe Soumillon was the former retained rider for the Aga Khan, but this arrangement ended back in October 2022.
BREAKING NEWS
Aidan Says "Christophe Soumillon will play a big part in the Ballydoyle team in the coming months with Ryan Moore being out of action with a broken leg"
It was announced over the last few days that Soumillon is booked on Lazy Griff in the St Leger for Charlie… pic.twitter.com/RdcBIOiIst
— AIDANOBRIENFANSITE (@aobrienfansite) September 1, 2025
Christophe Soumillon No Stranger To Riding For Aidan O’Brien
It’s also been reported that Christophe Soumillon has been booked to ride Epsom Derby runner-up Lazy Griff in the 2025 St Leger for trainer Charlie Johnston.
Soumillon rode the horse that day at Epsom, but William Buick took over in his last run – when third in the Irish Derby on 29th June.
However, with a potential Soumillon/O’Brien partnership on the cards, the Lazy Griff ride might be up for grabs again.
With Soumillon likely to opt for Scandinavia, who is much shorter in the St Leger betting at 5/4, with Lazy Griff 6/1.
Or the pair could easily hook-up at Leopardstown (13th) or the Curragh (14th) for a stack of O’Brien runners at the Irish Champions Festival.
It also won’t be the first time Aidan O’Brien has turned to Christophe Soumillon.
The French-based Belgian rider was used by Ballydoyle recently on Diego Velazquez to win the Group 1 Prix Jacques le Marois.
Plus, he also has also ridden other big Ballydoyle names like Los Angeles, Grateful and Camille Pissarro for O’Brien in the past.
Aidan O’Brien added ‘’It’s very possible that he could come over to Ireland a bit. He’s a very experienced and very uncomplicated fella and he’s not tied down to anyone.
“Ryan is gone, it looks like Wayne is gone for the big weekend, too, although his appeal is this week so I can’t see why Christophe won’t [be a part of it].’’
