CHRISTOPHE Soumillon has had his retainer to ride for the Aga Khan Studs terminated with immediate effect.

The news broke on Tuesday morning, four days after Soumillon was given a 60-day ban for dangerous riding at Saint-Cloud, an incident which unseated jockey Rossa Ryan.

Soumillon apologised immediately for the offence and he was free to ride at last weekend's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe meeting at ParisLongchamp, where he finished second in the big race on the Aga Khan-owned Vadeni.

However, on Tuesday morning the Aga Khan Studs issued the following statement:

Following last Friday’s incident at Saint-Cloud, which resulted in the fall of Rossa Ryan, the Aga Khan Studs have taken the decision to cease their retainer with jockey Christophe Soumillon with immediate effect.

From this week onwards, Soumillon may still ride in the Aga Khan silks on occasion at the discretion of the French trainers and the Aga Khan Studs team.

At this stage, there is no intention to retain a jockey in France for the foreseeable future.

Soumillon was the Aga Khan’s retained rider in France from 2002 to 2009 and from 2014 to 2022.

Later on Tuesday, Soumillon acknowledged he has “bridges to rebuild”.

The Belgian-born rider who has been champion jockey in France 10 times was riding Syros in Friday’s Group 3 Prix Thomas Bryon at Saint-Cloud, during which he made a manoeuvre to his right and elbowed fellow rider Rossa Ryan, causing him to be unseated from Ralph Beckett’s British raider Captain Wierzba. Ryan thankfully walked away unscathed.

After passing the post in second, Syros was subsequently disqualified and Soumillon was given a 60-day suspension for dangerous riding, which will see him out of action between October 14th and December 12th.