Christophe Soumillon has a bumper opportunity to bridge a 20-year gap at the Breeders’ Cup when he teams up with the cream of Aidan O’Brien’s team in Del Mar this week.
The 10-time winner of the French champion jockey title has had a single victory at US racing’s $34 million (€29 million) bonanza when Shirocco landed the Turf contest in Belmont in 2005.
In 2020 Soumillon was forced to miss the meeting in Keeneland after testing positive for Covid and missed out on a pair of Irish winners as Tarnawa won the Turf and Order Of Australia sprang a 73-1 shock in the Mile.
Fortune looks like favouring the 44-year-old Belgian star with a vengeance this time, however, as Minnie Hauk in Saturday’s $5 million Turf leads a small but select Ballydoyle team into action.
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Soumillon has had six Group One victories since stepping in to replace the injured Ryan Moore at the start of last month, including a pair of top-flight victories at Saint-Cloud on Sunday.
Now his focus switches to California, where a feat of opportunity awaits, although it will mean a frugal diet in the interim.
As a three-year-old filly, Minnie Hauk is scheduled to carry just 8.7 and Soumillon’s lowest weight in the last 12 months is recorded as 8.9. However, an opportunity to ride a star he has described as “the best filly in the world” means he is more than happy to undergo meagre rations for a while.
“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,” Soumillon reported. “She has got so many amazing abilities. Her gate speed is good, and she should be perfect for this race.”
Getting the weight off in time to ride True Love in Friday’s Juvenile Turf Sprint may prove a problem but both Precise (Juvenile Turf Fillies) and Gstaad (Juvenile Turf) are both hot favourites for Soumillon to look forward to later that night.
Bedtime Story (Filly & Mare Turf) and The Lion In Winter (Mile) are other Ballydoyle hopes with realistic shots at adding to O’Brien’s record-equalling 20 wins at the Breeders’ Cup.
The all-important draw is due to take place overnight Irish-time and could prove crucial in O’Brien’s chances of closing in on his 2017 world-record tally of 28 Group/Grade One race victories. A juvenile hat-trick at the weekend brought his tally for this season to 25.
Other Irish interest at this Breeders’ Cup will include Adrian Murray’s tilt at the Turf Sprint on Friday. The Co Westmeath-based trainer could have two runners in Saturday’s Turf Sprint with the Flying Five winner Arizona Blaze and Bucanero Fuerte in the mix for the $1 million contest.
Co Meath trainer Jack Davison has booked champion jockey Colin Keane in the same race for She’s Quality, who finished third the Prix de l’Abbaye.
In other news, a projected start to the development of a new all-weather circuit at Tipperary next year looks like paying off for both Wexford and Dundalk tracks.
Each is set to get two of the 10 Tipperary 2026 fixtures up for grabs should building work start as expected in the first quarter of next year at the Horse Racing Ireland-owned course.
As well as two National Hunt cards for Wexford, Clonmel, Punchestown and Limerick have been scheduled to get a date under HRI’s alternative plans. Fairyhouse, Gowran and Cork are pencilled in for other flat fixtures.
HRI officials wouldn’t comment on reports that the semi-State body is seeking approval from Government to borrow up to €35 million to finally begin work on a project that is a key element of its latest strategic development plan.
Originally costed at €18 million, the plan to deliver a second all-weather facility in Ireland has met with delays including getting approval from various Government departments.
HRI is looking for final approval from the Department of Agriculture, Food & Marine for its business plan but it is anticipated that work on the project could finally begin in the first quarter of 2026. Reports suggest the aim is to have it finished in the third quarter of 2027, with an ambition to hold a full 2027-28 winter programme.
