JOCKEY Christophe Soumillon rode four winners at Lyon La Soie in France on Saturday night, stylishly setting a new record of 302 winners in a European calendar year with two seasonal meetings left to better his own record.

Soumillon drew level with Pierre-Charles Boudot’s previous record of 301 when partnering Skaters Waltz to victory – his third success on the card – and in the very next race he set a new high after scoring on Fankairos Ranger.

Christophe Soumillon.

The Belgian-born multiple Group 1-winning jockey, 36, is retained by the Aga Khan and this year registered three top-flight victories for his main employer on Zarak (Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud), Shakeel (Grand Prix de Paris) and Vazirabad (Prix du Cadran). His other Group 1 win during 2017 came for Godolphin courtesy of Thunder Snow in the Prix Jean Prat.  

Aga Khan Studs tweeted: “Well done @CSoumillon for the record! A great achievement for an ambitious man.”

Mike de Kock, who has enjoyed a long and successful association with Soumillon in Dubai, commented:  “Christophe is a great rider and a great human being. Our best wishes to him!”

In 2016, Boudot ended the year on 301, including a solitary victory in Italy, and was well clear of Peter Schiergen’s previous best of 273 from 1995. – from Racing Post.