It going to be an interesting decision whoever Ballydoyle/Coolmore choose.

There is precedent of US based riders going over, Gary Stevens the last when he rode for Stoute primarily. Asmussen and Cauthen earlier.

I agree that Soumillon would be a great choice, however I don't see the advantage of him uprooting his family when he has 1st call for many French Trainer's and he is basically the no.1 for the powerful Aga Khan outfit. Lateral move to me but if it happens it wouldn't surprise me either way.

There's not much out there in terms of top talent. Smullen is stuck with Weld, Hughes with Channon, Buick with Gosden, and Moore with Stoute.

Fallon probably is the most likely safest choice, though we have seen this rerun before. Leparoux is an interesting name being floated.

It suppose there's a chance that Queally and /or Heffernan are being considered.

What do you guys think?

Jonathan Sheppard

maker

Ive met him on three occasions now. He is gracious, humble and extremely cordial. I don't know what he did 20 years ago when he was a kid (just imagine if we were all judged by what we did in our teens and twenties), but as an adult he comports himself like a gentleman...from what I've seen and from anyone that has ever talked about him.

Call him a stinky rider if you want. I know I wouldn't bet him in a turf race with Smooth Operator's mutual fund money. At the same time, I think the question of his class is below the belt and unwarranted.

he is better than ramon on the big days dala

Really? I would.

That would be a good example for Serling to root against himself if he did that too.

Why even respond? Randall is now tight with Mike Smith, or even knows him enough to have dirt on him? Plus, he is talking about 20 years ago. **** I regret **** I did 6 months ago, and 5 years ago I wont even talk about it. Not really sure what makes him qualified to come on and bash Mike Smith. I have been fortunate enough to meet 5 jockets. The Mig and Mike Smith are far and away the 2 nicest I met. Mike took a lot of time to talk horses with me, sign autographs and was very nice and just a normal guy.

Wow, to be a fly on the wall at the conversation between Mike Smith and RockTardHen!!!

I was at the fall opening weekend at Keeneland. On Sunday my wife and myself had a appointment to tour and visit Claiborne farm. We were with a group of about 25 people heading over to the stallion barn and another group of about 10 people was heading in our direction. Mike Smith was in the group. He took the time to pose for pictures with anyone. He was not put out and seemed like a nice guy. I agree with other posters that he loses alot of ground with wide trips.

So, to summarize Mike Smith in one post or less.

He's a real nice guy who is very accommodating, but isn't the smartest or most clever of jocks, and he used to be a jerk.

Does that sound about right?

Didn't we got over this already in private? Let it go Marty.

Did you take a couple of hundred off him playing Madden?

he used to bang chantel also..

Lemaire has first choice in France for the Aga Khan horses. I would be shocked if Soumillion didnt get it to be honest. I think he would like the job of riding top horses and having a less hectic workload here (as there wouldnt be racing everyday!).

The problem Murtagh and Kinane before him had was that they wanted to be very close to the stable, riding work in the mornings and getting to know the horses that way. With Coolmore this didnt happen and they got more and more frustrated with the fact that they were simply riding afternoons and taking orders.

I can't see Fallon returning and none of the English based jocks scream out to me as being the type. I would be shocked if Heffernan and O'Donoghue would be deemed good enough either so it leads me to Soumillion!!

Brock, Lemaire signed a 2 year contract with the Aga Khan, after Soumillion made a crack about Fabre's height or something to that effect and was sacked thereafter. I would wager there's a good chance Soumillion may be back as the No.1 for the Aga Khan after next year when his penalty is served. He The Aga Khan and Alain de Royer-Dupre have had great successes together, interesting thought what had he had ridden Sarafina in the arc? He also rode Reggane to victory in the EP Taylor for Dupre, obvious connection between the 2.

I still think it could be Heffenan or Queally (Had thought maybe Fallon but then I read they hadn't spoken in the past 6 months , so...).

CSC made a good point about Soumillon and the unlikelihood of him uprooting his family.

Taking it one step further, he just accepted the Yasutoshi Ikee offer in Japan.

Granted that only goes until the end of December but wouldn't it be in poor form to accept if he were about to say yes to AOB?

http://www.racingpost.com/news/horse-racing/

Soumillon job puts him out of Ballydoyle frame

By Desmond Stoneham
8:07AM 18 NOV 2010

CHRISTOPHE SOUMILLON on Wednesday ended speculation over whether he would be the new number one at Ballydoyle by signing as first jockey to the Wildenstein stable in France.

The three-time champion in France had been made favourite for the job as Aidan O’Brien’s stable jockey after Pat Smullen ruled himself out, with his place atthe head of the market now likely be taken by Colm O’Donoghue.

Soumillon, 29, moves on after a year with Jean-Claude Rouget to ride the Wildenstein string, which is under the care of trainers Elie Lellouche, Alain de Royer-Dupre, Dominique Sepulchre and, from next year, Mikel Delzangles.

Guy Wildenstein, who shares the stable with the children of his late brother Alec, revealed to the Racing Post: “Christophe came into my office this morning and signed the contract to be our first jockey. He told me he will be extremely proud to wear the Wildenstein silks next season.

“Anthony Crastus will have the second rides. It is for a duration of two years and Christophe’s first mount for us will be on Planteur in the Hong Kong Cup. I think this association is really important as we have some very nice two-year-olds. Prairie Star was only third in the Criterium de Saint-Cloud on Saturday, but he hated the heavy ground and was very tired after the race.”

Soumillon, who was unavailable for comment as he wasen route to ride in Japan, had 93 winners and €3.68 million in win and place prize-money in France this year. As well as domestic Group 1 successes on the Flat with Makfi in the Prix Jacques Le Marois and Stacelita in the Prix Jean Romanet, he won the French Champion Hurdle in June on Mandali.

He also confirmed his standing as a top international rider with toplevel successes in Britain, Canada and Japan. He was on board Sahpresa when she landed the Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket for a second consecutive year, won the EP Taylor Stakes at Woodbine on Reggane and most recently the Tenno Sho at Tokyo with Buena Vista, who he is set to partner in the Japan Cup on Sunday week.

With Soumillonout of the running, Ballydoyle’s search for a successor to Johnny Murtagh, who resigned as stable jockey last week, is now likely to focus on riders based in Britain and Ireland.

I'm going to take a guess and say it's going to be O'Donoghue or Leparoux.

Latest odds, William Hill, next Ballydoyle jock...

2-1 Colm O'Donoghue, 5-1 Fran Berry :eek: , 6-1 Jamie Spencer, Kieren Fallon, Tom Queally, 8-1 Olivier Peslier, 10-1 Jimmy Fortune, Ryan Moore, Julian Leparoux, Declan McDonagh, Seamus Heffernan, 12-1 Joseph O'Brien, 16-1 Richard Hughes, Steven Arnold, William Buick, 20-1 Wayne Lordan, 33-1 Garrett Gomez, Kent Desormeaux, Paul Hanagan, 50-1 Frankie Dettori

Joseph O'Brien at 12/1? Okaaay. :D

Honestly if I were Seamus Heffernan and didn't get it after all these years? I think I might take my toys and go home.

That's gotta be pretty insulting to him, no?