The contract between His Highness the Aga Khan and Christophe Soumillon has been renewed for another two years (2016-2017), as the first retained rider for the Aga Khan’s French-trained horses.

The 34 year old Belgian jockey had been the Aga Khan retained jockey in France from 2002 to 2009, before making a winning comeback in the green and red silks to win the Gr.1 Prix de l’Opéra with Dalkala in 2013.

The partnership between Soumillon and the Aga Khan proved successful again this year and earned five victories at Group 1 level. Soumillon, who is currently the leading jockey in France, started the season with a success in the Dubai Sheema Classic with Dolniya. He followed with a treble of Group 1 wins aboard Siyouni’s daughter Ervedya, before landing one of the last Group 1s of the season with Vazirabad in the Prix Royal Oak.

The Aga Khan Studs will also have a second jockey retained in France in 2016, Alexis Badel. The 25-year-old jockey has already ridden successfully for the Aga Khan silks this year, and his latest victory aboard Taniya in the Gr.3 Prix Fille de l’Air last Wednesday, caps this young jockey’s best season in France. Badel has also ridden Candarliya to win the Gr.3 Prix Minerve and Karaktar in the Listed Prix François Mathet for the Aga Khan this year.