Soumillon Off Hong Kong Mounts Due to COVID-19

Christophe Soumillon will miss his rides in the Dec. 13 Hong Kong International Races after it emerged the star rider needs to undergo further COVID-19 testing before being cleared to leave quarantine. 

Unlike the European jockeys who are in a "racing bubble" having competed in Wednesday night's International Jockeys' Championship at Happy Valley, Soumillon, who has been granted a license to ride in Hong Kong until Feb. 14, chose to complete the standard 14-day quarantine all arrivals need to undertake before entering the community.

Despite clearing five tests before his arrival in Hong Kong Nov. 26, Soumillon, who was due to have nine rides on Sunday's card, will instead watch from the sidelines after failing to satisfy the strict regulations in place.

The shock news released in Hong Kong late Thursday night was a further virus-related setback for Soumillon, who missed the winning rides on Order of Australia in the FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile Presented by PDJF (G1T) and Tarnawa in the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) Nov. 7 at Keeneland. Soumillon passed his pre-flight tests in France and traveled to Kentucky, only to then register a positive test in the U.S. that ruled him out of participating in the Breeders' Cup.

"The Hong Kong Jockey Club has been informed by jockey Christophe Soumillon that he has been requested by the department of health to undergo further COVID-19 tests," the club said in a statement. "It is unknown at this stage when the testing will be completed and when Soumillon will be released from quarantine.

"Despite having cleared his initial COVID-19 test on his arrival, he has yet to receive an unconditional release from quarantine in order to ride on this coming Sunday.

"The club has taken advice from its chief medical officer. Given these circumstances, the stewards have decided to stand him down from Sunday's riding engagements."

The 39-year-old was due to again partner Japan's defending champion Admire Mars in the Longines Hong Kong Mile (G1), a race Soumillon also won in 2008 on board Good Ba Ba. Ryan Moore has inherited the call on Admire Mars.

Soumillon's other booked rides were in the Longines Hong Kong Cup (G1) on board compatriot Normcore, who will be ridden by Zac Purton; the Longines Hong Kong Sprint (G1) on the locally trained Computer Patch, who will now be ridden by Alexis Badel; and the Longines Hong Kong Vase (G1) aboard outsider Ho Ho Khan, who will be ridden by Vincent C Y Ho.