Soumillon savouring last dance with Dettori, ‘the best jockey I have ever seen in my life’

Christophe Soumillon is relishing going toe-to-toe with Frankie Dettori one final time after hailing the Italian “the best jockey I have ever seen in my life”.

Dettori will wave goodbye to America at the conclusion of the Breeders’ Cup, but it will be the Belgian rider who will be hoping to make the headlines, as he looks forward to a stellar book of mounts in his privileged position as temporary Ballydoyle replacement for the sidelined Ryan Moore.

And win, lose or draw in Del Mar, Soumillon will “savour” the last chance to ride alongside his long-time weighing-room colleague and friend.

“Frankie is the best jockey I have ever seen in my life,” said Soumillon.

“He been up with the best in Italy, France, Dubai, Hong Kong and America as well as in the UK.

“It was very sad when he first said he was heading for the United States to ride, which I was pleased to see worked out really well for him. I’m so proud to have competed with him and against him and managed to do a lot of wins.

“This weekend will be the final time we ride together, it will be something to savour and I wish him well.”

Dettori will exit the stage with at least the 15 Breeders’ Cup victories he has already tallied to his name, but for Soumillon the end-of-season feature has been something of a cruel mistress, with Shirocco’s 2005 Breeders’ Cup Turf success his only triumph to date.

However, he will have no finer opportunity to enhance that record having answered Aidan O’Brien’s SOS to fill his injured number one’s sizeable boots.

Multiple Oaks winner and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe runner-up Minnie Hauk is the jewel in a standout book of rides which also includes star juveniles Precise and Gstaad on Friday night, with Soumillon grateful for the recent opportunity afforded to him by the master of Ballydoyle.

“(Plenty of success at) the Breeders’ Cup has eluded me, but then I’ve yet to win a British Classic which leaves two empty cages to fill,” added Soumillon.

“I’m so lucky that Aidan called me when Ryan Moore got injured and would be out for the season.

“It’s one lifetime chance in which I have everything on my side. We all know how high the competition is and I don’t want to make any mistakes in the races, but I’ve rode plenty of times for Aidan before.”

Soumillon will have to boil down to 8st 7lb to partner Minnie Hauk in her all-star clash with Rebel’s Romance in the Breeders’ Cup Turf and explaining how he has been managing his weight cut, he said: “I weigh 53.5 kilos, have been walking a lot and eating veggies and fish and drinking a lot of espresso coffee.

“I’ve run a lot and had hot baths, and will give it a final push on Saturday morning.

“We are all made differently and I’m in a period of my life where I know exactly what’s good for me.”