Christophe Soumillon won the Sheema Classic on the Aga Khan’s Dolniya

 PICTURE: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Aga Khan deal with Soumillon extended

France: The Aga Khan and Christophe Soumillon have extended the reigning French champion jockey’s contract as first jockey for a further two years, taking the 34-year-old to the end of 2017.

And the Aga will employ a second jockey for 2016, with rising star Alexis Badel signing on as back-up to Soumillon.

The deal extends Soumillon’s second stint as retained jockey in France, following a four-year hiatus between 2009 and the beginning of 2013, during which Christophe Lemaire filled the role.

Vintage 2015

This year has been a successful one for Soumillon in the famous emerald green and red silks, thanks chiefly to the Jean-Claude Rouget-trained Ervedya, who followed up Classic success in the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches with victories in Royal Ascot’s Coronation Stakes and the Prix du Moulin.

Soumillon also tasted Group 1 success in the Prix Royal-Oak with Vazirabad – who like Ervedya is due to return in 2016 – as well as with the now-retired Dolniya in the Dubai Sheema Classic.

Who is Alexis Badel?

25-year-old Badel, the son of former jockey Alain Badel and trainer Myriam Bollack-Badel, partnered his first major winner for the Aga Khan while Soumillon was in Dubai to ride Dolniya, landing the Prix Francois Mathet aboard Karaktar at Saint-Cloud the same afternoon.

Badel also scored for connections in the Group 3 Prix Minerve with Candarliya and was seen to very good effect when guiding the Richard Fahey-trained Donjuan Triumphant to a Group 2 victory in the Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte last month.