2009 News
October 30, 2009
Soumillon, Crastus receive short-term JRA Jockey's License
Christophe Soumillon
Anthony Crastus
The Japan Racing Association (JRA) announced that a short-term riding jockey's license has been issued to France-based jockeys Christophe Soumillon and Anthony Crastus.
The short-term riding license for both jockeys is effective from October 31 to December 30, 2009.
Soumillon, 28, will be primarily riding for owner Katsumi Yoshida and host trainer Yasutoshi Ikee of JRA Ritto Training Center, while Crastus, 24, will be riding for owner Hajime Satomi and host trainer Kazuo Fujisawa of JRA Miho Training Center.
This will be the second issuance of the JRA short-term jockey's license for Soumillon, who also rode in Japan in 2001. He also participated in the World Super Jockey's Series in 2003 and has an overall record of seven wins in 64 rides in Japan. Soumillon won the Qatar Prix De L'Arc Triomphe aboard Zarkava last year and has notched two Group 1 victories this year - French 2000 Guineas and Prix Marcel Boussac. In his first two racing days, Soumillon is scheduled to ride in six races on Sunday at Tokyo Racecourse - including Admire Fuji in the Grade 1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) - and in five races on Saturday at Kyoto Racecourse - including Kinshasa no Kiseki in the Grade 2 Mainichi Broadcasting System Sho Swan Stakes.
Crastus, ninth in the French jockey ranking in 2008, will be debuting in JRA racing. He is scheduled to ride in nine races on Saturday at Tokyo Racecourse - including Mistral Cruise in the Brazil Cup.
