Aidan O'Brien's hiring of Christophe Soumillon leaves major St Leger fancy without a jockey

Derby runner-up Lazy Griff is without a jockey for his next big race after Christophe Soumillon jumped off the Betfred St Leger third favourite.

The Belgian had been booked for the mount since July by trainer Charlie Johnston but his plans have changed after he was called up by Aidan O’Brien to help fill in while Ryan Moore is sidelined.

Moore has a fractured femur in his right leg and could miss the rest of the turf season while Ballydoyle's number two rider, Wayne Lordan, could miss both Irish Champions Weekend and the St Leger Festival unless he gets all or part of a 10-day whip ban lifted by an appeal later this week.

As a result freelance Soumillon has been called up to fill the void and is set to ride for O’Brien at Leopardstown, where Delacroix will be the star runner in the Irish Champion Stakes on the same day as the Doncaster Classic.

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“I had nailed Christophe down in July but this week’s news has obviously changed that so his agent phoned me and it sounds like Christophe is now going to be in Ireland that weekend for Coolmore,” said trainer Charlie Johnston.

“I am sure there are lots of good rides to come for him from now over the next couple of months. It was something he couldn’t turn down and we are now on the lookout again.”

Soumillon guided Lazy Griff to victory in a Group 3 race in France last year and rode the colt when he was a 50-1 chace at Epsom where he finished three and three quarter lengths behind Lambourn. He was unavailable for the Irish Derby in which Lazy Griff finished third.

“Christophe rode him as a two-year-old and in Epsom but the main thing was he had a huge amount of belief and confidence in the horse and was very keen to ride him at that point,” added Johnston.

“At the same time he has also been ridden by plenty of other jockeys and is a very straightforward horse. I am sure we’ll find an able deputy.

“Lazy Griff has one serious piece of work to do at the end of the week. We are not far away now and counting down the days.”