ROSSA RYAN'S father has claimed 'he has never seen anything like the Christophe Soumillon incident in racing.
Last week, Soumillon (41) was riding at Saint-Cloud in France on Friday in the Prix Thomas Bryon, the 41-year-old shockingly elbowed the Galway native Ryan off his horse mid-race.
Ryan was not injured from the incident and received medical attention nearby after the fall.
Soumillon was given a two-month suspension shortly after the race for the elbow. His ban will not start till the 14th of October.
Since then, he managed to come second in last Sunday's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Europe's richest race.
A shocking incident in the Prix Thomas Byron, as Christophe Soumillon elbows Rossa Ryan out of the saddle at Saint-Cloud.pic.twitter.com/9FVbzvodFc
— Sporting Life Racing (@SportingLife) September 30, 2022
Many people felt that his punishment of two months wasn't harsh enough. However, it was announced today that the Aga Khan stud would be ceasing their retainer with the Belgian jockey after his actions.
Ryan's father David, who is also a trainer gave his take on the incident between his son and Soumillon, and admitted he wasn't happy with the elbow
"I've been involved in racing all my life and I've never seen anything like it," David Ryan told The Irish Daily Mirror
"Someone said to me yesterday, 'if you'd seen someone on a motorbike elbowing somebody like that, you'd be looking at jail time'.
"But to get a two-month suspension for probably one of the most dangerous things I have ever seen on a racecourse? I was disgusted by it. I was horrified to think that somebody would be that malicious in a professional sport."
David claimed that looking at the incident has left him 'feeling disgusted'
"For any parent watching that you would be horrified. I know Rossa is a grown man, he is 22 years of age and well able to paddle his own canoe."
"But from a parent's perspective, looking at it, I feel disgusted.
The younger Ryan now wants people to move on from the incident
"He wants to put the whole thing behind him and doesn't want to talk about it," he explained. "I can understand that, and I suppose I shouldn't be commenting on it either, but I was just so horrified by it as a parent.
"What happened there was nothing short of disgusting."
Following last Friday’s incident at Saint-Cloud, which resulted in the fall of Rossa Ryan, the Aga Khan Studs have taken the decision to cease their retainer with jockey Christophe Soumillon with immediate effect. pic.twitter.com/30pZg8g5UN
— Aga Khan Studs (@AgaKhanStuds) October 4, 2022
See More: Christophe Soumillon, Horse Racing, Rossa Ryan
