On 28 September 2009, Jockey Christophe Soumillon submitted an application for a Club Jockey's Licence in which he advised his period of availability as being from 6 January 2010 until 27 March 2010, both dates inclusive. The Licensing Committee, at their meeting held on 4 November 2009, granted Christophe Soumillon a Club Jockey's licence for the period as advised by Jockey Soumillon. On 10 November 2009, Jockey Soumillon accepted in writing the Club's offer to ride during the stated period.

On 31 December 2009, Management received a request from Jockey Soumillon, via his manager, to delay the commencement of his Club Jockey's contract until 24 January 2010 as he was required to recuperate after having surgery to have a pin removed from the arm he injured in a race fall in September 2009. Jockey Soumillon advised that he would be assessed by his medical practitioner on or about 16 January 2010 when it was anticipated he would be cleared to resume riding.

Management yesterday received further correspondence from Christophe Soumillon, again via his manager, in which he requested for the termination date of his agreement to ride with the Club to be amended from the previously approved date of 27 March 2010 to 28 February 2010. Jockey Soumillon advised the reason for this request as being that he is required by his retaining stable in France to return to that country so as to commence riding duties on 1 March 2010. This request to significantly vary the period of his licence to ride was received one day after the date his Club Jockey's licence was initially approved to take effect. Also contained within Jockey Soumillon's correspondence was advice that he was now able to commence his agreement to ride with the Club on 16 January 2010, despite advice to the contrary some seven days earlier.

Jockey Soumillon has been licensed by the Club as either a Club Jockey or Stable Retained Jockey on six previous occasions. On four of these six occasions, he has submitted an application for the approved term of the agreement to be terminated prior to the previously approved and committed expiry date.

Having considered the manner in which Jockey Soumillon has repeatedly sought to amend the dates of his currently approved licensing period, the fact that he is not able to fulfil a significant portion of the approved licensing period, the late notification of his requests and his recurrent failure to honour the full term of his licensing periods during previous racing seasons in Hong Kong, the Licensing Committee has, by circulation of paper, today agreed to withdraw the Club Jockey's Licence previously granted to Christophe Soumillon for the period 6 January 2010 until 27 March 2010, both dates inclusive.