Christophe Soumillon and France Galop pledge support for Notre-Dame

French racing was quick to rally round on Tuesday as the country comes to terms with the devastating fire which tore through Notre-Dame cathedral in the heart of Paris on Monday evening.

France Galop president Edouard de Rothschild announced the Prix du President de la Republique – the biggest handicap chase in the calendar and the race which headlines Easter Sunday's card at Auteuil – would be renamed the Prix de Notre Dame de Paris for the day, with all betting profits going to the national fund established to help pay for the cathedral's reconstruction.

Belgian-born Christophe Soumillon gave a heartfelt message of support to the rebuilding effort, as well as praising the bravery of the Paris fire service, the Sapeurs Pompiers.

The ten-time champion jockey, who is riding at the Craven meeting at Newmarket on Wednesday, also committed his winnings from this week to the fund announced by President Macron in front of Notre-Dame on Monday evening.

Soumillon tweeted: "French at heart, I feel very touched and I will donate my winnings from the week to contribute to the reconstruction effort. Bravo to the Paris Pompiers!"

Among the hashtags accompanying pictures of the blaze, Soumillon added the city's Latin motto, 'Fluctuat nec murgitur' or 'rocked by the waves but not sinking', a rallying cry that gained popularity after the terrorist attacks on Paris in 2015.

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