Zac Purton names Ryan Moore as hardest to beat for LONGINES IJC title

By Leo Schlink

Bidding to join Frankie Dettori and Douglas Whyte as a three-time winner of the HK$800,000 LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship (IJC), Zac Purton believes fellow dual series champion Ryan Moore is the rider to beat at Happy Valley on Wednesday night (8 December).

Reigning champion Purton and Moore, rated the 2021 LONGINES World’s Best Jockey, will square off in a four-race series at the city circuit against 10 other riders led by Mickael Barzalona, James McDonald, Vincent Ho, Yuga Kawada, Hollie Doyle, Joao Moreira, Tom Marquand, Alexis Badel, Damian Lane and Lyle Hewitson.

Assessing the allocation of rides after a ceremony at Sha Tin today (Monday, 6 December), Purton immediately identified Moore, Kawada and Lane as the most serious threats to his ambitions of a third crown.

“My first impression was that Ryan Moore had some decent rides, he seems to get good rides and good gates every year, and I thought Yuga Kawada and Damian Lane had some nice rides as well, but that might change once I look at it with a little bit more depth,” said the Australian, who represents Hong Kong on Wednesday.

“I like riding at the Valley so that certainly helps but like in every race, every week, you need some luck and I’ll need plenty of that. Let’s see how we go.

“It’s good to see more depth in the fields as well, so it’s going to make for an exciting competition.”

Purton leads the Hong Kong jockeys’ championship by 10 with 46 wins to Moreira’s 36 and hopes to build on that advantage when he partners Circuit Seven, Glorious Lover, Amazing One Plus and Shining Gem in the IJC.

Moore, who won the series in 2009 (in a three-way tie) and 2010, will ride Meridian Genius, AI One, Golden Link and Hong Kong Bet.

Frenchman Alexis Badel, who finished joint third last season with Doyle, will again represent the home team with a decent hand - Fabulous Eight, Zhan Jiang Rocks, Nothing New and Resolute.

“I have two solid, competitive rides I would say and it’s all about delivering on those and getting points on the others as well. It’s all about consistency throughout the meeting and it seems to be very open and I believe the quality of the horses is quite good in the Class 3 races,” he said.

“It would be great (to win), it’s very exciting and I’m looking forward to it.

“Last year, I was an outsider on paper but all the horses ran well so nothing is impossible, it’s very open and anything can happen. I’ll be trying my best to give the horses every chance and it will be good to see all my colleagues from overseas.”

Vincent Ho, who is preparing to ride Golden Sixty in the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (1600m) at Sha Tin on Sunday (12 December), hopes to use the IJC as positive springboard into the weekend after being allocated Faribault, More Than Enough, The Anomaly and Wood On Fire.

“They’re okay. The draws are okay as well, so it will be interesting. I think my rides are quite interesting, actually, but even is good enough,” Ho said.

Jockeys are awarded 12 points for a race win, six points for finishing second and four points for third across the four races.

Apart from offering the most lucrative jockey series prize in horse racing – HK$500,000 to the winner – the series also carries a $200,000 bounty for the trainer who scores the highest number of points in the series.

The LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship meeting starts at Happy Valley on Wednesday 8 December with the running of the Class 5 Australia Handicap (1650m) at 6.30pm.

Allocated jockey rides
Alexis Badel (Hong Kong) – Fabulous Eight, Zhan Jiang Rocks, Nothing New, Resolute.
Mickael Barzalona (France) – Cantstopthefeeling, Whiskey Neat, Meaningful Star, Elon.
Hollie Doyle (Great Britain) – Trust Me, Viva Hunter, Presence, Winning Method.
Lyle Hewitson (South Africa) – Charming Steed, Villa Fionn, Mercurial, Like That.
Vincent Ho (Hong Kong) – Faribault, More Than Enough, The Anomaly, Wood On Fire.
Yuga Kawada (Japan) – Oversubscribed, Smiling City, Romantic Combo, Astrologer.
Damian Lane (Australia) – Flying High, Dr Winning, Gallant Crown, California Cible.
Tom Marquand (Great Britain) – Awesome Treasure, Jolly Honour, Wealthy Delight, Seven Heavens.
James McDonald (New Zealand) – Wild West Wing, Sacred Ibis, Invincible Missile, Ginson.
Ryan Moore (Great Britain) – Meridian Genius, AI One, Golden Link, Hong Kong Bet.
Joao Moreira (Hong Kong) – Telecom Rocket, Red Brick Fighter, Red Majesty, Classic Posh.
Zac Purton (Hong Kong) – Circuit Seven, Glorious Lover, Amazing One Plus, Shining Gem.



Press release from the Hong Kong Jockey Club

Joao Moreira eyes second LONGINES IJC; excited for Sunday’s pairings with Glory Vase and Hishi Iguazu

By Declan Schuster

Looking to capture a second LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship (IJC), Joao Moreira believes a favourable set of barriers are make or break for his chances in Happy Valley’s four-race HK$800,000 spectacular on Wednesday evening (8 December).

“My rides are just ok but what gets me a bit excited is the gates, I have good gates in all of the races which plays a big role in this type of competition,” Moreira said.

Three of Moreira’s mounts will break from gate two: Telecom Rocket (1st Leg), Red Brick Fighter (2nd Leg) and Red Majesty (3rd Leg), while Classic Posh steps away from gate five in the 4th Leg.

“I wouldn’t have my name in the top three - probably in the top four but I think we can bring a home a winner,” Moreira said.

A four-time champion of Hong Kong, Joao Moreira won the 2012 LONGINES IJC and is no stranger to success abroad in jockeys’ challenges having claimed the 2015 World All-Star Jockeys in Japan.

“Classic Posh has a good chance because he was very unlucky his last start, now he has a good gate but in all of the races, the Club has done a good job to select the right horses, it’s very even – anything can win!” he said.

Classic Posh is a two-time winner from his last six starts and boasts three wins at Happy Valley over 1200m for trainer David Hall.

Telecom Rocket – Moreira’s second mount – is yet to place this term from four outings, although he is a two-time winner in Hong Kong – once with Moreira up in December of 2019.

“Telecom Rocket, he’s in Class 4, he’s up to this level and he has a good gate – I have three rides from gate two and from one from gate five, so that’s pretty good,” the Brazilian said.

Spurred on for this weekend’s HK$100 million LONGINES Hong Kong International Races, Moreira has a strong hand with the ride on Glory Vase in the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m), Hishi Iguazu in the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m), Sky Darci in the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (1600m) and Courier Wonder in the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m).

Moreira singled out Glory Vase – for Japan – as the mount he is most looking forward to, especially after the pair reigned supreme when romping home in the 2019 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase by over three lengths.

“He would be my best ride of the four Group 1 races, I would say - his last win was outstanding, so he just has to produce his best to be hard to beat,” Moreira said.

Since that win, Glory Vase returned to finish second in the 2021 G1 FWD QEII Cup (2000m), while under an injury cloud to place behind Loves Only You.

Since that run in April, the son of Deep Impact finished third at G2 level over 2200m at Nakayama.

Hishi Iguazu will have his second taste at the top-level in Sunday’s LONGINES Hong Kong Cup after finishing fifth last start in the G1 Tenno Sho Autumn (2000m) at Tokyo behind Efforia.

“He’s been running against very good horses, anything that finished ahead of him last start, if they had come over for this weekend’s race they would be hard to beat.

“So, I have a bit of hope with this horse, it’s a strong race but I believe that he’s going to be right there,” Moreira said.

Wednesday’s (8 December) nine-race fixture at Happy Valley kicks off at 6.30pm with the Class 5 Australia Handicap (1650m).

Press Release from the Hong Kong Jockey Club

Damian Lane, James McDonald ready to bid for LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship

By Leo Schlink

Contesting the LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship (IJC) for the first time, Australian Damian Lane hopes to capitalise on a strong book of rides at Happy Valley on Wednesday night (8 December) to enhance an already impressive global resume.

Famed for G1 success on Japanese runners in both Australia and Japan, Lane will partner Salios in LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (1600m) and Computer Patch in the Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) at Sha Tin on Sunday (12 December), intending to use the IJC as a springboard into the weekend’s action.

Reflecting on the chances of Flying High, Dr Winning, Gallant Crown and California Cible on Wednesday night, Lane agreed he had fared well in terms of ride allocation.

“I’m hoping so (to win). Just very privileged to be part of the IJC. It’s the first time I’ve competed in this series and I’ve got some really nice rides and I’m really looking forward to competing in it,” Lane, 27, said, identifying former Australian galloper California Cible – who contests the fourth leg of the IJC – as a winning chance.

“He’s drawn a touch tricky (gate nine) but he looks to be improving all the time since he’s been here in Hong Kong, which is a big plus.”

Looking ahead to the Hong Kong Mile and a clash with Golden Sixty, Lane said: “I’ve partnered Salios on a number of occasions now. I won on him at his first start in Tokyo and he’s placed twice behind Contrail in Group 1s, so really looking forward to teaming back up with him.

“He looked in fantastic order this morning and I think he will compete really well.

“I really believe he does (have a winning chance), obviously Golden Sixty will be awfully hard to beat but I think if anyone can do it, it will be a Japanese horse and he (Salios) is as good as any of them.”

Fresh off a dominant Melbourne Cup carnival with a record 10 victories across the four meetings, James McDonald is also excited about what might unfold at Happy Valley.

“It’s a meeting that we love competing at, I’ve had a little bit of luck over the years and I definitely wasn’t going to miss it,” said McDonald, who rides Wild West Wing, Sacred Ibis, Invincible Missile and Ginson.

“They look little chances for sure, we’ll need a bit of luck with the barriers for sure but they look an even bunch of rides and so hopefully we get a bit of luck in the run and they’ll be figuring in the finish.

“I’ve got plenty of rides, so obviously looking forward to it. Happy Valley, I’ve been there before and obviously I have fond memories of it. Looking forward to getting back around there.

“Melbourne Cup week was a great week and hopefully we can bring that form to IJC.”

McDonald has eight rides on the IJC programme, while Lane has seven mounts.

McDonald will pair with reigning champion trainer Caspar Fownes and Invincible Missile in the Class 3 LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship Handicap (1650m), the third leg of the series.

“James is a superstar jockey, I’ve always had a lot of time for James. He just keeps improving and he’s up there with the tops in the world now, he’s definitely up there with and he’s one of the best,” Fownes said. “I’m hoping we can get him to come and ride in Hong Kong full-time because it would be nice to get another big name in Hong Kong.

“Invincible Missile is a horse in good form and he’s proven at the track and distance and hopefully we can get our head in front.”

David Hayes will reunite with Tom Marquand with Awesome Treasure in the Class 4 LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship Handicap (1000m), the first leg of the series.

Marquand was temporarily based at Hayes’ Lindsay Park property in rural Victoria on his first Australian visit in 2019.

“Tom came down to Australia for his apprenticeship and he rode a few winners for my stable down there,” Hayes said. “We stuck him on a few and he won a few.

“He’s done extremely well since and especially on his visits to Sydney (with Addeybb), he was a dominant force down there (in Australia) and he’s been a dominant force in England, so we’re very happy to have him on.”

Hayes is optimistic Awesome Treasure, who ran second at his only start, can get Marquand off to a flying start on Wednesday night.

“He led on debut and he was a bit disadvantaged that day with the wind the way it was. Not many held on and he nearly did,” Hayes said. “He’s a very promising horse with a bright future and he’s now fully recovered from a minor leg injury and he’s basically first-up again.

“He’s got nice speed and he’s trialled twice at the Valley, so I thought this would be a nice race for him.”

Alexis Badel will bid to improve on his joint third – with Hollie Doyle – last season when he rides Nothing New for three-time IJC champion Douglas Whyte in the Class 3 LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship Handicap (1650m), the third leg of the series.

“The horse seems to be very happy and competitive but it doesn’t seem to be the best draw (barrier eight) but he will certainly run a good race,” the Frenchman said. “He’s a horse who needs a smooth run, so I will see what the pace looks like.

“It’s very exciting and I feel very honoured to be part of the IJC representing Hong Kong and I will try my best for the task and hopefully get a better result.”

The LONGINES IJC meeting at Happy Valley kicks off with the Class 5 Australia Handicap (1650m) at 6.30pm.

Should be spectacular racing

Is it Zac or Ryan or AN Other ?

Where are our HK experts 🤔

Hollie Doyle and Tom Marquand are set for a second crack at the Longines-sponsored International Jockeys' Championship in Hong Kong when the duo will face ten rivals in the four-race event at Happy Valley on Wednesday.

OK after having a look at rides and options

I feel the best value could be

DAMIAN LANE 6/1
JAMES MCDONALD 13/1

Not sure if you can play ew? 🤔

I have picked 1 winner from Mick on Whiskey Neat, so placed a small bet at 16/1, hope the other 3 rides he can place or notch another win. Whiskey Neat is my best bet today 9/1. Hope its my double too:)

Track Selections
Race 1 2 Joy Master
Race 2 3 Fearless Fire
Race 3 8 Viva Mama
Race 4 5 Flying High
Race 5 8 Whiskey Neat
Race 6 6 Flying Ace
Race 7 7 Invincible Missile
Race 8 5 Ginson
Race 9 8 Sunny Star

Canadian


Bipot


Jackpot

Lyle didn't draw well, think he has one ride under 25/1

Check Zac's ride on the favorite in race 2.
Doesn't just leave his horse last but leaves it last 2.5 lengths behind the second to last horse and comes flying home late and goes down by much less than 2.5 lengths.
He is favorite to win the international jockey challenge though.