Finally we have entered the international week and a top-class selection of the world’s best horsemen and racehorses will be in action in tonight’s LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship at Happy Valley and Sunday’s LONGINES Hong Kong International Races at Sha Tin.
It’s a week that I have long been looking forward to as not only are we ensured great sport but it also gives me the chance to meet and chat with many old friends. One of racing’s greatest legends - nicknamed The Long Fellow, and dubbed the Treasure of Great Britain by many in Hong Kong - arrived early for our annual international event as usual and attended Sha Tin’s meeting last Sunday. I am of course referring to one of the greatest jockeys – some would say the greatest – to have ever ridden, the legendary 11-time British champion jockey Lester Piggott.
It was a delight to meet Piggott again on our home track. Although he’s now over 75 years of age, he was still energetic and has a unique charisma. 
His presence in the racecourse is also very much welcomed by our local racing press, as many of them and also some Club Owners and Members asked if he would have his photo taken with them. He was really friendly and more than pleased to entertain most of them.
Piggott’s visit to Hong Kong is a bit special this year, as his daughter Maureen and her husband, British trainer William Haggas, are in the city too. Haggas has two runners competing in our international this time as his Epsom Oaks winner Dancing Rain will contest the Vase, while Master Of Hounds will be running in the Mile. Piggott’s daughter Maureen is a key element of the training operation and has partnered Dancing Rain in her track work the past few mornings. Although Piggott didn’t talk much about the chances of his son’s horses in both events, I’m sure he will be giving his staunch support to the Haggas runners on Sunday.
Apart from this racing legend, a group of the world’s finest jockeys will also perform at our panoramic city racetrack this evening, for top honours and the record HK$800,000 prize up for grabs in the LONGINES IJC. I must say, we have a sensational line-up of 12 top-class jockeys that could match and even exceed that of other international jockeys’ championships anywhere on the globe this year. This time we have world champion horse Frankel’s ever-present partner Tom Queally joining the fray for the first time, also this year’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winning jockey Olivier Peslier, and two local representatives who have performed sensationally in international jockeys’ contests this year – Shergar Cup Silver Saddle winner Matthew Chadwick and Japan’s World Super Jockeys Series winner Zac Purton.
I met them all in a media photo call session at adrenaline at Happy Valley racecourse yesterday. Most of them were impressed with the comfortable, relaxing and stylish setting of this new racecourse venue. I noticed that although these famous riders are all friendly and with engaging personalities, they each possess a steely competitive edge and there is no doubt they will be striving for IJC victory. That fact alone will ensure we all enjoy entertaining and thrilling race action at the Valley this evening. The weather has been unstable in the past few days. I really hope it will be fine tonight and in the following days, so that all of us can better enjoy this extravaganza.
I’m pretty sure too that it will be a close call for the winner of the championship, and that’s why I’ve spent as much time as I am able to spare in studying the four IJC races before giving you my analysis this time. I found that the four IJC races are very open with no really stand outs. In the first race the good to fast pace should give horses coming from the back a chance too. It is for me a contest between Very Well which will be ridden by Matthew Chadwick, Easy Gold with Craig Williams aboard, Zac Purton’s mount Yuan’s Fortune, and last but not least Golden Osmanthus by Yuichi Fukunaga.
In the second leg the good to slow pace should give horses on the pace a little advantage with the best chances for me are Absolute Fantasy ridden by Ryan Moore, Ray’s Favourite by Chadwick, Travel Guide by Tom Queally and last not least Expectator by Douglas Whyte. The pace in the third leg of the Challenge is expected to be good, which gives every horse a fair chance. I prefer The Untouchablelad ridden by Purton, Easy To Rich by Fukunaga, Jimson The Best by James McDonald and Good Luck Win by Joao Moreira.
The last leg of the Challenge should see a good to fast pace which should help Noble Deluxe ridden by Moreira coming from the back of the field but Purton’s mount Chancellor should find a perfect spot behind the speed, which could help this in-form local representative in winning the championship. Mighty K ridden by Moore has to overcome the wide draw and try to avoid trapping wide, but the horse is in good form. He and McDonald’s ride Prosperity Aethon could both cause a surprise in this race.
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