Tonight we will stage the LONGINES International Jockeys Championship at Happy Valley as LONGINES Hong Kong International Races week is truly underway. LONGINES has been our partner over the last five years for both our flagship events and when it comes to equestrian and horse racing, they are surely the number one sponsors in the world.
This year marks the 20th edition of the IJC. It was my first year in Hong Kong when the inaugural version of the event was held in 1998. Some legendary names such as Pat Eddery, Mick Kinane and Cash Asmussen came to Hong Kong and pleased the home crowd that year but it was Olivier Peslier, one of our most successful jockeys in the history of the HKIR, taking the inaugural title. Since then many top names made their marks in our IJC honour roll.
HKIR week is incredibly busy, not just on the track, but also outside of it, with no less than 12 year-end industry meetings and conferences held in Hong Kong. Truly, Hong Kong has become the year-end gathering point for our sport and is surely highlighting Hong Kong’s position as the centre of world racing.
Our 12 participating jockeys joined us at the media session at Happy Valley Racecourse yesterday. Although a few of them had just arrived in Hong Kong, they all were in good spirit, looking more than ready to perform their best at our unique city track tonight. It is a most exciting group, and probably one of the best lineups we have ever had.
Five of the jockeys will make their IJC debut, including the exciting Brazilian talent Leandro Henrique, who has achieved great success in his early career. Cristian Demuro is a former Italian champion and has ridden very well in both France and Japan over recent seasons. Flavien Prat joins a long list of French-born jockeys to achieve great success in America and has had a superb season with seven Grade 1 wins. Pierre-Charles Boudot, who has ridden in the HKIR before, will make his Happy Valley debut. Last season, he set the record for most wins in a European season and we look forward to having him join us for a winter stint shortly. Our own Karis Teetan will be making his IJC debut as well after a very strong start this term.
Those IJC newcomers will join a most experienced group which includes three jockeys that have four IJC wins between them, Ryan Moore (2). Joao Moreira, and last year’s winner and this year’s World’s Best Jockey, Hugh Bowman. In fact, all three of our returning past IJC champions have received very favourable draws at Monday’s allocation. The IJC is decided by a point system in which the jockey that finishes first in each race scores 12 points, six for a second and four points for a third placing.
Looking closer at the form, I think Pierre-Charles Boudot has drawn incredibly well. In Race 4, which is the first leg of the IJC, he rides Mr Kool which is a good win and place chance, and the same applies to Race 5, in which he is riding Exceptional Desire. In Race 7 his ride Bo Duke is more an outsider with not a high probability to score points, but in the last leg, he can score points with Bank On Red.
Ryan Moore is not only one of the best jockeys in the world, but he has an advantage in knowing Happy Valley well. His ride Forever Posh in Race 4 is a win and place chance, while in Race 5, he may be able to get a place with Dr Race. Moore’s Race 7 mount Speedy Wally is a place chance at least and his Race 8 ride Flying Quest is a place chance too.
Keita Tosaki has mastered Happy Valley really well and should not be underestimated. In Race 4, Garlic Yeah is not likely to get him on the board but in Race 5, Jolly Bountiful from John Size’s stable is a definite win and place chance, while Godspeed in Race 7 could get him in an ideal case, to two wins. Litterateur in Race 8 will not be an easy task and if he is able to control Litterateur’s desire to charge forward, he could get a place.
Hugh Bowman should not be underestimated with his rides on Smart Baby, which will need a lift in form to run a place, and this applies to Dr Proactive in Race 5. Having said that, Dr Proactive is improving and was boxed in, seeing no daylight in his last race and is at least a place chance. Sparkling Sword in Race 7 is more an outside place chance and in the last leg, Bullish Smart would be, on his best form, a win and place chance, but needs to find his form this season and does return to his pet distance of 1650m in the Valley.
Comment
