Over the past decade, we've invited many top jockeys from different nations and racing jurisdictions to take part in the Cathay Pacific International Jockeys' Championship. On Thursday, we announced the 10 overseas jockeys who will be featuring in next month's 11th edition of this exciting annual event and showing local racing fans their amazing skills in the saddle.
I'm delighted that among our invitees this year, there are three new faces. They include British rider Neil Callan, who is new to the Jockeys' Championship although not to Hong Kong, as he teamed up with British sprinter Desert Lord in the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Sprint in both 2006 and 2007.
The other two newcomers are both from the US and will be riding in Hong Kong for the first time. The first of the duo is Garrett Gomez. Although his name may be unfamiliar to many of you, he actually ranks top in the US by earnings at the moment, with more than US$22 million in prize money this season. Currently based in Hollywood Park, California, Gomez earned great success in this year's Breeders' Cup Carnival in his home state at Santa Anita, as he netted four winners over the two days of the event.
The other American jockey is Cornelio Velasquez. This Panama-born rider will be partnering top American turf miler Kip Deville – winner of the Breeders' Cup Turf Mile in 2007 and runner-up in the same race last month – to compete in the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Mile on 14 December. I'm delighted that he has also accepted our invitation to fly in a few days earlier and feature in our midweek Jockeys' Championship.
It will be wonderful seeing these two top American jockeys in action in Hong Kong and I'd like to offer my special thanks to our Executive Director of Racing, Bill Nader. As you probably know, Bill formerly worked for the New York Racing Association, so he is well known and respected in the US racing industry and he's put a lot of effort into bringing top American riders and horses to Hong Kong for this year's International Racing Carnival.
With so many top local and overseas riders competing in Hong Kong already, it's never easy for visiting jockeys to make their mark – and some would say it's even tougher for those who wish to stay here and seek long-term development. However, the Club is always proactive in keeping its eyes out for up-and-coming jockeys in other jurisdictions, and giving them opportunity to ride here and show what they can do. A good example is young French rider Johan Victoire, whom we have granted a licence to ride in Hong Kong for three months from December.
As well as attracting top jockeys here for the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Races on 14 December, we will of course be welcoming many of the world's top horses – a record 39 overseas runners this year, which will make it a truly tremendous day of world-class racing.
I think the visits of all these overseas jockeys and racehorses will also help our racing fans to find it easier to catch up overseas races, especially for those upcoming major races that we simulcast to Hong Kong. I do believe that through such international participation of simulcasting world class overseas races and vice versa, exporting our racing product, it benefits not only the horse racing industry, but also the economy it associates and the community who are fond of following international racing.
Tomorrow, you will all have the chance to preview two of the top horses that selected in our international races in Group One action, Purple Moon and Sixties Icon, when they compete in the Japan Cup at Tokyo Racecourse, a race that we are simulcasting live to Hong Kong. I hope they will both put up a good showing, which will add further excitement to their participation in the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Vase a fortnight later. But I think they will face some strong challenges in Japan from the home team, most prominently from Yasuda Kinen winner Vodka, who is seeking to become the first Japanese filly or mare to win the Japan Cup, and this year's Japanese Derby winner Deep Sky, who is seeking a Grade One hat-trick at Tokyo Racecourse this year.
While you all are enjoying this exciting race and giving your betting support to your favourite horses, please don't forget we also have 10 regular races on our card at Sha Tin tomorrow afternoon. I will be interested to see the performances of Majestic Heart which was so unlucky in his last two starts - firstly was blocked in the last furlong in his penultimate start and then did not obtain clear running for the major part of the straight last time. If the 4-year-old can have a clear run tomorrow then he should be the one to beat. Besides, Ever King showed a good turn of foot in the last section over this trip last time and should be one of the main dangers to Majestic Heart.
The Chevalier Cup will be quite a competitive race. Master Power is another up and coming improving type from Moore's team, and I will be interested to see if he can deliver another good performance in this feature race tomorrow. In the meantime, I will also pay attention to Fleet Command and Royal Prince as both finished nicely in their last outing.
The Chevalier Cup will be quite a competitive race. Master Power is another up and coming improving type from Moore's team, and I will be interested to see if he can deliver another good performance in this feature race tomorrow. In the meantime, I will also pay attention to Fleet Command and Royal Prince as both finished nicely in their last outing.
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