The 2026 LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship (IJC) will bring together an outstanding collection of international riding talent at Happy Valley Racecourse on Wednesday, 9 December, with the current top five in the LONGINES World’s Best Jockey standings confirmed for the prestigious Hong Kong contest.
Ryan Moore, James McDonald, William Buick, Mickael Barzalona and reigning Hong Kong Champion Jockey Zac Purton will headline the international field. They will be joined by Saffie Osborne, Dylan Browne McMonagle, Rachel King, Christophe Lemaire and Joao Moreira, adding further depth to a line-up that combines established champions with some of the sport’s most accomplished contemporary riders.
The championship will feature 12 jockeys competing across four races at Happy Valley, with the final two places reserved for the leading eligible homegrown rider and the highest-ranked eligible jockey in the Hong Kong standings at the selection cut-off following the meeting on 25 November.
2026 International Jockeys’ Championship Brings Together Elite Talent
The depth of experience in this year’s line-up is reflected in the championship records of its leading participants. Moore, Purton, Barzalona, Moreira and Lemaire have all previously won the IJC, with Moore and Purton each having claimed the title three times.
Moore arrives as the reigning champion after winning the 2025 edition. Buick, meanwhile, finished joint runner-up last year, while King secured third place in 2023. Their previous performances add an extra dimension to a contest in which familiarity with Happy Valley and the ability to adapt quickly to different horses will be important.
Andrew Harding, Executive Director of Racing at The Hong Kong Jockey Club, highlighted the quality of the international representation, pointing to the presence of the five leading riders in the current world standings. He also welcomed Osborne’s inclusion, alongside Irish Champion Jockey Browne McMonagle and accomplished international performers King, Lemaire and Moreira.
The combination of world-class jockeys and the distinctive Happy Valley circuit promises a compelling evening of competition.
Saffie Osborne Makes Her International Jockeys’ Championship Debut
One of the notable additions to the 2026 International Jockeys’ Championship is Saffie Osborne, who will make her debut in the competition following an exceptional period in her career.
The 24-year-old recently won the 2026 World Pool Jockeys’ Championship at Ascot after recording 13 winners on qualifying race days in Great Britain and Ireland. She also made history by becoming the first female jockey to win a British Classic when Highwayman captured the 250th running of the Group 1 St Leger over 2,905 metres at Doncaster.
Osborne has also won the Shergar Cup twice and captained Great Britain and Ireland to victory over Hong Kong in this year’s competition. Her inclusion gives the championship another rider arriving with significant international momentum.
Ryan Moore and James McDonald Lead the World Rankings
Moore heads into the championship as the leading jockey in the LONGINES World’s Best Jockey standings. The British rider has won seven of the top 100 Group 1 races counted in the current rankings and recently added the Group 1 British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes to his record.
A three-time IJC winner in 2009, 2010 and 2025, Moore has established himself among the leading riders of his generation. His recent recognition includes appointment as a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 2026 Birthday Honours for services to horse racing and British sport. He was also inducted into British Racing’s Hall of Fame earlier this month.
James McDonald, currently second in the world standings, arrives with an equally distinguished record. A three-time winner of the LONGINES World’s Best Jockey Award in 2022, 2024 and 2025, McDonald recently won the Group 1 King Charles III Stakes aboard Autumn Glow.
Earlier this year, he surpassed Damien Oliver’s record of 129 Group 1 victories to become the most successful jockey in Australian racing history by that measure. McDonald has secured 10 of the top 100 Group 1 races in the current world rankings and also claimed his 10th Sydney jockeys’ title during the 2025–26 season.
William Buick and Mickael Barzalona further strengthen the European contingent. Buick, a two-time British Champion Jockey, finished joint runner-up in the 2025 IJC and won its opening leg aboard Bunta Baby. He recently partnered Ombudsman to victory in the Group 1 Champion Stakes at Ascot and has accumulated 130 Group 1 winners during his career.
Barzalona, the 2024 IJC champion, has enjoyed another successful season. He recently secured a second consecutive victory in the Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe aboard Daryz, while also recording major successes with Calandagan and Rayif.
Joao Moreira and Christophe Lemaire Bring Proven Championship Form
Joao Moreira, widely known as the “Magic Man”, will make his 11th appearance in the International Jockeys’ Championship. The Brazilian rider won the title in 2012 and remains a familiar presence at Happy Valley.
Moreira played an important role in Caspar Fownes’ successful campaign last season, riding 32 winners, including a four-timer at Happy Valley on 8 April. His experience of the circuit and previous success in the competition will make him an important addition to the international field.
Christophe Lemaire also returns with an impressive record. He shared the 2009 IJC title with Johnny Murtagh and Ryan Moore and continues to dominate Japan’s jockey standings in terms of both winners and total prize money. With three Group 1 victories this season and four Japan Cup successes to his name, Lemaire brings considerable experience to the December contest.
Dylan Browne McMonagle and Rachel King Strengthen International Field
Irish rider Dylan Browne McMonagle has established himself as one of the most promising talents in international racing. Crowned Irish Champion Jockey last year, he has recorded Group 1 victories across Ireland, Great Britain, the United States, France and Germany. His latest major success came aboard Giant Sequoia in the Group 1 Futurity Trophy.
McMonagle also gained valuable experience during a short stint in Hong Kong last season, riding 10 winners and finishing fourth in two Group 1 races.
Rachel King returns to a championship in which she made an immediate impression on debut in 2023, winning aboard Oversubscribed and finishing third overall behind Vincent Ho and Purton.
King has since continued to make history on the international circuit. Last year, she became the first female jockey to win a Group 1 race in Japan when Costa Nova captured the February Stakes. More recently, she partnered Warwoven to victories in the Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes and Group 1 Caulfield Guineas, further strengthening her credentials ahead of the Hong Kong challenge.
Zac Purton Targets a Record Fourth Championship
Zac Purton will be chasing a fourth International Jockeys’ Championship title as he looks to extend his remarkable record in Hong Kong.
The nine-time Hong Kong Champion Jockey previously won the IJC in 2017, 2020 and 2021. As of 25 October, he led the current Hong Kong jockey standings with 26 victories, ahead of Nichola Yuen on 13 and Vincent Ho on 12.
Purton has also accumulated a record 2,047 career victories in Hong Kong, underlining his sustained success at the centre of the local racing scene. His knowledge of Happy Valley and experience in the championship will make him one of the leading names to follow on 9 December.
Ride Allocation Designed to Keep Competition Balanced
The 2026 International Jockeys’ Championship will again use a structured ride-allocation process intended to keep the competition as balanced as possible.
Each participating jockey will receive four rides, with the allocation process designed to account for the assessed chances of the horses entered and minimise any advantage or disadvantage arising from the draw. The assessments will be completed after the barrier draw on Monday, 7 December, without the evaluators knowing which jockey will partner each runner.
The final two places in the 12-rider field will be determined following the Hong Kong meeting on 25 November. Eligible homegrown jockeys who claim weight allowances during regular racing may still be selected, although those allowances will not apply in the four championship races. Apprentice jockeys will not be eligible.
With the world’s leading riders assembling at Happy Valley, the 2026 LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship promises a strong international contest, bringing together proven champions, emerging talents and riders with established records across the major racing jurisdictions.
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