The International Jockeys Championship will bring together what officials are calling the strongest group of riders and horses in the event’s history when the four-race series takes place at Happy Valley on Wednesday, 10 December. Twelve internationally recognised riders will compete under the established points-based format, with 12 points for a win, six for second and four for third.
Seven previous winners will feature this week: defending champion Mickael Barzalona, Vincent Ho, Zac Purton, Hugh Bowman, Joao Moreira, Christophe Lemaire and Ryan Moore. Rachel King, Hollie Doyle, James McDonald, William Buick and Umberto Rispoli will look to secure their first title in the competition.
Riders will be allocated their mounts through a random draw, which will be conducted during the traditional Sha Tin ceremony held on Monday, 8 December. The event will carry a combined HK$7.5 million in prize money, with HK$600,000 awarded to the overall winner, HK$250,000 for second and HK$150,000 for third.
Zac Purton will line up on Beauty Thunder in Race 4 (1st Leg), Youth Power in Race 5 (2nd Leg), Flying Fortress in Race 7 (3rd Leg) and Kyrus Dragon in Race 8 (4th Leg). He will note that some mounts appear competitive while others may face a more demanding assignment, and he will welcome the increased depth in this year’s fields.
Hugh Bowman will state that the fields look strong and balanced, and he will regard the upcoming night as a significant edition of the competition.
Trainers will also take part in a bonus scheme mirroring the jockeys’ points allocation. HK$300,000, HK$125,000 and HK$75,000 will be paid to the top three trainers across the four nominated races. David Hayes will target the meeting with seven runners and will express satisfaction with their condition and draws.
Happy Valley’s nine-race card on Wednesday (10 December) will start at 6.30pm with the Class 5 Ventris Handicap (1650m).
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