Superstar riders to light up the 2013 LONGINES International Jockeys' Championship

A stunning line-up of 12 superstar riders will take centre stage at Happy Valley on Wednesday, December 4 for the LONGINES International Jockeys' Championship, worth HK$800,000.

The top three riders in the four-race contest will each receive prize money, with the winner carrying off HK$500,000, the second HK$200,000 and the third HK$100,000.

In what is one of the strongest international line-ups ever assembled, North American legends Mike Smith and Gary Stevens will join peers from around the globe, among them the three-time British champion Ryan Moore, five-time champion of France Christophe Soumillon and two riders who have ignited the Hong Kong circuit this season, 13-time champion Douglas Whyte and Joao Moreira.

"The line-up for the 2013 LONGINES International Jockeys' Championship is about as A-list as it gets," said William A Nader, the Hong Kong Jockey Club's Executive Director of Racing. "It says much about the prestige of this important international event that we have a line-up of some of the world's great riders, all coming into the IJC in outstanding form. It will be fascinating and incredibly exciting to watch these international stars showcase their skills around Happy Valley Racecourse, one of the sport's iconic venues."

Representing nine countries or regions, the invited jockeys include four past winners of the LONGINES IJC, including the 2012 victor Joao Moreira. The Brazilian has enjoyed a stellar start to his Hong Kong career since arriving in late October, but on 4 December he will once again carry the Singapore flag as that nation's reigning champion jockey. This year marks the fourth consecutive season that he has claimed the Singapore title.

The other past winners seeking further glory are Whyte (2002, 2007, 2008), Moore (2009 dead-heat, 2010) and Soumillon (2004 dead-heat).

The American Hall of Fame riders, Smith and Stevens, head to Happy Valley in tremendous form. Smith, the winner of over 5,000 races in the US, will be making his IJC debut and is the most successful rider in Breeders' Cup history. He notched his 20th career win at that event earlier this month when he also took the Bill Shoemaker Award for leading jockey at the Breeders' Cup for the second successive year.

Stevens, who has a profile outside the sport for his role in the blockbuster movie Seabiscuit, has won over 5,000 races worldwide. Since returning from retirement in January, he has enjoyed a dream campaign, capped by the victories of Oxbow in the G1 Preakness and a long-awaited first success in the G1 Breeders' Cup Classic aboard Mucho Macho Man.

Australia's Kerrin McEvoy has ridden big-race winners around the world for Sheikh Mohammed's Darley and Godolphin operations, and has already notched three G1 wins Down Under this season. His fellow IJC debutant, Japan's rising star Suguru Hamanaka, as well as five-time Italian champion Mirco Demuro and France's elite contender Maxime Guyon complete the overseas contingent.

The competition would be incomplete without the Hong Kong heroes, and as well as the reigning Hong Kong champion Whyte, Zac Purton is likely to make the line-up as he is currently premiership leader by nine wins. The final spot is open to the leading Hong Kong local jockey according to the standings on 20 November. Right now, that looks to be a three-way battle between Keith Yeung, Matthew Chadwick and Vincent Ho.

List of invited jockeys for 2013 LONGINES IJC

Country/Region	Jockey	Remarks
Australia	Kerrin McEvoy	Darley's rider in Australia. Winner of 44 G1 races around the world including the Melbourne Cup
Belgium	Christophe Soumillon	Five-time champion in France & joint winner of the 2004 IJC.
France	Maxime Guyon	French star with 20 career G1 wins. Rode Ambitious Dragon to HK Derby glory.
Italy	Mirco Demuro	Five-time Italian champion & G1 ace in Japan. Won 2011 Dubai World Cup.
Japan	Suguru Hamanaka	The winning-most jockey at JRA racecourses in 2012 who landed the G1 February Stakes this year.
Singapore	Joao Moreira	Four-time champion in Singapore now based in Hong Kong. Reigning IJC champion.
UK	Ryan Moore	Three-time UK champion jockey, twice IJC winner & winner of 36 G1 races.
USA	Gary Stevens	Over 5,000 global career wins & back from retirement for more G1 glory this year. Won recent Breeders' Cup Classic.
USA	Mike Smith	Zenyatta's regular rider & Breeders' Cup all-time leading jockey. Over 5,000 career wins & 15 G1 wins this year.
Hong Kong	Douglas Whyte	13-time Hong Kong champion jockey & three-time IJC winner.
Hong Kong	Leading jockey	As at 20 November
Hong Kong	Leading local jockey	As at 20 November

The 2013 LONGINES IJC is a four-race competition in which the following points will be given to each jockey according to the placing of his mount, and the ranking of each jockey will be determined by the total number of points earned in the four races:

12 points for 1st; 6 points for 2nd; 4 points for 3rd.

In the case of dead-heats for any of the first three placings, points will be added and then divided by the number of horses involved. The appropriate points will then be awarded to the relevant jockey. The count-back will be to 4th place.

For further information, please contact  

Andy Clifton

Executive Manager, Public Affairs (Racing)

The Hong Kong Jockey Club

Mobile: (+852) 6659 897

Email: andy.clifton@hkjc.org.hk

Profiles for 2013 LONGINES IJC jockeys

Kerrin McEvoy (Australia, Age 33)

Kerrin McEvoy made his name as a fresh-faced 20-year-old with victory in the G1 Melbourne Cup. Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin team recognised his talent and in 2004 appointed him second rider behind Frankie Dettori in Europe. During that spell he won a British Classic thanks to Rule Of Law in the G1 St Leger and notably partnered Shamardal to G1 success at Royal Ascot. Since returning to Australia in 2008 to become first rider for the Sheikh's Darley operation, he has established himself among the elite in his homeland. To date he has over 800 career wins, as well as 44 G1 wins to his name including three already this season in Australia. This will be his LONGINES IJC debut.

Christophe Soumillon (Belgium, Age 32)

Christophe Soumillon's talent in the saddle has brought him to over 2,200 wins and five champion jockey titles in France. He looks set for a sixth title this year and it was recently announced that he has regained the position as the Aga Khan's number one jockey. Some of his greatest moments have been in the Aga's green silks, notably two Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe wins on Dalakhani and the brilliant filly Zarkava. He has won 66 G1 races across Europe, Japan, Hong Kong, Dubai and the USA, including the 2008 G1 Hong Kong Mile on Good Ba Ba. His horsemanship was once again manifest earlier this month - he notched a rare G1 double when he took one of France's top hurdle races six days before guiding Prince Gibraltar to success in the Criterium de Saint-Cloud.  Soumillon shared victory in a dead-heat for the 2004 IJC.

Maxime Guyon (France, Age 24)

Maxime Guyon is one of the brightest young talents in world racing and has been stable jockey to the mighty Andre Fabre stable since 2009. His haul of over 900 wins includes 20 at G1 level, among them three European classics. He has three top level wins on the board so far this year, the pick being Flintshire's Grand Prix de Paris success in July. He enjoyed a good stint in Hong Kong during the 2010/11 season, during which he partnered Horse of the Year Ambitious Dragon to victories in the HKG1 Hong Kong Derby and HKG1 Hong Kong Classic Cup. Guyon will be contesting the LONGINES IJC for the second time.

Mirco Demuro (Italy, Age 34)

Mirco Demuro, Italy's five-time champion jockey, hails from a family of jockeys and is a familiar face on the JRA circuit in Japan alongside his brother, Cristian. Of his 21 career G1 wins, nine have been achieved in Japan. Among those major wins are the 2003 Japanese Derby, the 2008 Japan Cup, the 2010 Arima Kinen and the 2012 Tenno Sho (Autumn). In all, he has won four Japanese classics and seven Italian classics, as well as top level races in France and Dubai. Perhaps his most famous victory came atop the Japanese raider Victoire Pisa in the 2011 Dubai World Cup. He has won over 2,700 races in 10 countries. This will be his third appearance in the LONGINES IJC.

Suguru Hamanaka (Japan, Age 24)

Suguru Hamanaka is at the forefront of Japan's next generation. A rising star on the JRA circuit, he was The winning-most jockey at JRA racecourses last year with 131 wins and has already notched over 530 winners since making his race riding debut in 2007. Hamanaka partnered Three Rolls to victory in the JPN G1 Japanese St Leger in 2009 and this year he landed the prestigious G1 February Stakes with Grape Brandy. He is making his LONGINES IJC debut.

Joao Moreira (Singapore, Age 30)

Joao "Magic" Moreira has enjoyed a fruitful start to his career in Hong Kong this season. Champion Jockey in Singapore in 2010, 2011 and 2012, he has marched to an emphatic fourth title this year despite his relocation to Hong Kong over two months before season's end. He achieved a second career eight-timer when winning on all eight of his mounts at Kranji in September. Moreira's early career achievements in South America brought over 1,000 wins and two Brazilian Eclipse Awards as well as a notable victory in the G1 Derby Argentino in 2006 on Eu Tambem. His major wins in Asia include Super Easy's SG1 Singapore Guineas and the SG1 Singapore Derby on Chase Me. He has also gained international experience in Australia, France, Germany, Sweden, Macau, Hong Kong and the UAE. Moreira spectacularly landed the LONGINES IJC spoils in 2012 with a last race victory. He will be appearing in the LONGINES IJC for the third time.

Ryan Moore (UK, Age 30)

Combative, driven, tactically astute and naturally gifted, three-time UK champion jockey Ryan Moore is one of the finest riders in the world. A former champion apprentice he has been stable jockey to the powerful Sir Michael Stoute stable since December 2007. His 36 career G1 wins include the 2009 AP QEII Cup on Presvis and the 2010 Hong Kong Cup atop Snow Fairy - a filly he partnered to five G1 wins in four countries, including two classics and back-to-back wins in Japan's QEII Commemorative Cup. Other highlights include Workforce's wins in the 2010 Derby and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Conduit's successive Breeders' Cup Turf victories, this season's Derby success on Ruler Of The World and two wins in the LONGINES IJC (2009 [dead-heat] & 2010). His seven G1 wins this year also include the Breeders' Cup Turf on Magician and victory in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot on The Queen's Estimate.

Gary Stevens (USA, Age 50)

Gary Stevens is an American racing icon. The Idahoan has over 5,000 worldwide career wins and has won each of the US Triple Crown races three times. The most recent of those came in this year's Preakness Stakes and that win on Oxbow sealed a remarkable comeback from a seven-year retirement, during which time he had carved out a career as a TV commentator. He is known beyond racing circles for his prominent role in the blockbuster movie Seabiscuit. Stevens, whose first win came at Boise, Idaho in May 1979, has also enjoyed spells riding in France, for Andre Fabre, and England, for Sir Michael Stoute, where he notched G1 success, as well as four victories at Royal Ascot. He recently snared a first Breeders' Cup Classic on Mucho Macho Man and also rode Beholder to win the Breeders' Cup Distaff to take his Breeders' Cup tally to 10. Stevens rode in Hong Kong for a little under three months during the 1994/95 season and enjoyed great success, partnering 20 winners from only 89 rides. He is making his second IJC appearance - he was seventh on his previous attempt in 2001.

Mike Smith (USA, Age 48)

Mike Smith is one of America's all-time great jockeys with more than 5,000 wins on the board Stateside. The California native, whose father was a jockey, began competing in races in New Mexico at age 11 before joining the professional circuit at age 16. He became the first US-based rider to land a European Classic when he rode Fourstars Allstar to win the Irish 2,000 Guineas in 1991. Inducted into the US Racing Hall of Fame in 2003, he has won all three of the US Triple Crown races at least once, the latest being Palace Malice in this year's Belmont Stakes. Smith is the all-time leading rider at the Breeders' Cup with 20 wins and has won the Bill Shoemaker Award for leading rider at the meeting for the past two years. This year he took the award thanks to three wins, atop Mizdirection (BC Turf Sprint), Outstrip (BC Juvenile Turf) and London Bridge (BC Marathon). He famously rode the great mare Zenyatta to 16 of 19 consecutive wins. This year he has won 15 G1 races. Smith is making his LONGINES IJC debut.

Douglas Whyte (Hong Kong, Age 42)

With 13 uninterrupted Hong Kong Champion Jockey titles to his name, Douglas Whyte is a unique competitor. The outstanding South African is the only jockey to have ridden over 1,000 Hong Kong winners (1,541 as on 11 November) and in 2011 he passed the HK$1 billion mark in prize money won. Known as the "Durban Demon", he partnered South African star London News to major wins including the J&B Met and Hong Kong's QEII Cup. His other notable Hong Kong victories include the Hong Kong Vase on Indigenous, the Hong Kong Derby atop Super Satin, Fay Fay and Akeed Mofeed, as well as Ambitious Dragon's AP QEII Cup win in 2011. Whyte has won the LONGINES IJC three times (2002, 2007 & 2008).