The highly anticipated line-up for the 2024 LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship (IJC) has been revealed, featuring 12 elite riders set to clash on Wednesday, 4 December, at Happy Valley. Representing Hong Kong, China, Zac Purton, Vincent Ho, Hugh Bowman, and Karis Teetan will lead a world-class field in this prestigious event on the racing calendar.

Zac Purton, the reigning 2023/24 Hong Kong Champion Jockey, spearheads the local charge, with Vincent Ho defending his IJC title. Former IJC champions Hugh Bowman and Karis Teetan join them, having earned their places with strong form this season.

Leading Contenders in Focus:

• Vincent Ho: Defending his IJC title, Ho’s accolades include multiple Tony Cruz Awards, making him a top contender.
• Zac Purton: With three IJC titles and seven Hong Kong Champion Jockey titles, Purton’s experience and skill will be key.
• Rachel King: Representing Australia, King impressed with a third-place finish in her IJC debut in 2023.
• Ryan Moore: A two-time IJC winner with numerous international honors, Moore is a formidable competitor for Great Britain.
• James McDonald: Recently crowned the world’s best jockey, is enjoying a successful stint in Hong Kong at the moment. McDonald is determined to bring glory to New Zealand.

List of invited jockeys for 2024 LONGINES IJC

Ricky Yiu launches a three-pronged attack in the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races (HKIR) at Sha Tin on Sunday, 8 December and Yiu believed all his three runners will go close.

Since Fairy King Prawn’s victory in the inaugural Hong Kong Sprint, Yiu has added two more Hong Kong Sprint wins to his tally with Sacred Kingdom in 2007 and 2009. This year, he will saddle Voyage Bubble in the HK$36 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (1600m) and Straight Arron and Nimble Nimbus in the HK$40 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m).

Among his trio this year, Yiu makes it no secret Voyage Bubble will be the major contender in the LONGINES Hong Kong Mile. The last start winner of the G2 BOCHK Private Wealth Jockey Club Mile (1600m), Voyage Bubble had a turf gallop last Thursday (28 Nov) under big race jockey James McDonald, clocking 29.9s, 30.4s and 23.1s over 1200m leaving Yiu very pleased with the work.

Yiu said: “Voyage Bubble is currently in great form and McDonald also knows the horse very well. The horse is still improving and his form is as good as last year when he was just beaten by Golden Sixty in last year’s race.

“He is a versatile type of horse, very smart, he can go to the front or settle behind, in whatever position. I believed he will run a good race this Sunday. Another Hong Kong runner Galaxy Patch and Soul Rush from Japan will be the major rivals.

“My other two runners, Straight Arron and Nimble Nimbus, are both in top fitness and both of them are tough and have strong fighting hearts, and hopefully they can go close on the big day. Indeed they both ran well in the BOCHK Jockey Club Cup last start.”

Straight Arron will be ridden by Brenton Avdulla and Nimble Nimbus will be ridden by Andrea Atzeni on Sunday.

“I also think the team of Hong Kong, China had good chances in three of the four HKIR G1 races this year, namely the Cup, the Mile and the Sprint race, while overseas runners are very strong in the Vase race,” Yiu added.

A bit of local knowledge goes a long way for Hugh Bowman, who appeared pleasantly surprised at the outcome of the rides allocation for Wednesday’s (4 December) LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship (IJC).

Bowman was part of the delegation for a media briefing at Sha Tin on Monday morning (2 December) to discover what he would be riding in the popular event at Happy Valley.

He kicks off with Mark Newnham’s Notthesillyone in the 1st Leg (1000m) followed by Jumbo Fortune, second three times in five starts for David Eustace, in the 2nd Leg (1650m).

Later in the card, he has Lovero for Tony Cruz in the 3rd Leg (1650m) and rounds the night off for the same trainer aboard last-time winner Gustosisimo in the 4th Leg (1200m).

“Having been based here I have more of an understanding of the horses than I’ve had in previous times I’ve competed but I’ve got a couple of good rides,” Bowman said. “Jumbo Fortune and Gustosisimo, they’re both very good rides in my opinion.”

Australian-born Bowman, winner of the LONGINES World’s Best Jockey in 2017 and famed for his association with wonder mare Winx, has past history with the competition.

In his second full season on the Hong Kong roster, he is delighted to be taking on 11 other members of the international elite.

“I won it in 2016 and I’ve placed as well,” he said. “It’s just good to be a part of it and I’m representing Hong Kong (China) for the first time, which is really nice.”

After Wednesday, attention will turn to the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races.

Bowman, who passed a century of Group 1 wins in 2022, is currently second in the overall standings behind Zac Purton and takes on his rival in a box-office edition of the HK$26 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m).

He partners John Size’s Helios Express, upon whom he rattled up a hat-trick of wins at Sha Tin last season. Most recently, the pair was third to Ka Ying Rising in the G2 BOCHK Private Banking Jockey Club Sprint (1200m)

“The Sprint and the Cup have standout horses in Ka Ying Rising and of course Romantic Warrior, but I feel Helios Express is a worthy contender in the Sprint,” Bowman said.

“I’m not sure whether he’s capable of beating the other horse at set weights but he’ll certainly race well.”

By Tom Peacock