By Alan Carasso
Frankie Dettori, riding in arguably career-best form and whose 19 worldwide Group 1 victories in 2019 include three atop the sensational Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), is among eight foreign-based jockeys who will converge on Hong Kong's Happy Valley Racecourse for the 2019 renewal of the Longines International Jockeys' Championship Wednesday, Dec. 4.
A three-time winner of the IJC, Dettori–who turns 49 Dec. 15– will participate in the series for the first time since 2011, when he defeated New Zealand-born, but Sydney-based James McDonald with a then-record 30 points. McDonald, who secured a third Sydney premiership last season, also filled third spot behind Japan's Yuichi Fukunaga in 2014.
Yuga Kawada represents the Land of the Rising Sun as he makes his first IJC appearance. One of only nine jockeys in the history of the JRA to win all five Classic races, Kawada is currently second in the Japanese premiership, trailing perennial champion Christophe Lemaire by just seven winners through last weekend's action. Kawada claimed this year's World All-Star Jockeys competition at Sapporo Racecourse, defeating Lemaire and Hong Kong's Karis Teetan.
The Mauritian-born Teetan is fresh off a victory aboard the exciting 3-year-old Aethero (Aus) (Sebring {Aus}) and earned his first win at the international meeting courtesy of Mr Stunning (Aus) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) last December. South Africa's champion apprentice of 2008, he sits third behind 2012 IJC hero Joao Moreira and three-time Hong Kong champion and 2017 IJC victor Zac Purton in the local standings. Vincent Ho, third in last year's competition, should secure his spot in this year's field as well as the top 'homegrown' rider.
Silvestre de Sousa accumulated a record 34 points with a pair of victories and placings in the other two legs of the series and is back to defend his title. Ryan Moore won the IJC in 2009 and 2010 and along with IJC debuter Oisin Murphy will represent Britain. Colin Keane, runner-up last year, will look to build on that success and two-time French champion and Arc-winning rider Pierre-Charles Boudot, third in the 2017 IJC, completes the field.
“This year's Longines International Jockeys' Championship has all the factors in place to be a classic edition,” said Andrew Harding, Executive Director, Racing, for the HKJC. “We have a fantastic line-up of gifted riders, champions of great merit and huge appeal, and Frankie Dettori's return to the Valley off an incredible year of achievement with rare champions like Enable and Stradivarius adds even greater excitement to what is always a thrilling contest.
“The Hong Kong Jockey Club has succeeded again in putting together an outstanding cast of riders and we are looking forward to a great night of sport at what is not only the richest jockey challenge in the world but also the most spectacular.”
Total prize money for the IJC totals HK$800,000, with HK$500,000 to the winner, HK$200,000 for second and HK$100,000 for third.
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