Horse Racing World Unveils Stellar Lineup for Hong Kong Championship, Here?s the Full Schedule

The 2023 Longines International Jockeys’ Championship is back and is scheduled on 6th December at Hong Kong’s Happy Valley Racecourse. With a total offering of HK$800,000 this year. Featuring 12 jockeys from Hong Kong and six international riders. The IJC comprises four races where each jockey competes in all. Points are earned based on race finishes and the jockey with the most points across the four races claims the championship.

But this year is going to be full of excitement. The most famous jockeys will showcase their talent, including riders like Ryan Moore, Hollie Doyle, Tom Marquand and Hong Kong’s own Zac Purton. The addition of international jockeys adds even more excitement to it.

Stellar Jockey line-up

Ryan Moore, among other star-studded riders, is regarded as one of the very best globally. He is a British, championship jockey who has won big races like The Epsom Derby, Prix de l?Arc de Triomphe, and the Breeder?s Cup Classic thrice. Cool-headed and astute, he has emerged victorious in many major races such as the Group 1 St Leger Stakes and Group 1 British champions sprint stakes, together with his other compatriot, Tom Marquand. Tactical, he has been referred to as and is recognized as a man capable of reading a race.

Furthermore, Hollie Doyle who is famous for the victories she had achieved in the Hong Kong circus took the joint second position in the 2021 challenge. The reigning Hong Kong Champion Jockey Zac Purton, who targets his fourth crown of the Longine IJC this season, tops the season?s local standings with a total of 26 wins by November, 11th.

International presence and prize details

Furthermore, the competition intensified with the participation of seasoned overseas riders who had previously triumphed in Hong Kong, such as Japan?s Yuga Kawada and France?s Mickael Barzalona. The Longines International Jockeys? Challenge, featuring a combined race purse of HK$7.5 million (approximately ?780,000), stands as the pinnacle of jockey contests globally. An additional HK$1 million bonus fund (around ?105,000) awaits the top riders, distributed in percentages among the top three, with the first-place winner securing HK$600,000.

Andrew Harding, the Executive Director of Racing at the Hong Kong Jockey Club, expressed his excitement, affirming, ?The Longines International Jockeys’ Championship remains a highlight in the global racing calendar. This year’s event promises heightened thrills, especially with the inclusion of debutants Bauyrzhan Murzabayev and Rachel King in the lineup.?

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The championship employs a points ranking system, where twelve points are allocated for first place, six for second, and four for third. The cumulative scores across all four races determine the ultimate King of the Longines IJC based on the highest overall points achieved.

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