Karis Teetan, Vincent Ho and Matthew Poon will join Zac Purton as Hong Kong’s representatives in the 2018 LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship on Wednesday 5 December, when 12 top class jockeys will clash at Happy Valley to battle for the title.
Karis Teetan – in the Hong Kong team
The list of this year’s eight invited jockeys for the LONGINES IJC was released on 14 November.
As Hong Kong’s current Champion Jockey, the 2017 IJC victor Zac Purton has the first of four berths allocated to riders from Hong Kong’s excellent talent pool.
Zac Purton – champion
The last three places are filled by two of Hong Kong’s current leading jockeys and the leading local jockey (a graduate of the HKJC Apprentice Jockeys’ School and currently claiming no more than a 3lb allowance) as of 21 November.
While current third-placed rider Ho will participate in the event as the leading home-grown jockey with 15 victories, Teetan and Poon are the second and fourth-placed riders – behind Purton – in the Hong Kong premiership standings, with 27 wins and 14 wins apiece as of 21 November.
These three riders have therefore been allocated the three remaining places. In accordance with the prospectus for the LONGINES IJC races, Ho’s normal two-pound and Poon’s normal three-pound weight allowances will not be applicable in the four legs of this event.
The full list of 12 jockeys who will participate in the 2018 LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship is:
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Jockey
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Remarks
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2017 IFHA LONGINES World’s Best Jockey
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Hugh Bowman
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2016 IJC winner before claiming LONGINES World’s Best Jockey crown last year. Recently combined with champion mare Winx for fourth successive Cox Plate.
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Hong Kong Champion Jockey
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Zac Purton
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Last year’s LONGINES IJC champion and champion jockey in Hong Kong last season. Leads the jockeys’ title again this year.
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Britain
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Ryan Moore
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Two-time winner of both the IJC and LONGINES World’s Best Jockey Award (2014 and 2016). Three-time British champion jockey and has 119 G1 wins to his name (in 11 countries).
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Britain
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Silvestre de Sousa
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Recently crowned Britain’s champion jockey for the third time in four years. Won Dubai World Cup in 2014 and runner-up in IJC last year.
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France
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Mickael Barzalona
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Teenage winner of the G1 Derby at Epsom in 2011 and has since enhanced his reputation as a big-race star, notably for Andre Fabre and Godolphin.
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Hong Kong
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Karis Teetan
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Second-highest ranked Hong Kong jockey as of 21 November. South African champion apprentice in 2008.
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Hong Kong
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Vincent Ho
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Leading local jockey as of 21 November. Currently third highest-ranked Hong Kong jockey as of 21 November. 2010/11 Hong Kong Champion Apprentice.
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Hong Kong
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Matthew Poon
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Fourth-highest ranked Hong Kong jockey as of 21 November. South Australia Champion Apprentice in 2016.
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Ireland
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Colin Keane
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Champion jockey in Ireland in 2017 after being champion apprentice just three years earlier. Young gun competing in first IJC.
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Japan
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Christophe Lemaire
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2009 IJC winner. Champion jockey in Japan in 2017 and leads this year’s championship. Winner of 2018 JRA World All-Star Jockeys.
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Japan
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Yutaka Take
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Japan’s best known jockey with more than 4,000 wins and more than 70 G1 victories including in Hong Kong, England and Dubai.
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USA
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Javier Castellano
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Recently posted his 5,000th winner (108 G1s) and arrives fresh from a double at this year’s Breeders’ Cup.
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