Geroux to ride in Hong Kong jockey challenge

Florent Geroux is among nine riders invited by the Hong Kong Jockey Club to participate next month in the lucrative Longines International Jockeys Championship.

Geroux is the lone American-based representative in a field that includes Ryan Moore, Joao Moreira, Pat Smullen, Mickael Barzalona, Mirco Dimuro, Keita Tosaki, Hugh Bowman, and Gavin Lerena, who won the competition last year.

Three more slots are reserved for Hong Kong-based jockeys whose participation will be determined nearer the competition, which takes place Dec. 7 at Happy Valley Racecourse. The competition spans four races through which participants are awarded points based on their placings. The winner, who gets about $64,000, is the rider with the most total points. Mounts are randomly assigned.

The competition is part of the biggest week of the Hong Kong racing season, culminating in the Dec. 11 card at Sha Tin featuring four Group 1 races.

Polar River back racing in Dubai

Polar River, one of the most exciting horses to race at the World Cup Carnival last winter in Dubai, makes her first start after a long layoff on Thursday at Meydan.

Polar River, a 3-year-old American-bred filly by Congrats, won her first three starts last season in Dubai by more than 30 lengths combined before beating Vale Dori, the talented filly now based in California, by three-quarters of a length in the UAE Oaks. Polar River finished second to the Japanese colt Lani in the UAE Derby, after which a tentative plan to ship to North America was scrapped in favor of a long rest.

Trained by Doug Watson, Polar River is one of 10 entrants in a conditions race over 1,600 meters on Meydan’s main track. All her rivals are male and older, and Polar River is merely readying for larger prizes later this winter, but she is easily the highest-rated horse in the race and will be expected to return a winner.