Ryan Moore, the two-time Breeders’ Cup-winning British rider, got the better of local champion Doug Whyte in a thrilling finish to the final race to land the 13th Cathay Pacific International Jockeys’ Championship at Happy Valley, Hong Kong, on Wednesday evening.
Julien Leparoux makes his Hong Kong debut Wednesday night in the hothouse atmosphere of Happy Valley Racecourse in the heart of the bustling island city where he will represent the United States in the Cathay Pacific International Jockeys’ Championship. Leparoux will be one of three French-born riders in the four-race competition, joining compatriots Olivier Peslier and Christophe Lemaire as well as big-name jockeys from around the world like Johnny Murtagh, Ryan Moore and perennial Hong Kong champion Doug Whyte.
Transcend led them from start to finish as the 5-2 favorite in the $3 million Japan Cup Dirt at Hanshin on Sunday, holding on for a neck victory over Glorious Noah in the 1 1/8-mile Grade 1 contest.
Transcend, capitalizing on the absence of several of Japan’s leading dirt horses, held off Glorious Noah by a neck to win Sunday’s $3 million, Grade 1 Japan Cup Dirt at Hanshin Racecourse.
Transcend can take advantage of the absence of many of Japan’s best dirt horses to win the $3 million Japan Cup Dirt at Hanshin on Sunday when the 1 1/8-mile, Grade 1 test will have its 11th running minus defending title-holder Epsoir City as well as Furioso, Smart Falcon, and the recently retired Kane Hekili.
Olivier Peslier will replace Christophe Soumillon in the Cathay Pacific International Jockeys Championship at Happy Valley on Dec. 8. The Hong Kong Jockey Club made the announcement on Tuesday, one day after Soumillon was suspended for four days by the Japan Racing Association for careless riding aboard Buena Vista in the Japan Cup.
Jockey Christophe Soumillon had insult added to injury on Monday when he was suspended for four days by the Japan Racing Association for having caused the incident that led to the disqualification of his mount, Buena Vista, in the Japan Cup on Sunday.
Buena Vista had the $5.7 million Japan Cup taken away from her by the stewards at Tokyo Racecourse on Sunday in a controversial decision that denied the nation’s most popular horse a clear-cut victory. In place of the 9-10 favorite, the 8-1 runner-up Rose Kingdom was declared the winner.
Nakayama Festa and Buena Vista will duke it out in the $5.7 million Japan Cup at Tokyo Racecourse on Sunday as the two leading Japanese horses continue their battle for supremacy there.
Mike Smith will fly the Stars and Stripes for America in the World Super Jockeys Series at Tokyo Racecourse on Saturday. The three-race challenge will feature eight riders from six different countries in addition to seven Japanese jockeys.
