Joao Moreira eyes second LONGINES IJC title on return to Hong Kong

By Sam Agars

He helped carry Caspar Fownes to victory in last season’s trainers’ championship, but jockey Joao Moreira’s next trip to Hong Kong will be all about securing some silverware of his own.

One of a string of superstar international riders confirmed for the 2026 LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship (IJC) at Happy Valley Racecourse on Wednesday, 9 December, Moreira will chase a second victory in the competition and his first since 2012.

When Moreira first captured the coveted contest, which sees 12 of the world’s best jockeys compete across four races at the iconic city circuit, he was still based in Singapore and yet to take Hong Kong racing by storm.

“I have no words to describe how I feel. This is very special to me,” the Brazilian said after his breakthrough success 14 years ago.

Over 1,200 Hong Kong wins and four jockeys’ championships later, Moreira will bid to snap a long LONGINES IJC drought after enduring two seconds since his maiden victory.

Moreira, who is heading to Japan for a short-term stint before jetting into Hong Kong for the LONGINES IJC, will arrive at Happy Valley looking to pick up where he left off during a stunning end to the 2025/26 Hong Kong campaign.

While he could manage only two fifths, a sixth and a seventh in last year’s four LONGINES IJC legs – his first appearance in the competition since 2021 – the 43-year-old made a splash elsewhere on the card by taking out the first two races in fine style.

Both of those victories came for Fownes, and the two were again in dominant form when Moreira was unveiled as Fownes’ stable jockey at Happy Valley on 8 April this year, combining for a sparkling four-timer to launch a union that would prove key in the trainer’s march to a fifth trainers’ championship.

“It feels like people are warming up to having me back, and I’m very pleased and proud,” said Moreira following his haul. He has made a handful of trips back to Hong Kong since relinquishing his licence amid ongoing hip problems and personal reasons, and embarking on what was billed as a global farewell tour in 2022.

Moreira went on to ride 32 winners last Hong Kong season, 21 of which came at Happy Valley, including a pair of trebles to accompany his four-timer.

Moreira signed off the campaign in style with a closing-night Happy Valley double on 15 July to finish with a return of 21 wins from just 89 rides at a strike rate of 23.6 per cent at the city circuit compared to an overall return of 16.6 per cent.

Moreira, who will make his 11th appearance in the LONGINES IJC, has previously spoken about how special the event is to him.

“The IJC is where it all began in Hong Kong for me – in 2012 when I came in from Singapore to win the jockeys’ challenge, I believe I caught the eyes of most of the people here in Hong Kong,” he said. “I spent eight-and-a-half years here and Hong Kong racing showed me to the rest of the world. I’m very grateful for what the sport here has done for me.”

Moreira and his 11 rivals will do battle for a prize pool of HK$1 million, which includes a first prize of HK$600,000.

The four-race competition works on a points-based system, with 12 points for a win, six points for second place and four points for third. This year’s edition will again follow the process successfully employed in recent years of allocating rides with a model designed to make the contest as even as possible.