Wilson gets Hong Kong bid

Emma-Jayne Wilson has been selected to represent Canada in the Cathay Pacific International Jockeys' Championship at Happy Valley Racecourse in Hong Kong on Dec. 5. The 26-year-old rider, winner of both the Sovereign and Eclipse awards as leading apprentice rider in 2005, became the first woman rider to win the Queen's Plate this year, aboard Mike Fox.

"Emma-Jayne will be the first female rider to take part in the Championship," said the Hong Kong Jockey Club's executive of racing, Bill Nader. "We are looking forward to an exciting prelude to the Hong Kong International Races at Sha Tin on Sunday, Dec. 9."

Among Wilson's rivals will be four-time French champion rider Olivier Peslier, seven-time Hong Kong champion Doug Whyte, plus Damien Oliver from Australia, Ryan Moore from Britain, Ireland's Pat Smullen, France's Christophe Soumillon, and Germany's Andrasche Starke, himself a two-time winner of the the International Jockeys' Championship.