It’s been four years since Hong Kong’s Karis Teetan won the LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship (IJC) and he can’t wait to have another crack at winning the title at Wednesday’s (6 December) Happy Valley meeting.

Teetan will again tackle the world’s best jockeys in the lucrative series where riders accumulate points over four races in a bid to win the prestigious title and generous prizemoney.

The riders were allocated horses through an electronic process at today’s (4 December) draw and Teetan was happy with the four horses he drew.

Six-time Hong Kong Champion Jockey Zac Purton believes he has his work cut out in his bid for a fourth success in the LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship (IJC) at Happy Valley on Wednesday night (6 December) after a challenging start to the season.

Ahead of what shapes as his fourth and final appearance at the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races, Golden Sixty was as enthusiastic as ever at Sha Tin this morning (Monday, 4 December) under former jockey Alex Yu – his regular work rider – while trainer Francis Lui watched on from his traditional vantage point in the trainers’ stand.

Not since 2010 has the UAE national anthem rung out over Sha Tin racecourse following one of the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races (HKIR). Aiming to plug that long gap this year in the LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m) will be West Wind Blows, who has a historical connection on his side.

Since the international races assumed their present form in 1999, the UAE is credited with four wins, by Fantastic Light and Ramonti in the Cup, in 2000 and 2007 respectively, by Firebreak in the 2004 Mile, and by Mastery in the 2010 Vase.

HAPPY VALLEY SELECTIONS
(Wednesday, December 06, 2023) 

The Kentucky-bred Lemon Pop led throughout Sunday’s Grade 1 Champions Cup at Chukyo Racecourse in Japan, becoming the fourth horse to sweep two Grade 1 dirt races at Japan Racing Association tracks in the same year.

Lemon Pop ($8.10 in American pools) broke from the outside in a field of 15 and maintained an advantage of at least a length throughout the $1.58 million race at 1 1/8 miles. The 5-year-old Lemon Pop won by 1 1/4 lengths over 91-1 Wilson Tesoro, who overcame trouble in early stretch.

Not Too Bad and Foxy Baroness, the two runners at the top of the weights, are expected to dominate a one-mile handicap at Narromine Racecourse in Australia on Monday evening.

Both have won in recent months, leaving them well positioned for additional success in a field of seven in the first of seven races at Narromine.

The program begins at 10:10 p.m. Eastern or 7:10 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

Blue Sky Moon has won twice in Australia this year following layoffs, in April after a break of more than three months, and on Nov. 16 after a gap of nearly seven months.

On Sunday evening at Ballina Racecourse, Blue Sky Moon will have his 38th start in a five-furlong handicap. Blue Sky Moon will attempt to do something he has done only once in five attempts in his career – win his second start after a rest, or, “second-up” in Australian racing jargon.

The veteran gelding Full Press can continue his 2023 success in cup races at countryside tracks in Australia in the Armidale Cup at Armidale Racecourse on Saturday evening.

Full Press won the Lismore Cup at 1 5/16 miles at Lismore Racecourse in September and was later seventh by 3 3/4 lengths in the Port Macquarie Cup at Port Macquarie Racecourse in October.

Last month, Full Press was 13 of 20 in the $1.8 million Big Dance Stakes at a mile at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney.

The Kentucky-bred Lemon Pop won the Grade 1 February Stakes at a mile on dirt at Tokyo Racecourse in February and will attempt to sweep Japan’s other Grade 1 race on dirt in Sunday’s $1.58 million Champions Cup at 1 1/8 miles at Chukyo Racecourse.

Lemon Pop, by Lemon Drop Kid, is part of a field of 15 in the Champions Cup, a race known at times in the past as the Japan Cup Dirt.