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.
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DRF Past Performances
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.
Given a perfect ride by Shinji Fujita, the Japanese-bred 4-year-old son of Wild Rush covered the distance around the two-turn course in 1:48.90 on a track labeled good. The winner had previously taken the Grade 3 Miyako Stakes over the same distance at Kyoto on Nov. 7 from King’s Emblem who, at 4.30-1, could only manage a seventh-place finish Sunday.
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.
A 4-year-old son of Wild Rush, the winner of the 1998 Metropolitan Handicap and Carter Handicap, Transcend covered about 1 1/8 miles over a track rated good in 1:48.90 as the favorite in a field of 16 runners. He prepped for the race by winning the Grade 3 Miyako Stakes at 1 1/8 miles.
Shinji Fujita rode the winner for trainer Takayuki Yasuda, 57, who earned his first Grade 1 triumph.
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.
A 4-year-old son of 1998 Metropolitan Handicap and Carter Handicap winner, Wild Rush, Transcend comes into the race off a victory in Kyoto’s 1 1/8-mile, Grade 3 Miyako Stakes. Trained by Takayuki Yasuda, he will be ridden by Shinji Fujita.
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. The French-based Belgian jockey had ridden the popular filly to an apparent 1 3/4-length triumph in the $5.7 million race, but in drifting in at the eighth pole, he was ruled by the stewards to have interfered with eventual runner-up Rose Kingdom, who was awarded the race after an agonizing 24-minute inquiry.
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.
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.
The contest will begin with a one-mile dirt race, followed by a 1 1/4-mile turf race and a one-mile turf event. The winner will receive $35,700, the runner-up $23,800, and the third-place finisher $11,900.
Winchester will be the only American-trained horse competing on Hong Kong International Race Day at Sha Tin on Dec. 12. The Christophe Clement-trained winner of the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic and the Manhattan Handicap, Winchester has been selected by the Hong Kong Jockey Club to run in the 1 1/2-mile, $1.8 million Hong Kong Vase, in which he will run into the Melbourne Cup winner, Americain. Fourth most recently in the Breeders’ Cup Turf, Winchester, a 5-year-old son of Theatrical owned by Mr. and Mrs. Bert Firestone, is scheduled to depart for Hong Kong on Dec. 6.