Lyle Hewitson has narrowly secured the last of 12 spaces in the 2023 LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship (IJC), which will be held on Wednesday 6 December at Happy Valley.
Tied on 10 wins with Andrea Atzeni, Brenton Avdulla and Luke Ferraris, South African Hewitson also had the same number of seconds as Avdulla but a superior number of third-place finishes.
Lyle Hewitson pictured in this archive image with Francis Lui (Pic – HKJC)
The 26-year-old South African will represent Hong Kong in the jockeys’ event, alongside champion jockey Zac Purton, Karis Teetan and Vincent Ho.
International challengers are headed by last year’s co-winner Tom Marquand, representing the UK alongside Hollie Doyle and Ryan Moore. Mikael Barzalona, Bauyrzhan Murzabayev, Yuga Kawada, Rachel King and James McDonald complete the list of international jockeys.
The LONGINES IJC is the most prestigious jockey challenge in the world and the most lucrative for the winning rider.
The four races are worth a combined HK$7.5 million (approx. £780,000) in prize money.
Meanwhile, a total prize fund of HK$1,000,000 (approx. £105,000) in bonus money for the most successful riders will be split three ways, with the winner set to receive HK$600,000 and second and third HK$250,000 and HK$150,000 respectively.
The four-race competition works on a points-based system with 12 points for the win, six points for second place and four points to third.
The ranking of each jockey will be determined by the total number of points earned over all four races and the LONGINES IJC champion will be the jockey with the highest accumulated points.
List of invited jockeys for 2023 LONGINES IJC:
| Jockey | Remarks | |
| Reigning IJC Champion
|
Tom Marquand | LONGINES IJC winner (2022).
British Champion Apprentice (2015).
|
| Champion Jockey | Zac Purton | 2017, 2020 and 2021 LONGINES IJC winner. Six-time Hong Kong Champion Jockey (2013/14, 2017/18, 2018/19, 2019/20, 2021/22 & 2022/23). Brisbane Champion Jockey (2003 – when still an apprentice).
|
| Australia | Rachel King | Sydney Champion Apprentice (2016/17).
|
| Great Britain | Ryan Moore | Two-time winner of both the LONGINES IJC (2009 & 2010) and three-time winner of LONGINES World’s Best Jockey Award (2014, 2016 & 2021). Three-time British Flat Racing Champion Jockey (2006, 2008 & 2009).
|
| Great Britain | Hollie Doyle | Set a new record for most wins by a female jockey in a British calendar year in 2021.
|
| France | Mickael Barzalona | Teenage winner of the G1 Derby at Epsom in 2011 and has since enhanced his reputation, notably riding for Andre Fabre and Godolphin.
French Flat Racing Champion Jockey (2021). |
| Germany | Bauyrzhan Murzabayev
|
Four-time Germany Champion Jockey (2019, 2020, 2021 & 2022). |
| Japan | Yuga Kawada | 2019 World All-Star Jockeys champion. One of nine jockeys in JRA history to have won all five classic races.
JRA Champion Jockey (2022).
|
| New Zealand | James McDonald | Six-time Sydney Champion Jockey (2013/14, 2015/16, 2018/19, 2019/20, 2020/21 & 2021/22). Two-time New Zealand Champion Jockey (2008/09 & 2010/11). Second in 2011 & 2021 IJC and third in 2014. |
| Hong Kong, China | Vincent Ho | Leading homegrown jockey (as of 22 November).
Hong Kong Champion Apprentice (2010/11). Best Freelance Jockey Award (2014/15). Four-time Tony Cruz Award winner (2018/19, 2019/20, 2020/21 & 2022/23).
|
| Hong Kong, China | Karis Teetan | 2019 LONGINES IJC winner. South Africa Champion Apprentice (2008).
|
| Hong Kong, China | Lyle Hewitson | Two-time South Africa Champion Apprentice (2016/17 & 2017/18).
Three-time South Africa Champion Jockey (2017/18, 2019/20 & 2020/21). |
