Ryan Moore – takes on Magic Moreira
Ryan Moore will pit his skills against charismatic Brazilian Joao Moreira, the man many rate as his chief rival to be the world’s leading flat jockey, after being granted a short-term riding licence by the Hong Kong Jockey Club.
The 32-year-old Moore, who was on Tuesday given a contract to ride in Hong Kong from January 17 to February 28, has had many high-profile successes across the globe, but will be facing record-breaking champion Moreira in his adopted back yard.
Known as ‘Magic Man’ by locals, Moreira smashed Douglas Whyte’s previous record of 114 winners in a season when partnering a whopping 145 last term.
Those figures are unlikely to concern the talented and single-minded Moore, who recently returned from a neck injury that kept him on the sidelines for more than two months.
Three-time champion jockey in Britain, Moore has won Classics in Britain, Ireland and France, major races in Japan, the States and Canada, and last year completed the double of Australia’s greatest races when winning the Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup.
Joao Moreira
Ryan Moore will pit his skills against charismatic Brazilian Joao Moreira, the man many rate as his chief rival to be the world’s leading Flat jockey, after being granted a short-term riding licence by the Hong Kong Jockey Club.
The 32-year-old Moore, who was on Tuesday given a contract to ride in Hong Kong from January 17 to February 28, has had many high-profile successes across the globe, but will be facing record-breaking champion Moreira in his adopted back yard.
Known as ‘Magic Man’ by locals, Moreira smashed Douglas Whyte’s previous record of 114 winners in a season when partnering a whopping 145 last term.
Those figures are unlikely to concern the talented and single-minded Moore, who recently returned from a neck injury that kept him on the sidelines for more than two months.
Three-time champion jockey in Britain, Moore has won Classics in Britain, Ireland and France, major races in Japan, the States and Canada, and last year completed the double of Australia’s greatest races when winning the Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup.
He also steered the Ed Dunlop-trained Snow Fairy to victory in the Hong Kong Cup in 2010.
Tough place to ride
His arrival – one of the most significant among European riders in recent years – has been welcomed by his former weighing room colleague in Britain Neil Callan, who is now based in Hong Kong and was fifth behind Moreira in the jockeys’ title last season.
“Ryan’s ridden in Japan, which is a bit different to here, and in Australia, so there’s nothing he’s not going to be used to,” said Callan, who has started this season well with eight winners.
Neil Callan returns on Pikachu
“It’s one of the toughest places in the world to ride, but Ryan’s a world-class jockey and he’ll be well supported.”
Callan, who won the biggest race of the season so far when partnering Not Listening’tome to a two-length success in the National Day Cup this month, added: “Ryan’s a good friend of mine and our wives get on, so it’ll be good to spend some time with him, but I welcome the competition.
“We’ve got some strong riders here in Joao and Zac Purton, who was champion the season before Joao, and I love the competition – bring it on.”
Also set for a spell in Hong Kong are French-based riders Gregory Benoist, Al Shaqab’s retained man in France, and champion jump jockey Vincent Cheminaud.
Who’s hot in Hong Kong
Joao Moreira
Punters’ pal dominated in Singapore before relocating and taking his new home by storm in 2013. Regular rider of Hong Kong darling Able Friend, the nation’s highest-ever rated horse.
Douglas Whyte
Douglas Whyte
Veteran reigned for 13 consecutive seasons before being toppled by Zac Purton in 2013-14. Only Moreira has had more winners than him this campaign.
Zac Purton
Enigmatic Australian, who moved to Hong Kong in 2007, derailed Whyte’s dominance and is one of only three men to ride 100 winners in a season (Whyte and Moreira have also done it).
Neil Callan
Familiar face to British race fans and was second in the race to be champion jockey in 2005 and 2007. Began riding in Hong Kong in 2010, but was licensed for the full season last term.
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