Returning to Hong Kong for a short-term riding stint, Ryan Moore could determine the outcome of the DBS x Manulife Million Challenge at Happy Valley on Wednesday night (26 February) when the champion jockey partners two of the four horses still in contention for overall success in the series.
A four-time winner of the LONGINES World’s Best Jockey Award in 2014, 2016, 2021 and 2023, Moore rides current DBS x Manulife Million Challenge leader Soleil Fighter (50 points) in the Class 3 Tsui Man Handicap (1650m) and fourth-placed Eternal Fortune (40) in the Class 3 King Kwong (1000m).
Both of Moore’s mounts – along with I Can (42) and Aurora Lady (36) – can potentially can win the series, which is decided on a format of 15 points for winning, six points for second, four for third and three for fourth.
Gustosisimo, who is not racing in the series finale tomorrow night, is currently in second place overall with 42 points. Connections of the winning horse will receive HK$1 million with HK$350,000 to the runner-up and HK$150,000 for third.
Looking ahead to a three-meeting stint, which includes the HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) at Sha Tin on Sunday (2 March), Moore is delighted to be back in Hong Kong, where he has twice won the LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship (2009 & 2010) and a string of the city’s elite races.
“The Club reached out to me and I’m always happy to come here, it’s a privilege to ride in Hong Kong with the competitive racing. It’s the best-run racing in the world, so whenever you are asked to come here, I will,” Moore said after riding Sunny Da Best in a trial at Sha Tin this morning (Tuesday, 25 February).
“I’m grateful to have the opportunity. I’ve been off for a couple of months. I rode in Saudi Arabia at the weekend. That was the first time I rode since the Arima Kinen (in Japan in December). The body is fine and it’s nice to get going again. We start the season back home in the middle of March, so the timing was right to get going again and to come to Hong Kong.”
David Hayes snapped up Moore’s services for Soleil Fighter after deciding to back up the gelding following his third at the city circuit last Wednesday (19 February).
“It’s a pleasure to have a world-class rider on and I’m really happy to be using Ryan. It’s just a matter of having a horse good enough to get him on,” Hayes said. “I think Soleil Fighter will back up well. The key to this horse is drawing a good barrier and he’s done that with barrier one and I’ll be disappointed if he doesn’t put his run up.”
The clash between Soleil Fighter and Pierre Ng’s I Can in the Tsui Man Handicap could effectively decide the series, while Ng’s Aurora Lady can also win the challenge if he lands the Class 3 Sing Woo Handicap (1200m) and other results go his way.
Hayes-trained Tomodachi Kokoroe and Danny Shum’s Copartner Ambition tied for overall honours in last season’s DBS x Manulife Million Challenge, which runs from September to February in Class 3 races and above.
“It’s a good series to win. Apart from the prize money, the owner’s horse is often on the front of the racebook for most of the season, so it’s nice to have their colours put on show,” Hayes said, whose ambitions could be foiled by Moore aboard Shum-trained Eternal Fortune in the final race on tomorrow night’s card.
Hayes indicated Ka Ying Rising would next contest the HK$5.35 million G2 Sprint Cup (1200m) at Sha Tin on 30 March after the star sprinter’s victory in the G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) last Sunday (23 February).
“He’s pulled up really well. He’s eaten all his feed as usual and he’ll head up to Conghua tomorrow to do his usual routine to get ready for the next race. I would say he will definitely run a month between runs, instead of two,” Hayes said.
If Ka Ying Rising remains undefeated in his next two starts, he will match Beauty Generation and Lucky Sweynesse’s record of posting eight wins in a Hong Kong season.
Wednesday night’s (26 February) nine-race Happy Valley meeting starts with the Class 1 Blue Pool Handicap (1200m) at 6.40pm.
By Leo Schlink
