A stellar cast, featuring established greats and riders in scintillating form, will contest the 2022 Longines International Jockeys’ Championship (IJC) at Happy Valley Racecourse on Wednesday, 7 December 2022. This Longines IJC will also be the first time that the two leading female jockeys in the world ride on the same card: Australia’s Jamie Kah who makes her debut, while Great Britain’s Hollie Doyle returns for a third time.
James McDonald has already compiled a record worthy of discussion as a great and he’s continued to excel this year with multiple Group One wins, including a Cox Plate aboard Godolphin’s Anamoe. The exciting troupe also includes two previous winners of the world’s most coveted jockey challenge crown, this Longines IJC, in Zac Purton and Ryan Moore.
Tom Marquand will join the contest for the third time as one of world racing’s most rapidly ascending stars. Australian talent Jye McNeil will make his Longines IJC debut, whereas Mickael Barzalona, representing France whwre he is retained by Godolphin, will make his fifth Longines IJC appearance.
Yuga Kawada will be hoping it’s thirdtime lucky as he competes at the IJC for a third time. The final three spots on the roster of 12 IJC riders will go to the leading homegrown rider and highest ranked riders in the Hong Kong championship standings following the Happy Valley race meeting on Wednesday, 23 November 2022.
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$6.942 million ($887,500) in prize money. Meanwhile, a total prize fund of HK$800,000 in bonus money for the most successful riders will be split three ways, with the winner set to receive HK$500,000 and second and third HK$200,000 and HK$100,000 respectively.
The four-race competition works on a pointsbased system with 12 points for the win, six points for second place and four points to third.
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