Moreira ready to represent at JRA��s 2015 World All-Star Jockeys

26/08/2015

Hong Kong’s Champion Jockey Joao Moreira will make his maiden appearance at the 2015 World All-Star Jockeys series at Sapporo Racecourse, Japan, this weekend (29 & 30 August). The Brazilian phenomenon is raring to compete, with the Hong Kong racing season not scheduled for kick-off until the following Sunday (6 September).

“I’m really looking forward to it. I enjoy these jockey competitions a lot because, they’re always challenging,” said Moreira, who is aiming to become the third Hong Kong-based representative to capture the title following Douglas Whyte (2004 - tied with Andreas Suborics) and Zac Purton (2012).

Formerly known as the World Super Jockeys Series, the JRA has this year moved the competition from its usual November/December berth to a new late-August slot. The international jockeys’ competition comprises four races, all on turf, to be contested over two days at Sapporo’s weekend meeting. 

Moreira will partner Jun Fight Kun in Saturday’s first leg, a 2600m event, and his mount in the second leg later that afternoon, a contest over 2000m, is Jungle Cruise. The rider’s two mounts on Sunday are Bravissimo in the third leg, a 1200m sprint, and Quetzalcoatl in the final leg, which will be staged over 1800m.

“All of us will most likely be riding horses that we’ve never touched before and then it’s down to some luck and who has the skills to get the best out of each horse they ride. Luck and skill both play a big part but I’ll make the most of it, in that I’ll try to use my experience. Those guys I’m riding against will ride differently to how I ride,” he said.

“It will be a good experience and it will be a pleasure for me to ride against those really good riders. Some of them are among the very best in the world so, as a professional rider, you love to be riding against them.”

Moreira will compete against seven JRA jockeys, two other Japanese representatives from the regional National Association of Racing (NAR), and four other top overseas jockeys for the individual winner’s prize of 3 million yen and a trophy. 

The JRA has, for the first time, added a team component to the format, in which the five visiting jockeys and two NAR jockeys will join forces and challenge the JRA jockeys’ team.

Moreira won the LONGINES IJC at Happy Valley in 2012 and has also won jockeys’ challenges in South Africa and Perth, Australia. He sees the weekend’s contest not only as a great opportunity to compete against top riders overseas, but also as an ideal prep for the upcoming Hong Kong Season opener.

“I’ll be getting myself fit for the beginning of the season here, too, which is very important,” he added. “I did put on a little bit of weight in the off-season but I’m dropping it off quickly and hopefully this competition in Japan will put me 100 percent fit for the first meeting at Sha Tin.”

List of jockeys to participate in 2015 World All-Star Jockeys