A stellar line-up will contest the 2023 LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship (IJC) at Happy Valley Racecourse on Wednesday, 6 December, 2023.

This year’s exciting line-up includes three previous winners – Ryan Moore, Tom Marquand and Zac Purton – of the world’s most coveted jockey challenge crown – the LONGINES IJC. They will be challenged by emerging stars Bauyrzhan Murzabayev and Rachel King, who will make their LONGINES IJC debuts and the duo will certainly add another dimension to a spectacular night of racing at the city circuit.

Adding further class to the line-up is New Zealand’s James McDonald. The 2022 LONGINES World’s Best Jockey has enjoyed an immensely successful year so far, notably through his fruitful partnership with local hero Romantic Warrior, recently winning the G1 W.S. Cox Plate.

Ryan Moore is no stranger to the LONGINES IJC, having won the event twice . The Englishman currently sits at the top of the LONGINES World’s Best Jockey rankings and is a leading chance to win his fourth World’s Best Jockey title. Among his elite 2023 achievements is a string of Group 1 triumphs aboard Auguste Rodin in Great Britain, Ireland and the United States.

Four-time German Champion Jockey Bauyrzhan Murzabayev is one of world racing’s most exciting jockeys. The 31-year-old Kazakhstani jockey has dominated the German jockeys’ championship recently, winning the title from 2019 to 2022. Last year, Murzabayev won the G1 Deutsches Derby, the G3 Deutsches St Leger and the G1 Grosser Allianz-Preis von Bayern, while also successful in the G1 Hopeful Stakes in Japan. He is currently based in France and is a retained rider for legendary trainer Andre Fabre.

Australian representative Rachel King will make her IJC debut. King, 33, is an English-born rider based in Sydney, Australia, who has vast experience riding overseas including Europe, Japan, Oman, Qatar, Turkey and the United States. She finished runner-up in Japan’s World All-Star Jockeys contest this year, just one point behind the champion Mirai Iwata.

Great Britain’s Hollie Doyle, joint second in the 2021 LONGINES IJC, has been in tremendous form again this year, adding three more Group 1 wins to her tally. Across 2022 and 2023, she formed a strong alliance with Nashwa and has since added three top-level wins aboard the crack filly, including this year’s Falmouth Stakes.

2022 LONGINES IJC joint winner Tom Marquand bids for consecutive successes. He also finished joint-second in the 2021 edition of the event. His highlights this year include Group 1 victories aboard Quickthorn and Dubai Honour in Great Britain and Australia.

Reigning Hong Kong Champion Jockey Zac Purton will chase a record fourth LONGINES IJC crown, having won the event in 2017, 2020 and 2021. He is a six-time Hong Kong Champion Jockey and currently leads this season’s local standings with 26 wins (as of 11 November).

The exciting line-up also includes two overseas riders with proven records in Hong Kong – Japan’s Yuga Kawada and France’s Mickael Barzalona.

Last year’s JRA Champion Jockey Kawada collected three Group 1 wins aboard Liberty Island this year. He also won the G1 Dubai World Cup last March. His 2021 G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup success with Japan’s globetrotting sensation Loves Only You is one of his best performances in Hong Kong.

Mickael Barzalona, representing France, finished joint second with Hollie Doyle, Tom Marquand and James McDonald in the 2021 LONGINES IJC. Through 2023, the Frenchman won his second G1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains aboard Marhaba Ya Sanafi.

The final three spots on the 12-rider roster for the LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship will go to the leading homegrown rider and the highest-ranked riders in the Hong Kong championship standings at the cut-off date, which follows the race meeting on Wednesday, 22 November, 2023.