Dettori and Moore Among Potential Participants in New Jockeys’ League

[Wandering Eyes]

Plans are taking shape for a new global jockeys' league, which would see 12 world-renowned riders compete against each other multiple times a year, across prestigious racecourses located in each of the major racing jurisdictions. It is hoped that the project will get off the ground in 2026, provided commercial partners to help fund the competition can be found in the interim.

Co-founded by former Godolphin chief executive John Ferguson and Lachlan Fitt, who served as chief financial officer of Entain Australia from 2018 until earlier this year, the idea has been conceived with the aim of bringing a fresh audience to the sport.

Frankie Dettori, Ryan Moore and William Buick are among the jockeys expected to be involved in the competition, which would see them compete for points under their own individual team branding in up to 10 events a year.

Fitt said, “We have watched the success of other sports take the power of their athletes and build them into global icons, with the outcome being a whole new generation of fans that now feel a deeper human connection with the athletes.

“The concept we have developed with our foundation jockeys is designed around following a similar model to other sports and we're delighted that the world's best jockeys have come together to drive this change in the way our sport is marketed to the next generation fan.”

It is understood the jockeys will also own equity in their own team and be shareholders in the league, with organisers of the franchise seeking to secure commercial partners with the aim of securing a total prize fund of $15 million within two years.

Fitt added, “One of the guiding principles we have developed with our foundation jockeys is to ensure this league complements the existing global racing calendar and with that principle in mind, we will be looking to align the timing of our league events to be in close proximity to the major racing carnivals across the world.

“It is still early days in our conversations with potential host venues and we are a number of months away from finalising plans in relation to what a launch season could look like. We're hopeful there will be a number of opportunities for the league to be racing in the UK in the first 12 months.”

James McDonald, Christophe Lemaire and Mickael Barzalona are other star names in the frame to take part, while Joao Moreira and Zac Purton could renew their fierce rivalry from their years riding against each other in Hong Kong. Vincent Ho, another leading rider in that jurisdiction, is also set to be involved, along with Japanese legend Yutaka Take and US-based riders Flavien Prat and Irad Ortiz Jr.

For Dettori the competition could see him him riding on British soil for the first time since he partnered King Of Steel to victory in the Champion Stakes at Ascot in October 2023.

He said, “It's a project they have been working on for a few months and I am super excited. It will appeal to a worldwide audience–especially after the Race For The Crown Netflix series–and I can't wait to get started.”

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