‘More’ Moore In Longines International Jockeys’ Championship

[Wandering Eyes]

Forced to miss important fall fixtures in Ireland, France, England and America owing to a stress fracture in his femur discovered in late August, Ryan Moore made a winning return to the saddle at Lingfield Dec. 3 and on Wednesday evening, won two of the four legs–employing dramatically different tactics–to take out the Longines International Jockeys' Championship for a record-equaling third time at iconic Happy Valley Racecourse on Hong Kong Island. Other dual IJC winners include perennial leading Hong Kong rider Zac Purton, the legendary Douglas Whyte and Frankie Dettori.

Finishing a joint-second on 12 points, each having ridden one winner, were England's William Buick and the now locally based Hugh Bowman.

It was the Norwegian-born Buick who struck in the first leg contested over the 1000-metre minimum trip around the city circuit, as he settled $89 (79-10) chance Bunta Baby (Cable Bay), trained by Manfred Man, well back in the field of 12 behind a hot tempo, picked off runners one-by-one in the final furlong and a half and shoved his mount past Beauty Thunder (Night of Thunder, Purton) in the dying strides (video).

“It's my first winner at Happy Valley, so I'm very happy to have achieved it,” Buick said. “He was coming off the back of a good run last time and was one of my better chances on the night so it's great to get it done.”

Moore, who dead-heated for his first IJC in 2009 before successfully defending his title 12 months on, had the ride on the piping hot $18 (4-5) favourite Corleone (Dundeel), whose trainer Caspar Fownes had already registered a race-to-race double with the visiting Joao Moreira in the first two races on the program. The expected controlling speed from barrier two, Moore kicked the 5-year-old gelding straight into the lead and took his rivals along at a very comfortable pace through the middle stages of the 1650-metre contest.

Carrying second top weight of 134 pounds, Moore nursed his mount along into the final stages and was there for the taking, but Corleone just held off Ace War (Phoenix of Spain) and Rachel King by a short head (video).

Bowman is best known for his affiliation with the legendary Winx (Street Cry {Ire}) from his time in Australia, but has become a consistent fixture while permanently based in Hong Kong over the last three seasons. Himself a winner of the 2016 IJC, the 45-year-old was aboard the $39 (29-10) pick Silvery Breeze (Dundeel) for British ex-pat trainer David Eustace in the third leg of the series, also over the extended mile.

Taken back to near the tail, Silvery Breeze was felt for 400 metres out, ran to daylight about five off the inside with time ticking away and surged past his chief market rival Flying Fortress (Shamexpress) and Purton in yet another desperate finish (video).

With three different riders saluting in the first three legs and with the other pointsgetters lurking, the IJC was very much an unfinished story entering the final leg over the metric six furlongs, with Moore, Buick, Bowman and Purton all on 12 points.

Allotted the appropriately named Triumphant More (Star Turn) for trainer Frankie Lor, Moore had no choice but to go back from gate 10 and save the Australian-bred galloper for a finish. Still with the bulk of the field to navigate turning into the straight, the veteran reinsman conjured up a flying finish out of $236 (22-1) roughie to lead on the post and secure the IJC. American Classic-winning jockey Umberto Rispoli, who spent nine seasons in Hong Kong and was making his IJC debut, settled for second aboard Tourbillon Golfer (Cosmic Force) for Ricky Yiu (video).

Moore had been fighting the leg issue since around the time of the Irish Derby and went for a scan at the back end of August, which revealed the fracture. That ruled him out of meetings such as Irish Champions weekend, the Arc, British Champions Day and the Breeders' Cup, but he was back to his brilliant best beneath the Wednesday night lights at 'the Valley.' He took home a checque for HK$600,000 (£57,816) for his work.

“I'm very fortunate to have been coming back here for so many years and it's a long time since I last won it,” said Moore. “It's fortunate I had two very good rides today and it worked out nicely for me. I'm just thankful to be coming back here and I had the luck tonight.”

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