Three SA jockeys to line up against world’s best in Singapore
Racing reporter
With less than a month to go to the inaugural Premier Gateway International Jockeys Challenge, 12 of the world’s best jockeys are set to do battle in Singapore’s very first jockeys’ series.
Split into four teams of three, the international line-up will vie for top honours in four selected races at a night meeting at Kranji on Tuesday, September 25.
Top Brazilian jockey and former Kranji favourite Joao Moreira will no doubt be one of the main drawcards as he returns to his old stomping ground as Team Asia’s armband-wearer.
Freshly-licensed in Japan, the former four-time Singapore champion jockey and three-time Hong Kong champion jockey will have as team-mates the two Singapore table-toppers, Vlad Duric in the senior ranks and Troy See in the junior ranks.
Currently leading the Singapore jockeys’ log, Duric, from Melbourne, Australia, was twice runner-up to Moreira in 2010 and 2011 before he claimed his first Singapore title last year. See will add local flavour to Team Asia, as he will be the only homegrown rider to have gained a spot for the host country.
Moreira will certainly not be the only headline act at the glittering contest organised by South Africa’s Phumelela Gaming & Leisure and Tabcorp, with their international subsidiary Premier Gateway International (PGI), and hosted by the Singapore Turf Club.
The three other teams, namely Team Australia, Team UK and Team South Africa, will not be flying to Kranji for fun and games, if the firepower in their squads is anything to go by.
Team Australia will be captained by none other than the 2017 Longines World’s Best Jockey Hugh Bowman, also better known as world champion mare Winx’s regular partner. The fourtime Sydney champion jockey will have fellow Sydney top gun Kerrin McEvoy and leading Melbourne rider Mark Zahra as team-mates.
At his first visit to the Lion City, McEvoy, who was once second jockey at Godolphin to Frankie Dettori, is a winner of more than 60 Group 1 races worldwide, including two Melbourne Cups – Brew (2000) and Almandin (2016).
Originally from Western Australia, Zahra is not as well known, but with more than 1 100 winners to his name, including 11 at Group 1 level, he has established himself among the Top 10 in Melbourne.
Bowman will not be the only Shergar Cup winner in the lineup. Team UK’s flagbearer will be none other than the victor of this year’s annual Ascot jockeys’ series, Hayley Turner, one of the best female jockeys to have graced the English turf in recent years.
South Africa’s changing of the guard will be well and truly present at Kranji showcasing their talent to the world.
She will be joined by Rab Havlin and PJ McDonald, two of UK’s finest ambassadors.
Last but not least, Team South Africa will carry the hopes of the organising country. The selection of their team members was simple; bring the top three on the national log.
Lyle Hewitson, Muzi Yeni and Aldo Domeyer finished in that order in the just-concluded South African racing season at the end of July, and it stood to reason the trio of young riders would be the ones to wear the Rainbow Nation colours at Kranji.
The trio may not have extensive overseas experience or have ever ridden in Singapore for that matter, but South Africa’s changing of the guard will be well and truly present at Kranji showcasing their talent to the world.