The 2021-2022 Hong Kong Jockey Club season began on September 5 and will continue with racing twice a week until July 16. The rider colony has been dominated by Joao Moreira and Zac Purton as they have shared the last eight titles but the more familiar you are with the other riders, the better you will be. The racing is extremely competitive and the riders are under extreme scrutiny from the racing officials. At the end of each racing day, they issue warnings, reprimands and suspensions when the rules are not being followed. As a bettor, rest assured you are getting a fair shake.
The leading riders win the most races but they also receive the most backing. Blindly betting them rarely works out over time. In Hong Kong, there are just over 20 riders that have licenses to ride. Because the average field size is over 12, many of them are kept busy but don't always get quality mounts. Thus, many have very low win percentages. Still, when they win, they can pay well.
The following are the leading jockeys from the 2020-2021 season based on wins:
| Jockey | Wins | Rides | Money Earned |
| Joao Moreira | 157 | 742 | $1,212.90 |
| Zac Purton | 125 | 713 | $1,180.20 |
| Karis Teetan | 79 | 741 | $1,182.80 |
| Vincent Ho | 61 | 614 | $910.50 |
| Jerry Chau | 58 | 481 | $1,044.80 |
| Alexis Badel | 58 | 622 | $943.40 |
| Derek Leung | 39 | 609 | $1,146.30 |
| Matthew Poon | 37 | 537 | $965.30 |
| Matthew Chadwick | 31 | 458 | $670.90 |
| Antoine Hamelin | 27 | 538 | $690.40 |
| Chad Schofield | 26 | 390 | $463.90 |
| Blake Shinn | 24 | 374 | $784.30 |
| Vagner Borges | 22 | 435 | $1,006.00 |
Takeout on win betting in Hong Kong is 17.5% so an average win payoff of $1.65 exceeds the takeout. The following are the leading jockeys from the 2020-2021 season based on a ROI per $2 win bet:
| Jockey | Wins | Rides | Money Earned | $2 Bet/Horse | ROI |
| Vagner Borges | 22 | 435 | $1,006.00 | $870.00 | $2.31 |
| Jerry Chau | 58 | 481 | $1,044.80 | $962.00 | $2.17 |
| Blake Shinn | 24 | 374 | $784.30 | $748.00 | $2.10 |
| Derek Leung | 39 | 609 | $1,146.30 | $1,218.00 | $1.88 |
| Matthew Poon | 37 | 537 | $965.30 | $1,074.00 | $1.80 |
| Zac Purton | 125 | 713 | $1,180.20 | $1,426.00 | $1.66 |
| Joao Moreira | 157 | 742 | $1,212,90 | $1,484.00 | $1.63 |
| Karis Teetan | 79 | 741 | $1,182.80 | $1,482.00 | $1.60 |
| Alexis Badel | 58 | 622 | $943.40 | $1,244.00 | $1.52 |
| Vincent Ho | 61 | 614 | $910.50 | $1,228.00 | $1.48 |
| Matthew Chadwick | 31 | 458 | $670.90 | $916.00 | $1.46 |
| Antoine Hamelin | 27 | 538 | $690.40 | $1,076.00 | $1.28 |
| Chad Schofield | 26 | 390 | $463.90 | $780.00 | $1.19 |
Some words of caution:
Vagner Borges benefitted from wins that paid $359.30 (race 563) and $117.50 (race 40).
Blake Shinn benefitted from a win that paid $151.90 (race 349).
Derek Leung benefited from wins that paid $138.20 (race 247) and $121.60 (race 257).
Jerry Chau continues to thrive with his five-pound apprentice allowance and his results are the most predictable.
As far as pari-mutuel payoffs, there is little statistical difference between Zac Purton (ROI = $1.66), Joao Moreira (ROI = $1.63) and Karis Teetan (ROI = $1.60).
The post Hong Kong Racing Study Guide: Best Riders By ROI appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
