Tag: international jockeys challenge

Moore, Oliver, Saez Headline Saudi Jockeys’ Competition

Fourteen world-class jockeys from eight jurisdictions around the world will participate in the International Jockeys' Challenge to be held on the eve of the Saudi Cup meeting at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh Friday, Feb. 23. A team of seven male riders will compete against seven of their female counterparts in the four-race series.

Ryan Moore will feature in the Jockeys' Challenge for the first time in its brief history. The veteran reinsman, who was recognized as the Longines World's Best Jockey in Hong Kong last December, is one of five male participants based overseas, alongside the defending champion Luis Saez from the United States, Maxime Guyon from France and Japan's Ryusei Sakai.

Legendary Australian jockey Damien Oliver, the last of the overseas invitees, officially retired from the saddle Dec. 16, taking a Group 3 race named in his honour at Ascot in his hometown of Perth in Western Australia. But similar to his compatriot Glen Boss in 2022, Oliver–a three-time winner of the G1 Melbourne Cup–will pause his retirement to take part in the event, which is worth US$30,000 to the winner from a total pool of US$100,000. Oliver will look to add to the 3,168 winners he rode during an illustrious 34-year career in the saddle.

Eight-times Saudi champion Camilo Ospina and current titleholder Adel Alfouraidi round out the line-up for the males.

New Zealand's Lisa Allpress made history in 2020 when becoming the first female to win a race in Saudi Arabia, and the four-time leading rider returns to Riyadh for another crack. Australasia is also set to be represented by the Sydney-based Alysha Collett. America's Katie Davis makes her debut in the event and will be joined by South Africa's Rachel Venniker, Victoria Mota from Brazil, French jockey Maryline Eon and Great Britain's Saffie Osborne, the daughter of trainer Jamie Osborne, who was part of the female team that emerged victorious at last year's Shergar Cup at Ascot.

“The jockeys challenge on the Friday of Saudi Cup weekend is always one of the event highlights for me,” said HRH Prince Bandar Bin Khaled Alfaisal, Chairman of the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia. We are justifiably proud of the variety of racing showcased across the two days. To be in a position to offer a global stage to 14 of the world's best jockeys, seven men and seven women, is highly gratifying.

“We wish the best of luck to all the jockeys competing and hope that their feats on the racecourse serve to inspire new generations of riders both in Saudi Arabia and beyond.”

 

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Eclipse Finalist Jessica Pyfer Joins Cast For Saudi Arabian Jockeys Challenge

Jessica Pyfer, a rising star of the weighing room in America, has been confirmed to ride in the stc International Jockeys Challenge.

The event will be held the day before the $20 million Saudi Cup at King Abdulaziz Racetrack on Feb. 25, and sponsored for a third year by platinum partner, stc, the digital enabler in the telecommunication industry in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which continues in its aim of supporting the field of sports in KSA.

Pyfer (23), who only began riding in September 2020, notched an impressive 59 winners from 557 rides in her second full season as a jockey in 2021, amassing prize money of $2.8 million.

Her achievements in such a short time have seen her nominated for an Eclipse Award, which recognizes the achievements of a wide range of horses and participants from across the American Thoroughbred industry.

After being confirmed for the IJC, Pyfer said: “I am super excited! It feels like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I've only been race-riding for about a year-and-a-half and have never competed outside of the US, so for an opportunity like this to come along is pretty cool.

“I've spoken to Mike Smith, who I know has ridden in Saudi a lot, and he just told me that I'll have the time of my life, so I couldn't be more excited.

“My season has been amazing so far and I couldn't have ever imagined that I'd be where I am now, with both an invite to the International Jockeys Challenge at The Saudi Cup and a nomination for an Eclipse Award.

“It will be amazing to line up against so many great jockeys, and a pleasure to ride alongside some of the world's best female jockeys who I've always looked up to.”

Joining the up-and-coming US star is Argentine rider Andrea Marinhas, who began her career in the US and is now based between the States and her native Argentina.

Marinhas (40) currently has 94 career wins to her name, with 15 of those coming this season, 11 in Argentina and four in the US.

Marinhas said: “I'm so pleased to have been invited. The first thing that came to my mind was I could be riding with many of my favourite jockeys! It will be a beautiful experience!

“My season has been great. I lead the national and La Plata racecourse female jockeys' statistics with 18 winners and an 18% strike-rate, so it's great to get some international recognition. The opportunity to compete against some of the world's best in Saudi is massive for me.”

Pyfer and Marinhas are the second and third female jockeys confirmed to ride in the IJC, after the UK's Hayley Turner, and will be joined by a further four female riders.

Seven male jockeys – five international and two home-based riders – will make up the 14 strong IJC field, with last year's winner Shane Foley and Australia's Glen Boss already confirmed.

The stc International Jockeys Challenge features four $400,000 handicaps, with a further $100,000 for the challenge itself and riders receiving 15 percent of prize money won.

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Turner Wins After Absence

Hayley Turner rode her first winner of the year-and since returning from a seven-week absence due to injury-at Wolverhampton on Wednesday, and the 39-year-old said she is looking forward to celebrating more victories in 2022 and to riding in the International Jockeys Challenge in Saudi Arabia at the end of February.

“I broke my thumb which sidelined me for seven weeks, so it was nice to get back with a winner,” said Turner. “It was a bit frustrating–I'd pulled up on one of David Simcock's horses after the line and he just fell over. It was just one of those unlucky things. But it was nice to have a good break and I'm happy to be riding again now. It was good to ride a winner and get off the mark.”

Turner's return victory was also aboard a Simcock horse, the 4-year-old gelding Race Card (GB) (Kingman {GB}). Turner, who is a multiple winner of the Silver Saddle award at Ascot's Shergar Cup, said she is looking forward to another jockeys' competition.

“I like these jockeys' challenges, and riding at the Saudi Cup meeting will be a great experience,” she said. “I don't really make massive plans–I just try to ride as many winners as I can, really. I feel I have plenty of support from some good trainers and am looking forward to the rest of the all-weather season and the new Flat season.”

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Australian Legend Glen Boss Will Come Out Of Retirement To Compete In Saudi Arabia’s Jockey Challenge

The first three jockeys in the 2022 stc International Jockeys Challenge have been announced, with recently retired Australian superstar Glen Boss climbing back into the saddle to compete in the four-race competition.

Last year's winner Shane Foley returns to defend his crown and Hayley Turner, the first female jockey in Britain to ride 100 winners in a calendar year, will also take her place in the line-up of seven female and seven male riders.

Boss (52), best known for winning three straight Melbourne Cups with Makybe Diva, as well as an astonishing 90 Group 1s in a glittering career, is looking forward to his return to race riding:

“I feel privileged and honored to be a part of the 2022 International Jockeys Challenge at The Saudi Cup,” said Boss. “I am extremely grateful to be representing Australia on the international stage and am eagerly looking forward to my arrival in Saudi Arabia for their prestigious carnival.”

“I have watched the rapid rise of this meeting in recent years, highlighted by the diverse international participation and significant prize purse on offer. To be able to participate in 2022 as a representative of Australia fills me with great pride and I very much look forward to being a part of it.”

Foley (33) won this year's stc International Jockeys Challenge and as the reigning champion is invited back to compete again.

“I really enjoyed my first International Jockeys Challenge,” said Foley. “It was a pleasure to ride against some great jockeys and I thought the track rode very well. It's nice to see them including the turf in this year's event, which might even give the European jockeys a bit of an edge.

“I knew after reading through the form last year that I had a couple of okay rides and it really is down to the luck of the draw in these jockey challenges. I got a few good chances, and it all went well for me thankfully. You need to get drawn on the good horses.

“I'm having an operation on my hip this week and so will be out of action for about six weeks, but I should be back riding and ready to go a good fortnight before the meeting.

“The prize money is brilliant, and you just have to see the list of jockeys that go out there to gauge how important it is for us. It's nice to be competing alongside them all and the likes of Saudi, Dubai and Bahrain are the places we need to be during the winter.

“I know Jessie [Harrington] will be aiming a couple for the Saturday too, including Ever Present in the Red Sea Turf and possibly Confident Star in the Saudi Derby, so it would be nice to have some rides on Saudi Cup day too.”

Turner (38) is one of Britain's most successful female jockeys and is also excited about the challenge, especially as she's had a spell on the sidelines after breaking her thumb.

“This will be my first time riding in Saudi and I'm really looking forward to it,” said Turner. “Hollie [Doyle] rode out there this year and I've spoken to a few others who have said it's a really nice track to ride.

“Apparently it's a bit like Belmont Park and I've ridden there a few times before. It's exciting to be part of The Saudi Cup meeting, it's been attracting a lot of people. The prize money is amazing so it's easy to see why.

“I always enjoy riding in jockey challenges. I've taken part in quite a few – Mauritius, South Africa, Japan, Ireland and France – and obviously the Shergar Cup is one of my favorites. It will be nice to tick another one off the list.

“I'm staying in the UK this winter. I've had a great year, but it got cut short a bit when I broke my thumb at Wolverhampton a few weeks ago. I'll be back riding in the next couple of weeks and it will be great to get back out on the track.”

The stc International Jockeys Challenge features four handicap races being run for $400,000 each, with a further $100,000 prize fund for the challenge itself.

This year one race over 1200m will be run on turf for the first time and all races will consist of 14 runners and five reserves, with all 14 jockeys riding in each race.

The jockeys are made up of seven international female riders, five international men and two local men with the jockeys receiving 15% of prize money won.

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