Hong Kong rider Matthew Chadwick will be participating in Saturday (12 August)’s Shergar Cup jockey challenge at Ascot, after an unlucky incident sidelined the jurisdiction’s leading home-grown jockey. 

Chadwick joins former Hong Kong-based favourite Joao Moreira and Japan’s Kazuo Yokoyama in representing the Rest of The World, with the unique competition also featuring teams from Great Britain and Ireland, Europe and an all-female lineup known as the Ladies. 

Vincent Ho was originally slated to captain the Rest of the World team but, having been injured in a recent fall in Japan, it is Chadwick who steps in to make his second Shergar Cup appearance.

“It’s unfortunate what happened to Vincent and I know it can be very hard to have a fall and then get back again,” said Chadwick. “But on a personal level I’m very happy to be able to step in for him and hopefully we’ll get some good results.”

Chadwick’s previous trip to Ascot could not have gone any better, with a win and three second-placed finishes ensuring he won the Silver Saddle as leading rider, as well as contributing an impressive 45 points towards overall victory for the Rest of The World. 

“It looks like they’ve assembled some world-class jockeys and some very good local riders, and it’s always a good event to be a part of,” said 33-year-old Chadwick. “I had some nice results there in 2012 and hopefully the draw has been kind to me again.”

Chadwick enjoyed another fruitful Hong Kong season in 2022/23, with his 43 wins being good enough for the seventh place in the jockey’s standings, while his earnings topped HK$68 million. 

The Shergar Cup is contested over the course of a six-race card, with each jockey riding in five of the races. 

The first five home in each leg score, with 15 points going to the winner, followed by ten, seven, five and three points for the remaining positions.