The LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship (IJC) at Happy Valley without Ryan Moore is almost unthinkable, and on Wednesday night (10 December), the 42-year-old will join 11 of the world’s elite riders for the 19th time in 20 years. 

That couldn’t have been taken for granted when the line-up was first announced a month ago, as Moore continued his recovery from a stress fracture of the femur, which was first revealed at the end of August. 

But the four-time recipient of the LONGINES World’s Best Jockey award made his return to race riding when landing a double at Lingfield a week out from the LONGINES IJC, and was in relaxed mood at Sha Tin on Tuesday morning (9 December) after riding a barrier trial for longtime ally John Size. 

Triumphant in what is widely regarded as the best jockeys’ challenge in world racing in both 2009 and 2010, Moore has been on the podium on four more occasions.

Wednesday night’s lineup features defending champion Mickael Barzalona, Christophe Lemaire, William Buick, James McDonald, Rachel King, Hollie Doyle, Joao Moreira, Umberto Rispoli, in addition to Zac Purton, Vincent Ho and Hugh Bowman. 

Appearing at the JC Cube in Tai Kwun, Hong Kong, China on Tuesday night Moore said: “I’m pleased to be back riding in the LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship. Everyone wants to ride here, and why wouldn’t you want to be part of it?”

Happy Valley poses a unique test of a rider’s positional skills, their balance and their timing; all areas in which Moore excels. 

But the allocation system employed to even out the chances of the 12 jockeys places a premium not only on finding a horse that may be a pound or two ahead of the handicapper, but on being drawn in a handy spot from where you can ride a race. 

Moore admitted: “Draws are always important around the Valley and it’s probably the first thing you look at.” 

In that sense Moore has good chances to get points on the board, especially courtesy of Corleone (134lb) – a winner on his seasonal return for Caspar Fownes – breaking from stall two in the 2nd Leg (1650m), and the Jamie Richards trainee Storming Dragon (129lb), housed in stall four for the 3rd Leg (1650m). 

Gate six is certainly workable for Winning Champion (125lb) in the 1st Leg (1000m), while Moore might reflect that being drawn 12 of 12 was no barrier to Barzalona sealing the LONGINES IJC trophy 12 months ago; Triumphant More (130lb) breaks from stall ten and would be a headline writer’s dream were he to get the job done in the 4th Leg (1200m). 

Moore also has plenty to look forward to ahead of Sunday’s glittering LONGINES Hong Kong International Races, with rides in three of the four feature races. 

His most recent Group 1 win for the Coolmore partners – who have retained his services as number one since 2015 – was aboard Minnie Hauk in the Yorkshire Oaks (2400m) on 21 August, and in The Lion In Winter (HK$36 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile, 1600m) and Los Angeles (HK$26 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase, 2400m), he has two chances to resume that particular winning thread. 

And when Moore climbs aboard the Noriyuki Hori-trained Satono Reve ahead of the HK$28 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m), memories will be revived of the trainer’s career masterpiece Maurice, a dominant winner of the 2015 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile who was even more spectacular when taking home the 2016 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup. 

Hori turned to Moore in June to ride a crucial turf workout on Satono Reve ahead of his narrow defeat to Lazzat in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (1200m) at Royal Ascot, and the combination could be the biggest threat to Ka Ying Rising on Sunday (14 December), having got closer than most in two previous attempts at Sha Tin. 

Moore’s affinity with Hong Kong racing spans almost his entire career and he has no hesitation in underlining the reasons why he comes back year after year, even answering The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s call to fill in for a short stint at the start of 2025 after a couple of senior riders sustained injuries. 

“I’ve been coming here since I was 18 and I like Hong Kong,” Moore said. “The racing is high quality, it’s competitive and it’s very well run. 

“It’s the best that this sport has to offer in that regard.”

Happy Valley’s nine-race card on Wednesday night (10 December) kicks off at 6.30pm with the Class 5 Ventris Handicap (1650m).