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Hong Kong Jockey Club

Mickael Barzalona bookended a dominant performance in the International Jockeys Championship with victories in the first and last legs of the four-race challenge at Happy Valley to become the third French rider to lift the trophy following Christophe Lemaire in 2009 and Olivier Peslier in 1998 and 2006.

Barzalona got off the the perfect start when dropping top weight Sergeant Pepper’s head on the line to land the 1st Leg, depriving William Buick in the final stride to kick off with a maximum 12 points.

Thirty minutes later the 33-year-old might have made almost certain of claiming the lion’s share of the HK$1 million prize fund, about US$128,000, when charging to the front aboard Forever Glorious in the 2nd Leg.

But James McDonald showed all the quality expected from a rider who will be crowned the world’s best jockey for a second time Friday night, driving Douglas Whyte-trained Prince Alex score by a head, with Colin Keane closing fastest of all to claim third on Sure Joyful in the 3rd Leg.

Neither Barzalona nor McDonald was able to add to their tally in leg three, where it was Hollie Doyle’s turn to shine as Soleil Fighter held off the cavalry in yet another tight finish.

Going to post for the final leg, four other jockeys were in with a chance of at least matching Barzalona’s score of 18 points, with Karis Teetan and Buick both hoping for a maximum haul and for none of other race winners to add to their tallies.

But Barzalona put the matter beyond doubt as Pierre Ng-trained Aurora Lady drew steadily clear of his rivals and the Happy Valley faithful were able to cheer their new IJC champion before he hit the line in the 4th Leg.

Reflecting on how he had been able to gain priceless early momentum with Sergeant Pepper and Forever Glorious, Barzalona said: “It was very important to get points on the board quickly and I also felt I’d scored well with horses that were perhaps not among my better chances of the evening. It just all unfolded perfectly.”

While Aurora Lady had plenty of support at odds of 6-1 heading into the last, Barzalona was left with the task of negotiating a path from stall 12.

“Pierre was quite confident in Aurora Lady’s chances after he disappointed at Sha Tin last time when things didn’t work out,” Barzalona said. “He’s been unlucky a couple of times recently and given we were drawn wide he told me to try and get forward as long as they didn’t go mad early on. I trusted my horse and he didn’t let me down.”

Barzalona is yet to taste victory in any of the four Hong Kong International Races, but he will arrive at Sha Tin on Sunday with the wind in his sails ahead of his ride aboard Marquisat in the HK$24 million Hong Kong Vase (G1), and hopeful he can improve on a second-placed effort in the 2020 Hong Kong Sprint (G1) on outsider Jolly Banner.

When told that he had joined his illustrious compatriots Peslier and Lemaire on the IJC honors board, Barzalona said: “It’s a hyper-competitive jockeys challenge and when you see the major names up there on the roll of honor, I’m delighted to have mine alongside.”

McDonald and Doyle shared second place overall, with neither able to add to their 12-point wins, and Keane and Vincent Ho were the only other jockeys to register two scoring efforts across the four legs.

Reflecting on his narrow success aboard Prince Alex for Douglas Whyte after the 2nd leg, McDonald said: “It was nice to get one home and do it for Dougie as well. It was a tough effort from the horse who is in career-best form, and it was nice to capitalize.”

McDonald’s mount in the final leg, Chateauneuf, went off the 3-1 favourite but after getting a nice draft into the race was unable to go with Aurora Lady.

Doyle also knew her fate early in the decider as Goko Win required rousting from an early stage and beat only one rival home.

But it was clear from the moment the jockeys were introduced during the opening ceremony that she has become a major fan favourite at the Valley among the visiting stars, and her hard-fought victory on Soleil Fighter for David Hayes was a popular one.

“I think David gave me my first winner in the Longines IJC so it’s nice to get him another one,” said Doyle. “The horse was very tough; he does need things to fall right but they did.”

Pierre Ng took home a bonus for leading trainer, a third placing with Aestheticism in leg three making the difference over the other heat winners, Me Tsui, Whyte and Hayes.

Coverage of the Hong Kong Thoroughbred season at Horse Racing Nation is made possible through a sponsorship by the Hong Kong Jockey Club.