Mickael Barzalona wins the 2024 Longines International Jockeys’ Championship

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2024 Longines International Jockeys’ Championship

Winner Mickael Barzalona with his trophy at Happy Valley in Hong Kong

Date: 12/04/2024

At Happy Valley Racecourse in Hong Kong on Wednesday night, French rider Mickael Barzalona won this year’s edition of the Longines International Jockeys’ Championship. With his 2 wins and 1 second and 30 total points in the 4 race competition, he took home the winner’s prize of HK$600,000 (US$77,079). Jockeys were awarded 12 points for a win, 6 points for second, and 4 for third, and competed in four handicap races around the tight right-handed 7 furlong triangular turf course on Hong Kong Island. There was a tie for second place between Hollie Doyle and James McDonald, who each had 12 points (just 1 win each), so they each took home HK$200,000 (US$25,693).

Mickael Barzalona wins the first race of the competition.

In the first leg, a 1000m (5 furlong) one-turn sprint, defending champion Vincent Ho set the pace on 5-2 favorite Parents’ Love pressed by Hugh Bowman aboard 12-1 Notthesillyone and stalked by 19-1 Spicy Spangle with Yuga Kawada. In the stretch Barzalona riding 37-1 longest shot Sergeant Pepper outfinished William Buick on 7-1 Lean Master to win by a nose, with Parents’ Love third. The middle two legs were run at 1650m (about 1 mile) around 2 turns. In the second leg, Rachel King sent 5-1 Super Baby to lead but her mount tired badly in the stretch, as James McDonald sent 9-1 Prince Alex from 5th to win by a head over 20-1 Forever Glorious with Barzalona aboard. Colin Keane on 14-1 Sure Joyful was 1/2 a length back in third. The third leg saw Hugh Bowman set the pace on 24-1 Lovero before tiring to finish last, as Hollie Doyle, who stalked the pace on 5-1 Soleil Fighter, outfinished 6-1 Silo and Karis Teetan by a neck for the win, with Zac Purton on 19-1 Aestheticism a nose back in third.

Jockey Mickael Barzalona wins the final race of the competition to seal the victory.

The final leg was the longest of the 4 races, a 1200m (6 furlong) event starting on the clubhouse turn. Zac Purton sent 15-2 Giant Leap to lead pressed by Ryan Moore on 14-1 Lucky Eight and stalked by Barzalona on 11-2 Aurora Lady. In the stretch Aurora Lady rallied by to win by 1 3/4 lengths over late-running 12-1 Kyrus Dragon and Colin Keane, with Vincent Ho aboard 14-1 Super Joy N Fun another length back in third.

After winning the first leg and finishing second in the second leg, 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.”

After winning the second leg, James McDonald said, “It was nice to get one home and do it for Dougie (Whyte, trainer and retired jockey) as well. It was a tough effort from the horse who is in career-best form, and it was nice to capitalize.”

After winning the third leg, Hollie Doyle said, “I think David (Hayes, trainer) gave me my first winner in the International Jockey’s Championship so it’s nice to get him another one. The horse was very tough; he does need things to fall right but they did.”

Winning jockey Mickael Barzalona celebrates with the trophy.

After nailing down his first International Jockeys’ Championship and his HK$600,000 (US$77,079) check, Barzalona said, “Pierre (Ng, trainer) was quite confident in Aurora Lady’s chances after he disappointed at Sha Tin last time when things didn’t work out. 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. It’s a hyper-competitive jockeys challenge and when you see the major names up there on the roll of honour, I’m delighted to have mine alongside.” Barzalona is the third French jockey to win the Championship after Christophe Lemaire (2009) and Olivier Peslier (1998 and 2006). Ng took home a HK$300,000 (US$38,538) bonus for leading trainer in the 4 race contest.

Left: The participating jockeys at the closing ceremony for the Jockey Championship, with Hollie Doyle and James McDonald (to the left of Barzalona) holding their 2nd place checks.

Right: The opening ceremony fireworks.

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