Saudi Arabia: Joel Rosario and Christophe Lemaire, world #5 and #7 respectively on TRC Global Rankings, have been added to the cast for next week’s stc International Jockeys Challenge (IJC) at the Saudi Cup meeting in Riyadh.
The pair will compete alongside Glen Boss, Jim Crowley and last year’s champion Shane Foley on the male team in the four-race series on Friday February 25 at King Abdulaziz racecourse.
Rosario was recently awarded his first Eclipse Award as North America’s champion jockey for 2021. Last year he rode Knicks Go to finish fourth in the $20m Saudi Cup but did not take part in the IJC.
“I’m looking forward to taking part in the International Jockeys Challenge against some of the best jockeys in the world,” he said. “I’ve competed in a few jockey challenges over the years, but this will be my first one in Saudi.
“The Saudi Cup meeting is a really unique event and I feel lucky to be going back there again – the Saudi Cup itself is a great race, it has become a big part of the international racing calendar.
“I was very excited to ride Knicks Go last year,” Rosario went on. “He was up against some very good horses like Charlatan and Mishriff. He ran a good race to finish fourth, but you’re taking on the best horses in the world.”
The Dominican Republic-born rider feels he has another live chance in this year’s Saudi Cup on Steve Asmussen-trained Midnight Bourbon. “He’s a very good horse,” said Rosario.
“He ran well behind Mandaloun at Fair Grounds last time and we will take each other on again in Saudi. It’s fun to be part of the race again and I think he has a good chance in what looks quite an open race this year.”
Five-time Japanese champion Christophe Lemaire is no stranger to Saudi Arabia either, having partnered Gold Dream to finish sixth in the inaugural Saudi Cup two years ago, and he’s looking forward to visiting again.
“I haven’t left Japan since the start of COVID, so I’m really looking forward to the trip,” he said. “It’s cold in Japan right now too so it will be nice to have some warm weather and I’m happy to be travelling again.
“I know the track well having ridden in the 2020 Saudi Cup, and I look forward to riding on both the turf and the dirt this year. The dirt course is really nice and very fair. Given it’s an international event, it’s good that they’ve introduced the turf race this year.
“Sometimes the American jockeys can ride the dirt better, and the Europeans are better on the turf, but this will be fair.
“There’s nothing more exciting than competing against the best riders from around the world, and as soon as we get up on the horse we are all rivals and we all want to win. This year’s riders look to be a very experienced bunch, so it will be a good competition.”
Lemaire is also eyeing up some of Saturday’s prizes, having been provisionally booked for five rides on the card. “I’ve got five good rides at the moment, all on Japanese-trained horses,” he confirmed.
“I think my best chance will be Authority (Neom Turf Cup), who was second in the Japan Cup behind Contrail. That was a wonderful performance, and though this will be his first run of the year, he tends to go well fresh and I’m expecting a big run from him.
“In the Saudi Cup, Japan have two good chances with Marche Lorraine and T O Keynes. The mare was impressive in America at the Breeders’ Cup and I think she’ll like the dirt in Riyadh. Her trainer, Yoshito Yahagi, knows how to travel his horses and I think she can be very competitive, even though it’s a tougher race than in America.
“As for T O Keynes, he was a brilliant winner of the Champions Cup and is a tough horse. This will be his first time running abroad, so we don’t know how he’ll take that, but he has the potential to challenge.”
Rosario and Lemaire are the fourth and fifth male jockeys confirmed to ride in the stc IJC, while six of the seven female riders have been announced so far. The stc International Jockeys Challenge features four $400,000 handicaps, where riders receive 15% of prize-money won and there is a further $100,000 prize pot for the challenge itself.
• Visit the Saudi Cup website
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