Ryan Moore, a renowned jockey, was maintaining his typical calm demeanor regarding his prospects in the Wednesday's International Jockeys' Championship held at Happy Valley. He was among the 12 top riders at the IJC news conference in Tai Kwun, a significant cultural and heritage venue in central Hong Kong. With a remarkable track record, Moore had won the IJC trophy twice in 2009 and 2010 and had been a consistent presence in the intervening years, also claiming most of the notable races on the calendar. He was set to participate in the Group 1 events during the Hong Kong International Races on Sunday at Sha Tin, including riding for Aidan O'Brien on Luxembourg in the Group 1 Hong Kong Vase and Content in the Hong Kong Cup (G1). Despite being expected to have a good number of rides in the four IJC legs, he emphasized that the competition was highly unpredictable.

Moore's Perspective on the Competition

Moore firmly believed that every jockey in the lineup had the potential to win the competition. He explained, "The draw significantly influences the races here. Obviously, it's the same in most places, but here, you are more at the mercy of the race compared to other venues. You can overcome these challenges, which is why it's impossible to predict with certainty who will emerge victorious and why you can never single out anyone with confidence."Regarding his rides in the IJC, he started with his regular associate John Size. He had won the 2018 Hong Kong Derby with Ping Hai Star for Size and was booked on previous course and distance winner Grand Nova from barrier 12 in the first leg. In the second leg, he was aboard Pierre Ng's Viva Chaleur, which had shown great potential when finishing third in the previous race. Caspar Fownes-trained Daring Pursuit aimed for a hat trick of course and distance victories in the third leg. Moore rounded off the night by riding the consistent Lucky Eight for Ricky Yiu in the fourth leg. He said, "I have taken a quick look at them, but I haven't thoroughly analyzed them. I think most of the races were quite evenly matched. Although a few of the sprinters are drawn a bit wide, they all have their chances."Speaking about his associations with the trainers, he added, "I ride for John. I have also ridden for Ricky and Pierre to some extent, and I have known Caspar for a long time. I think there are strong cases for many horses in the competition, and it depends on which one performs on the day."Wednesday's nine-race fixture at Happy Valley commenced at 6.30 pm with the Class 5 Australia Handicap.