Barzalona is the toast of IJC

HONGKONG - Mickael Barzalona bookended a dominant performance in the Longines International Jockeys Championship (IJC) on Dec 4, with victories in the first and last legs of the four-race challenge to become the third French rider to lift the trophy following Christophe Lemaire (2009) and Olivier Peslier (1998 & 2006).

Godolphin’s former retained jockey got off to the perfect start when dropping top weight Sergeant Pepper’s head on the line to land the first-leg run over 1,000m, depriving Britain’s William Buick in the final stride to kick off with a maximum 12 points.

Half an hour later, the 33-year-old might have made almost certain of claiming the lion’s share of the HK$1 million (S$173,000) prize fund, when charging to the front aboard Forever Glorious in the second leg over 1,650m.

But New Zealand’s James McDonald showed all the quality expected from a rider who will be crowned the Longines World’s Best Jockey for a second time at Sha Tin on Dec 6, driving the Douglas Whyte-trained Prince Alex to score by a head, with Ireland’s Colin Keane closing fastest of all to claim third on Sure Joyful in the third leg over 1,650m.

Neither Barzalona nor McDonald was able to add to their tally in leg three, where it was British woman 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 local hope Karis Teetan and Buick both aiming for a maximum haul, and for none of the other race winners to add to their tallies.

But Barzalona put the matter beyond doubt when the Pierre Ng-trained Aurora Lady drew clear of his rivals in the fourth leg over 1,200m. The Happy Valley faithful were able to cheer their new IJC champion before he hit the line.

Barzalona reflected on how he had been able to gain priceless early momentum with Sergeant Pepper and Forever Glorious.

“It was very important to get points on the board quickly,” he said.

“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 heading into the last, Barzalona was left with the task of negotiating a path from outside in 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,” said Barzalona.

“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 Longines Hong Kong International Races but he will arrive at Sha Tin on Dec 8 with the wind in his sails ahead of his ride aboard Marquisat in the HK$24 million Group 1 Longines Hong Kong Vase (2,400m), and hopeful he can improve on a second-placed effort in the 2020 Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint (1,200m) on outsider Jolly Banner.

When told that he had joined his illustrious compatriots Peslier and Lemaire on the IJC honours board, Barzalona beamed with pride.

“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,” he said.

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

McDonald, who just took his Group 1 haul past the 100-win mark and enjoyed another successful Melbourne Cup carnival, was pleased to have scored aboard Prince Alex for Whyte.

“It was nice to get one home and do it for Dougie as well,” he said.

“It was a tough effort from the horse who is in career-best form, and it was nice to capitalise.”

McDonald’s mount in the final leg, Chateauneuf, went off as the favourite but after getting a nice draught 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.”

Ng took home the HK$300,000 bonus for the leading trainer, a third placing with Aestheticism in leg three making the difference over the other heat winners, Me Tsui, Whyte and Hayes. HKJC