Leading Sydney jockey Jason Collett will make his Hong Kong riding debut on Sunday as he continues to expand his international profile.
Collett has secured the ride on Japanese galloper Giovanni in the Group 1 QEII Cup (2000m) at Sha Tin, where the pair will take on local superstar Romantic Warrior.
Giovanni, trained by Haruki Sugiyama, is a stakes winner and has performed at Group 1 level in Japan.
“I’ve ridden overseas before in Macau, Singapore and Mauritius, and at Ascot for the Shergar Cup,” Collett told Racing And Sports. “But this is the first time I’ve ridden in Hong Kong.”
Collett will first ride at Randwick’s eight-race Anzac Day meeting on Saturday before travelling overnight to Hong Kong for Champions Day at Sha Tin.
He also confirmed plans to further his overseas experience, having applied for a riding stint in Japan during the northern hemisphere summer.
The multiple Group 1-winning jockey is awaiting approval from the Japan Racing Association to ride there for approximately two months from late June.
“I’m hoping to go to Japan in a couple of months in our winter,” Collett said.
“Giovanni is raced by the owner and trainer I’m hoping to be riding for in Japan and they wanted me to have a sit on the horse in the Hong Kong before I go over to Japan.”
Collett, who has ridden more than 1600 winners, heads to Hong Kong in strong form after producing a standout front-running ride aboard Changingoftheguard to win the Group 1 Sydney Cup earlier this month.
He followed that performance with another success at Randwick last Saturday, guiding Asterix to victory in the Group 3 JRA Plate.
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