Euro stars aim to learn a thing or two
Jamie Spencer and Christophe Soumillon, the two hottest young stars of the European riding scene, will fill unaccustomed supporting roles tonight when they make their Hong Kong debuts at Happy Valley.
While attention is focused on the big names in the International Jockeys' Championship, Spencer and Soumillon kick off their three-month stints with just two rides apiece and a shared determination, simply expressed: 'I want to do my best.'
Tonight's low-key start is a far cry from their meteoric rise to fame in Europe, where their services are in demand from the biggest stables. British-based Spencer, 22, is called upon regularly by Godolphin and Aidan O'Brien, even though he is retained by Newmarket trainer Luca Cumani - the man who nurtured Frankie Dettori's early career and who has described Spencer as the most exciting prospect to have emerged since the Italian burst on to the scene more than a decade ago.
Soumillon, 21, has also had rave reviews, not least from former Hong Kong trainer Patrick Biancone, who used the youngster in the United States two years ago.
'I have had some talented boys [including Gerald Mosse], but I rate Christophe at least as good as any of them at this stage,' Biancone said after that trip. Soumillon's career was given another boost last year when he took over from Mosse as the retained rider for the Aga Khan in France and he will combine that job with a back-up role to Olivier Peslier at Andre Fabre's powerful stable next season.
The careers of Spencer and Soumillon have followed such a similar path that it is no surprise to find them trying Hong Kong at the same time. Both come from racing backgrounds - Spencer's late father George saddled the winner of the 1963 Champion Hurdle in England, while Soumillon is guided by his ex-jockey father Jean-Marc, who will be in Hong Kong with his son until the end of December.
Both also left their own countries to seek wider fame and fortune - Spencer moving from Ireland to England two years ago, while Soumillon left Belgium at the age of 14 to attend France's jockey academy.
And both leapt to prominence with early classic winners - Spencer taking the Irish 1,000 Guineas aboard Tarascon for trainer Tommy Stack, a family friend, as a raw 17-year-old, and Soumillon landing the French Derby with Anabaa Blue last year.
Spencer arrives in Hong Kong having ridden 86 winners in Britain during the 2002 season, placing him 13th on the jockeys' table. He had two Group One wins, aboard Gossamer in the Irish 1,000 Guineas and Kyllachy in the Nunthorpe Stakes, with the latter widely acknowledged as the ride of the season.
In a minute of magic down the straight 1,000 metres at York, he coolly dropped his mount out from a bad draw, rounded the field from behind and made his run down the other side to score by half a length.
'I've had a good season, I've ridden plenty of Group winners and a lot of good horses for Aidan O'Brien and Godolphin,' Spencer says. 'It's like starting again to come here, but I think it'll be good - most jockeys who come here leave as better riders at the end of it. I'll just do my best and hope I'm lucky - I've been lucky so far in life.'
Although Soumillon is also in his first Hong Kong contract, he does have a slight head start on Spencer as he rode Terre A Terre to finish a close third in last year's Hong Kong Cup. He also had a taste of racing in this region with a six-week stint in Macau, where he rode 33 winners, and that link has brought him the ride on the Macau Derby winner Royal Treasure in Sunday's Hong Kong Cup.
'I enjoyed Macau and now I'm looking forward to riding here. I haven't set myself any targets and I will just do my best,' says Soumillon, who rode three Group One winners in France this year. 'For me, Hong Kong has a big reputation and some of the best jockeys in the world, so I was really happy to be accepted this year. There are many different riding styles here and it will be interesting.'
Spencer has picked up the ride on the British horse Nayyir in Sunday's Hong Kong Mile, while Soumillon has a useful mount in the Hong Kong Vase with the Fabre-trained Polish Summer. 'He finished third in a Group One race last time, but he should have won because he came really easy to the front and then started to hang to the right, which cost him the race and he was disqualified from third place,' Soumillon says. 'He will wear blinkers for the first time on Sunday and I think he has a good chance.'
Pat Smullen and Andreas Suborics are the other two jockeys who kick off their three-month contracts tonight. Smullen, the former Irish champion, is back for the first time since a brief visit yielded four winners in the 1999-2000 season, while German champion Suborics returns following his six-winner stint last season. Smullen starts with two rides tonight and Suborics, who competes in the International Jockeys' Championship, has four mounts.
