Woman jockey shines
Thu, November 29 2007
Racing director Bill Nader said Canadian Emma-Jayne Wilson had accepted an invitation to go up against 11 of the world’s top jockeys in a three-race series at Happy Valley on December 5.
“Wilson is becoming accustomed to achieving racing landmarks - earlier this year she became the first woman to win the Queen’s Plate, part of the Canadian Triple Crown,” Nader said.
He added: “This year we are proud to celebrate the 10th edition of the championships, a showcase for the talents of some of the world’s top horsemen on one of the world’s most unique and magnificent racecourses.
We are looking forward to an exciting prelude to the Hong Kong International Races at Sha Tin on December 9.”
Among those competing are four- time French champion Olivier Peslier, who will make his ninth appearance, while seven-time Hong Kong champion Douglas Whyte will take part for the eighth straight season.
Others taking part are Christopher Soumillon (Belgium), Ted Duncan (United Arab Emirates) Yasunari Iwata (Japan), Ryan Moore (England), Damien Oliver (Australia), Pat Smullen (Ireland), and Andrasch Starke (Germany).
They will be joined by the local rider with the most wins on December 1 and another international rider yet to be announced.
Peslier won the championships in 1998 and 2006 and Starke took the honors in 2000 and 2005. Other past winners include Whyte (2002), Oliver (2003) and Soumillon (2004).
In Canada, Wilson, 26, won the 2005 Sovereign Award for Outstanding Apprentice Jockey then became only the second female jockey to ever be voted the United States Eclipse Award for Outstanding Apprentice Jockey.
She made the 2005 list of the “Most Influential Canadian Women in Sport and Physical Activity” as compiled by the Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women.
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