VINCENT HO (CAPTAIN)
Born Hong Kong, 1990 (age 36)
Vincent, who is one of the most popular riders amongst his peers in the weighing room, will be riding at his second Shergar Cup having won the Mile on Power of Darkness for Marcus Tregoning in 2019 when helping the Rest of The World team secure Shergar Cup glory. But that’s not his only visit to these shores, notching a win at his first attempt aboard X Rated at Haydock for Mark Johnston during a short stint in 2018, before returning in 2019 for the Shergar Cup, then in 2024 when he was successful on Love De Vega for Charlie Johnston.
Vincent has been one of the most successful graduates to come through the HKJC Jockeys' School. He was champion Hong Kong apprentice in 2010/11 and enjoyed his best local campaign in 2022/23 with 96 winners, becoming just the second homegrown rider after the legendary Tony Cruz, to secure 500 winners in Hong Kong.
Whilst many will be familiar with Vincent through watching Hong Kong racing on Sky Sports Racing and his regular trips to Great Britain, it’s his partnership with the Champion, Golden Sixty, that he’ll be best remembered, combining to win a Hong Kong Derby and 10 Group 1s on a horse many rate the best miler seen since the legendary Frankel.
LUKE FERRARIS
Born South Africa, 2001 (age 24)
Whilst only young, Luke has been around horses all his life, hailing from a strong racing background with his family considered South African racing royalty. His Grandfather Ormond is a twice champion South Africa trainer whilst his father, David, was formerly based in Hong Kong and amongst others was the handler of Hong Kong Derby and Sheema Classic winner, Vengeance of Rain.
Born in South Africa but raised in Hong Kong, moving there when his father relocated for the start of the 2003/4 season, he spent much of his time shadowing his father at trackwork and taking riding lessons.
Luke moved back to South Africa in 2017 to join the South African Jockey Academy, tasting immediate success wining the apprentice titles in 2018/19 and 2019/20, later forming an association with champion colt, Malmoos, who became just the fourth winner of South Africa’s Triple Crown.
Relocating back to Hong Kong at the start of the 2021/22 season, where he has now ridden 165 winners including his first success in the Classic Series, partnering My Wish to victory in the Classic Mile, Luke, who is considered to be one of the most gifted promising young jockeys in Hong Kong, will be having his first ride in Europe.
JERRY CHAU
Born Hong Kong, 2000 (age 26)
Jerry joined the HKJC Apprentice Jockeys’ School in 2015 before an overseas placement in Australia where he rode 77 winners. He took no time in introducing himself to Hong Kong's fanatical yet shrewd punters when landing a double at his very first meeting in May 2020.
He completed his first Hong Kong season with 58 winners, breaking Matthew Chadwicks’s record for most wins by an apprentice in a single season. Jerry's biggest success to date has been the Group 2 Jockey Club Sprint aboard the brilliant sprinter/miler, Lucky Sweynesse, however, his most significant moment in the saddle was when he announced himself to a world audience, taking out the Group 3 Korea Sprint aboard the unheralded Hong Kong sprinter Self Improvement, defeating a long odds-on favourite ridden by Japanese legend, Yutaka Take.
Jerry will be having his first ride in Europe, but he’s held in high regard by many, including former champion jockey turned trainer, Tony Cruz, who recently was quoted as saying;
“I like his style of riding and I like his mind – he is very cool and calm, he can wait in a race, and he has the chance to be one of the best local riders ever,”
Jerry rates Ryan Moore as his idol but had never built up the courage to approach the champion jockey when on his regular visits to Hong Kong. However, he was pleasantly surprised when Moore sounded him on a big night at Riyadh in Saudi, telling the youngster “You’re riding good now” which according to Jerry himself made him “very proud”, and it’s one hell of an endorsement.