Moreira and Purton in race for favorite jockey

    Updated: 2015-07-07 09:31

    By Sylvia Chang(HK Edition)

      Print Mail Large Medium  Small 分享按鈕 0

    On July 10 the HK Jockey Club will announce the city's Most Popular Jockey of the Year. Sylvia Chang talked to two top jockeys in town and reviewed their remarkable careers.

    The city's Most Popular Jockey of the Year will be named on July 10 at the Champion Awards ceremony. The two leading contenders for the award are "Magic Man" Joao Moreira from Brazil and Hong Kong's reigning top jockey, Zac Purton from Australia. They possess similar qualities as winning riders: a love of horses; razor sharp focus, a determination to improve their skills and a will to win.

    Away from the race track, the two personalities are completely different from one another. Moreira is shy and quiet; Purton is open and talkative. They're competitors in races yet friends in daily life.

    Both Moreira and Purton started their careers in their own countries before coming to Hong Kong. Both riders agree that Hong Kong is the most competitive horse racing venue in the world for jockeys.

    "The main reason (for me to come to Hong Kong) is that this place is like a mirror. If you get here and do well, the world will see you doing well. People worldwide watch horse racing. It's a dream for every jockey to race here one day," Moreira told China Daily.

    "The prize money is extremely high. The quality of the horses is world-class. The turnover on the racing here is the hottest in the world," Purton said, relaxing on the couch in his apartment provided by the Hong Kong Jockey Club.

    Moreira and Purton ride with different styles, but show high regard for each other's skills in the saddle. "We're very similar in a lot of ways. We're both good at getting out of the gates, getting into position on the track, and understanding the pace of our horses," Purton said.

    "He rides on a shorter rein and sometimes makes early moves. I ride on a longer rein and have my horse more relaxed until the final stretch," Purton continued.

    It's been a tough climb getting to the top of the horse racing circuit, maintaining the intensive routines of regular exercise demanded of jockeys, and the rigid disciplines of diet. A jockey typically eats an apple for breakfast, some bread for lunch, vegetables for dinner and half a glass of water. That's their daily sustenance. "You have to find your energy from somewhere else. From your psychological spirit" Moreira explained.

    Losing weight is the most challenging thing for the two. A weight around 113 ponds is best for a jockey. Being lighter, said Purton, has been an advantage for Moreira. "He's 113 ponds and I'm 120. I can't choose any of these horses in his weight range."

    Purton laughed frequently as he joked about his approaching retirement and chatted about his encounter with his wife, saying he was "shocked by her beauty" the first time they met in Australia. Moreira, unlike the gregarious Purton, is a bit shy facing a camera. For him, dealing with people is challenging in itself. He prefers horses. But he's open in talking about his social disadvantage, saying that he tries to balance it up on the track.

    Purton worked hard to earn the city's top jockey honors last year. Moreira came to Hong Kong in 2013, put on an extraordinary display of horsemanship this year, and looks set to unseat the Australian after just one year as the city's champion jockey.

    Latest updates show that 70 percent of ballots favored Moreira as this year's most popular jockey. Approaching the end of the interview, Moreira stopped, deep in thought. Half a minute later, he said, "Look, everyone else thinks that I'm a superstar. I've got skill. I am very successful. But I do make mistakes. I do upset people as well. I'm a human being. I'm not a super hero."

    Contact the writer at sylvia@chinadailyhk.com

    Moreira and Purton in race for favorite jockey

     Moreira and Purton in race for favorite jockey

    Joao Moreira receiving the Le French May Trophy on May 20, 2015.

     Moreira and Purton in race for favorite jockey

    Joao Moreira, with the champion horse Able Friend, won the Group 1 Champions Mile in May 2015. Photos provided to China Daily

    Moreira and Purton in race for favorite jockey

     Moreira and Purton in race for favorite jockey

    The awards displayed in Zac Purton's home.

     Moreira and Purton in race for favorite jockey

    Zac Purton claimed victory in Group 1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint on Dec 14, 2014.

    Moreira and Purton in race for favorite jockey

    Moreira and Purton in race for favorite jockey

    Moreira and Purton in race for favorite jockey

    Moreira and Purton in race for favorite jockey

    (HK Edition 07/07/2015 page10)

    中文成人久久久久影院免费观看| 亚洲AV无码不卡在线观看下载| 无码精品人妻一区| 大桥久未无码吹潮在线观看| 亚洲国产av无码精品| 亚洲开心婷婷中文字幕| 久久国产精品无码一区二区三区| 五月丁香啪啪中文字幕| 人妻系列无码专区久久五月天| 中文字幕乱码无码人妻系列蜜桃 | 日韩人妻无码精品专区| 亚洲国产av无码精品| 国产成A人亚洲精V品无码| 亚洲精品无码专区久久久| 最近免费中文字幕mv电影| 国产精品 中文字幕 亚洲 欧美| 精品欧洲av无码一区二区 | 亚洲色无码一区二区三区| 天堂а√中文在线| 久久最近最新中文字幕大全| 亚洲欧美日韩中文久久| 中文字幕无码播放免费| 国产羞羞的视频在线观看 国产一级无码视频在线 | 中文字幕AV一区中文字幕天堂| 国产成人精品无码免费看| 无码人妻黑人中文字幕| 亚洲日韩精品一区二区三区无码 | 亚洲va中文字幕无码| 精品爆乳一区二区三区无码av| 国产aⅴ无码专区亚洲av麻豆| 国产中文字幕乱人伦在线观看| 中文日韩亚洲欧美字幕| 伊人久久无码精品中文字幕| 亚洲AⅤ无码一区二区三区在线 | 国产成人精品无码免费看| 日韩精品无码一本二本三本| 亚洲第一极品精品无码久久| 亚洲AV日韩AV永久无码绿巨人| 亚洲Av永久无码精品三区在线| 午夜无码伦费影视在线观看| 无码日韩精品一区二区三区免费 |