HORSE RACING
Jockeys Callan Murray and Grant van Niekerk off to Hong Kong
Horse racing is one of only four sports in Japan the public is permitted to bet on, the others being bicycles, motorbikes and powerboats. The ponies are the most popular and the sport is growing. More than $22.5bn was wagered in Japan’s racing pools in 2017. Star jockey Joao Moreira, a Hong Kong celebrity and three-time champion, last week surprised the Hong Kong Jockey Club with a surprise announcement. Moreira has found the lure of Japanese racing so strong he has decided to give it up in Hong Kong for a move to Tokyo, where French jockey Christophe Lemaire has ruled the roost for the past few years. Australian jockeys Tommy Berry and Brett Prebble have decided to call it a day in the former British colony, but the Hong Kong Jockey Club has issued licences to South Africans Callan Murray and Grant van Niekerk to replace them. This is a wonderful opportunity to make their mark on the world stage. Murray rode two feature winners during one short spell in Hong Kong in 2017. Van Nieke...
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