{"id":147395,"date":"2025-09-19T12:56:14","date_gmt":"2025-09-19T12:56:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/147395\/"},"modified":"2025-09-19T12:56:14","modified_gmt":"2025-09-19T12:56:14","slug":"caspar-fownes-still-hopes-to-bring-joao-moreira-to-hong-kong","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/147395\/","title":{"rendered":"Caspar Fownes still hopes to bring Joao Moreira to Hong Kong"},"content":{"rendered":"

There was a mixture of surprise and disappointment among Hong Kong\u2019s racing fans and participants on Thursday following the Hong Kong Jockey Club\u2019s statement that it would not be granting a short-term stable jockey licence to the circuit\u2019s four-time champion jockey Joao Moreira.<\/p>\n

Caspar Fownes is the man who wants Moreira on board as his stable\u2019s retained rider, with the four-time champion trainer keen to employ the Brazilian sensation\u2019s rare skills and know-how to drive what he hopes might be a push for the trainers\u2019 premiership.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Fownes was taking the news with pragmatic resignation, telling Idol Horse, \u201cIt is what it is,\u201d but was also clear that he still wants Moreira on board at some point before the season ends.<\/p>\n

\u201cI understand the Club\u2019s situation, they\u2019ve said what that is, and we\u2019ll just be applying for him to come in before the season\u2019s out, so there\u2019s no drama, it\u2019s a long season,\u201d the trainer said. \u201cWe\u2019ll work on the dates and he\u2019ll either apply to come in as a club jockey or as a stable jockey for me, so that\u2019s what we\u2019ll work on going forward.\u201d<\/p>\n

That might take some juggling of schedules with Moreira likely to be in demand by his retained owner in Brazil, Haras Rio Iguassu, as well as Japanese interests keen to use him during any potential short-term stint during the JRA\u2019s Group 1 spring features.<\/p>\n

\"\"CASPAR FOWNES, AARON KWOK \/ The Beijing Clubhouse Cup \/\/ Sha Tin \/\/\/ 2025 \/\/\/\/ Photo by VCG via Getty Images<\/p>\n

The Jockey Club statement \u2013 which came a day after the Club announced James McDonald, Hollie Doyle and Maxime Guyon for the November through December period that Moreira was hoping to ride, as well as Dylan Browne McMonagle for a January start \u2013 said it had \u201cdetermined that there is no availability for retained jockeys\u201d during the first half of the current season.<\/p>\n

It also stated that retained jockeys must apply by a deadline of December 1 if they want to ride for a period after February 17, seemingly ruling out Moreira or any other rider being granted a licence to ride before that date.<\/p>\n

In a statement to Hong Kong media, the club\u2019s executive director, racing Andrew Harding said the planning for jockeys\u2019 licensing \u201ctakes place months in advance\u201d and \u201cforward planning is essential\u201d and spoke about ensuring that the club balances such factors as the \u201cresilience of the roster\u201d.<\/p>\n

Moreira, one of the biggest names in the sport globally and a six-time Group 1 winner in Japan and Brazil already this year, is no stranger to riding as a stable jockey. He left Hong Kong for Japan in 2018 only to fail the JRA\u2019s test to gain a full-time licence there in early October of that year, but he was back at Sha Tin riding as stable jockey to John Size by December 9, the club having announced the granting of his licence on November 17.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Gerald Mosse, who rode for Manfred Man, and Tommy Berry riding for John Moore are two other high profile stable jockey appointments in the past decade, in an era when stable retained riders have fallen out of fashion in a jurisdiction that has long prided itself on being one of the sport\u2019s most competitive and hard-nosed arenas of competition.<\/p>\n

Harding also stated that the club had determined it was not possible to licence Moreira \u201cwithout undermining the club\u2019s recruitment strategy and being unfair to the jockeys who have already made commitments to ride in Hong Kong.\u201d \u220e<\/p>\n

\"Joao<\/p>\n

Related<\/p>\n

Joao Moreira Poised For Shock Hong Kong Return For Fownes<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Joao<\/p>\n

Related<\/p>\n

Cameo Or Comeback? Moreira Reveals Goals For Hong Kong Return<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"\"\/<\/p>\n

Hong Kong<\/p>\n

David Hayes Believes Everest Trip Can Launch Ka Ying Rising To Even Greater Heights<\/p>\n

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