SINGAPORE:  Jun 13, 2013

Record-breaking jockey Joao Moreira, champion jockey at Kranji for the past three years, will get his first taste of Malaysian racing when he lines up against 13 other jockeys in the International Jockeys Challenge (IJC) at Sungei Besi here on Saturday and Sunday.

The other new faces to Malaysian are Korea's Cho Chan Hoon and Macau's Martin Cangas.

Philippine born Cangas began his racing career in Macau, initially indentured to Gary Moore and later Geoff Allendorf and has ridden 67 winners so far.

Other overseas invitees are Japan's Hironobu Tanabe, Lisa Allpress of New Zealand along with Kranji based Stephen Baster and Greg Cheyne.

It will be Tanabe's second appearance in the IJC after his debut last year during which he won one of the races on SINSEVEN.

Allpress last rode in Malaysia under her maiden name Lisa Mumby in 2001 but failed to win in 32 rides although she was placed five times. Now married, Lisa has been granted a three-month licence to ride in Singapore from Sep 1.

Both Baster and Cheyne have tasted success in Malaysia. Baster won the Magic Millions Classic on the Singapore-trained MR BIG last December. Cheyne was successful on MR RAFFLES in the Sprint Trophy last July and has already chalked up 11 wins in several one-day cameo this season.

Malaysian based expatriates David Badel, Davy Bonilla, Jose De Souza, Mark Gallagher, Martin Wepner and Noel Callow are also among the participating jockeys, along with locals Azhar Ismail, Jai Shankar and Jackson Low.

The jockeys will compete in six race over two days with the winner being awarded 12 points. The runner-up will receive seven points, third four points and fourth one point.

The overall winner will receive RM20,000 and a trophy. The runner-up will get RM5,000 and a trophy while RM3,000 and trophy will be presented to the third placed rider.