RYAN Moore is still hoping to be passed fit to ride in Hong Kong next month. The 42-year-old stood himself down in late August to allow himself recover from a persistent leg injury.

Aidan O’Brien later reported that Moore had been “struggling since the Irish Derby” with his right leg and that the jockey had been told he was carrying a fracture in his femur.

As a result of his injury, Moore has missed major racemeetings in Ireland, England, France and the US.

However, his name has been included in the list of jockeys invited to participate in an international challenge in Hong Kong on Wednesday week, December 10th, ahead of the international races there on Sunday, December 14th.

This week the Hong Kong Jockey Club said Moore’s participation “hinges on medical clearance following recovery from a leg injury.”

If Moore is passed fit to ride in Hong Kong, he can look forward to riding The Lion In Winter (Mile) and Los Angeles (Vase) at Sha Tin on December 14th. Moore and O’Brien have teamed up to win the 12-furlong Vase on three previous occasions, with Highland Reel twice (2015 and 2017) and Mogul (2020).

Other likely runners this year include the 2024 winner Giavellotto, Joseph O’Brien’s Al Riffa, multiple Group 1 winner Goliath, this year’s Arc third Sosie, and the William Haggas-trained Dubai Honour, who won his prep race at Southwell yesterday..

O’Brien has yet to win the Mile, a race dominated by home-trained horses and Japanese raiders for the past 20 years.

The Lion In Winter has been placed in three European Group 1 races this year and most recently finished third in the Breeders’ Cup Mile.

The Sprint is at the mercy of local star Ka Ying Rising, and the Irish-bred Romantic Warrior (see page 32) will be hard to beat in the 10-furlong Cup.

There are just two European-trained entries in this race, Joseph O’Brien’s Galen and Francis Graffard’s Quisisana.