Dubai: Several international jockeys who were based in the UAE during the 2017-2017 racing season, will represent the UAE in the inaugural International Jockey’s Challenge, the highlight of the fourth Chengdu Dubai International Cup, on Sunday.

The exciting Challenge, which will take place at the Jinma Lake Racecourse in the Wenjiang District of Chengdu, will pit the UAE based riders against their Chinese counterparts across two races on the five-race turf card — the 1400m Wenjiang Sprint and the Guangsha Handicap over a mile.

Now in its fourth year, the Chengdu Dubai International Cup represents a joint venture between Meydan Group, the Chengdu Municipal Government, the Chengdu Sports Bureau, the Wenjiang District Government and China Guangsha Group. It is presented by Longines, a long-time supporter f equestrian sport in the UAE.

Five Chinese jockeys spent time in Dubai during the UAE racing season to train with Dubai Racing Club trainers.

“It was an excellent opportunity to learn from the trainers and jockeys in Dubai. The quality of horses there is very high and we were very happy to have the opportunity to go,” said Ma Liankai, who leads the Chinese team.

Ma Liankai has achieved notable results internationally and locally. He was the winner of the international race at the 2015 Hungarian National Gallop Equestrian Festival and more recently he was the runner-up in the 2016 Group 1 CHIA China Cup.

The jockeys were based at Dubai Racing Club’s Millennium Stables and Green Stables under the watch of trainers Esmael Mohammad and Erwan Charpy. They also attended the high-profile Super Saturday meeting at Meydan Racecourse, which was the official dress rehearsal for the Dubai World Cup on March 26.

“On Super Saturday we really liked the atmosphere, and the chance to see the ruler of Dubai (His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai) from up close. It is a rare opportunity to be able to witness competitions of such a high calibre. We are very honoured to have been given this opportunity,” Liankai said.

“We are keen to showcase the best of our Chinese competitive spirit to the people of Dubai and the world, and we hope we can do that at the Chengdu Dubai International Cup.”

The Chinese team also features Bate Bayier, Wang WenXun, Yu Xuewen and Chen YI.

The UAE team includes Emirati apprentice Saeed Al Mazrooei, Adrie de Vries (Holland), Pat Dobbs and Marc Monaghan (Ireland), Sam Hitchcott, Adam MacLean and Royston Ffrench (UK), Bernard Fayd’Herbe (South Africa), Jesus Rosales (Argentina) and Gerald Avranche (France).

Jockey Rosales said: “It was really busy at the signing event and very nice to see the locals engaging with horseracing with so much interest. Along with the international jockeys, the local jockeys got a great welcome from the people of Chengdu. We are all looking forward to a successful race day now.”