Remember me
He may have been a touch jaded when he left Hong Kong in 2019, but Umberto Rispoli is back in town with a spring in his step and boasting every bit of the infectious energy he’s so well known for.
Frustrated by a lack of opportunity after 122 Hong Kong wins across almost eight years, Rispoli packed his bags and headed for the United States.
Almost six years to the day, he returns in the midst of his “best year as a rider” after 127 wins including a superb victory aboard Journalism in the Group One Preakness Stakes (1,900m).
“This place humbles you,” said Rispoli following the rider allocation for the Longines International Jockeys’ Championship (IJC) at Sha Tin on Monday morning.
“It teaches you a lot of good and bad things. It builds you really strong mentally. Wherever you go in the world, if you have some lows you just remind [yourself] how tough it was in Hong Kong. To me it’s the toughest jurisdiction in the world for a rider.
“At that time I did really need a change and it was the best decision I could have made at the time. But I left on good terms with the club.
“I gave them a month’s notice before I left and I even stayed a couple of weeks more because they couldn’t find a replacement right away.
“It’s always good when you finish on good terms and I think probably that’s why the club made the decision to bring me back for the IJC.”
Rispoli will ride in the IJC for the first time at Happy Valley on Wednesday night and he’s hoping years of plying his trade at the city circuit will hold him in good stead.
“I’m glad to be back – it’s always a pleasure. It feels like I never left,” he said.
“I always wanted to ride in the IJC since I came here in 2012 and never got the opportunity. Now that I’m here I’m going to try really hard to try to win the IJC.
“It’s very important to know the Valley as a track. It’s unique. I will try to see if I remember something from when I used to be here.”
Rispoli will need all of his experience to overcome a string of wide gates after Harmony Fire (nine), Can’t Go Wong (11) and Highland Rahy (12) all drew poorly.
Should he be in striking range entering the last of the four IJC legs, however, Rispoli could finish in a blaze of glory aboard the in-form Tourbillon Golfer from barrier five.
“Definitely they are good,” he said of his rides. “I think there are live chances for everybody. That’s what we want to see.
“The draws are going to play a role for sure and unfortunately three out of the four times I’m really outside.
“I’m going to enjoy seeing some people in the beer garden, but that’s the draws we have and we need to try to manage. We know how tough it is at Happy Valley when you draw outside.”
After tackling the IJC – which will see 12 of the world’s best riders battle it out for a share in a HK$1 million bonus – Rispoli will take six rides on Sunday’s Longines Hong Kong International Races (HKIR) undercard at Sha Tin.
“The club was nice – they asked me to stay around for Sunday and back home we don’t have any races, so it was a good opportunity for me to catch some rides,” he said, before adding that it won’t just be racing on the agenda this week.
“I’m trying to enjoy some restaurants that I used to love. You can’t beat the food here and you can’t beat the city here the way you can walk around and the safety you have with your kids and your wife. That’s why this place will always be special for me.”
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