JOAO Moreira has failed in his first attempt to secure a full-time JRA jockey’s licence.

A three-time Champion Jockey in Hong Kong, Joao Moreira shocked racing fans in June when he announced his intention to quit Hong Kong and become a full-time rider in the JRA. Moreira in recent years has become a frequent visitor to the land of the rising sun on a short-term licence (maximum stay of three months).

The notoriously difficult JRA Jockey’s exam consists of two parts. Conducted in English, the initial exam is a written test on topics such as JRA racing regulations and Japanese racing knowledge. Upon successful completion of part one, the applicant must then sit a verbal exam and interview to assess their ability to converse in Japanese.

Under JRA regulations, no appeal process is available to any unsuccessful applicant and no opportunity to sit another exam is available until October 2019. The result of this failed exam does not affect his current licence nor his eligibility to be granted another three-month licence in 2019.

SCINTILLATING FORM

Currently plying his trade in the JRA under a short-term licence which is valid until December. Moriera has been in scintillating form in 2018 riding 46 JRA winners from a 115 rides.

This equates to a 40% strike rate, comfortably the highest percentage return of any jockey ranked in the leading 100 riders in the JRA. Moriera can also boast an almost ridiculous 60.9% return on rides to top three finishers. He currently sits in 23rd position on the leading rider’s table with earnings of €4,700,000.

In 2015 Christophe Lemaire and Mirco Demuro became the first non-Japanese full-time licenced riders in the JRA.