FRANKIE Dettori may have been complaining about the hunger when he was on ITV’s I’m A Celebrity recently but there were no grumbles from Ryan Moore in Hong Kong last weekend even though he rode at his lightest weight in four years.

Moore had to get down to 8st 5lb to ride Warm Heart in the International Vase, the pair going on to finish a respectable third. Neither the dieting nor his recent fall in Japan affected his strength in the saddle, as he showed when almost lifting Luxembourg over the line in front in the Cup later on the card.

As you can see from the photograph here, the 40-year-old was looking a little light two days before the big races, but he is smiling as he had just been named the Longines World’s Best Jockey for the fourth time.

“I’m very fortunate with the people I ride for,” he said. “It’s just the best team and I’m very grateful for the support I get from Coolmore and Ballydoyle.

“The reality is that without their help I wouldn’t be here. It’s all down to teamwork and I just do the last little bit.”

Asked what might be in store for 2024, Moore said: “Aidan says I’m a pessimist but I think we’ve got a great team of horses and I’m very much looking forward to what we’ve got coming up next season.”

We bet he’s looking forward to his Christmas dinner even more.