Russell Baze [USA]

Q: What are your hopes and ambitions towards this event?
A: First I’d like to thank the JRA for inviting me and I’m thrilled to be here. There’s some great competition and a great lineup of riders here. I’m always looking forward to the challenge and it looks like it’s going to be a real challenge to compete against these guys. May the best jockey win!

Q: It’s your first visit since you were here 26 years ago, but you look the same. How do you keep fit?
A: I’m sure there’s a few more wrinkles than there were the last time I was here, but just good clean living, take care of myself. I eat right, I keep my weight constant so I don’t have to pull a lot of weight in the hot boxer and sweat it off. Other than that I guess I just might have good genes because my dad’s 85 and he still looks pretty good too.

Hayley Turner [GB]

Q: What are your hopes and ambitions towards this event?
A: Thank you for having me, I’m thrilled to be here. I know not many girls have ever done this so I feel quite privileged. I know everyone at home is rooting for me and I’m sure it’s a big experience but when I get on the track I will be as equally competitive so—fingers crossed.

Thierry Jarnet [FR]

Q: What are your hopes and ambitions towards this event?
A: Thank you for the invitation. For me this weekend will be a very big competition and a　very important one.

Q: In the past few years, many Japanese horses have challenged the Arc without success. You have won many times, so what’s the secret?
A: I’ve seen the Japanese horses and I have no doubt that one of them will capture the title in the near future.

Q: What are your expectations in Japan for this event?
A: The standard of the Japanese horses are very high and the racing here is very challenging, so I’m looking forward to racing here this weekend.

Craig Williams [AUS]

Q: What are your hopes and ambitions towards this event?
A: I’m very privileged to be invited to this event, and it’s an honor to represent Australia. It’s no doubt, looking at the riders around me, that it’s going to be a great challenge. I’ve never ridden in Sapporo, and they’ve told me that the Sapporo racing fans are very excited so I’m looking forward to an exciting series.

Joao Moreira [HK]

Q: What are your hopes and ambitions towards this event?
A: I’d just like to express myself that I’m very proud to be part of this event that JRA is putting on. I’m very privileged of being part of this.
I know there are a lot of really good jockeys here. I’ll be one of the youngsters among them and I’m sure I’ll be the one that learns the most from them. I’m also very much looking forward to the competition because I know you’re going to put on a good show and hopefully everybody will enjoy it.

Q: You’ve set a number of records back in Hong Kong last season-you’ve been very impressive during that time. What are your expectations for this event?
A: We’re all here to try to do our best and as I said, it’s a pleasure to be here and I couldn’t be expecting to do any worse than good.