Cristian Demuro [France]

Q: How do you feel about racing against your brother?
A: I’m very happy because I met him after a long time.

Q: So you’re going to win against your brother…
A: Of course.

Q: How do you feel about your successful season in France this year?
A: This year is a very good season for me because I’m able to ride good horses and I received a contract.

Q: It’s your first time to take part in this World All-Star Jockeys. What are your hopes and ambitions towards this event?
A: It’s a very good opportunity. I’m pleased to come back to Japan to ride in this jockeys’ championship.

Q: You’ve had great success with La Cressonniere. Does she have a very good chance in the Arc this year? Are you confident?
A: I’m confident because she’s a very good filly. She had eight races and eight wins.

Joao Moreira [Hong Kong]

Q: You’re here for the second time as a defending champion. How confident are you this year?
A: It’s a pleasure to be back. I’m very excited and looking forward to the competition. From what I know my rides are not that outstanding but obviously we’re going to do our best and as I always say, luck plays a big part in this game and I’m pretty much relying to that. I’m pretty confident that I can get a good job done, and I just hope that the horses that I got can perform their best.

James Spencer [United Kingdom]

Q: How do you feel coming here to Sapporo for the first time for the WASJ?
A: I am looking forward to it. Obviously it’s a competition so I treat it like another race and hope I can win.

Q: What is the secret to having so much success in different countries around the world?
A: Obviously you have to do your research—try and learn as much about the place as possible, watch replays, and just take it from there. And I think most importantly, get on the right horses, because if the horse is good then you’ve got a chance.

Q: And you have done your research on Japanese horses as well?
A: Yes.

Q: What is your impression on the level of horse racing in Japan?
A: Honestly, the horses are very good in Japan. As we notice from the horse sales in America and England, especially when the broodmares are being sold, it’s always the big horse owners that buy our best breeds, so now with big stallions like Deep Impact combined with the best broodmares you buy through America and England, it’s only going to strengthen the breed. Now the horses are very hard to beat in Japan and also when they leave Japan.

Q: How do you feel about the standard of the Japanese jockeys?
A: We all know they are very successful. Yutaka Take is famous around the world and has been a brilliant jockey for a very long time. And my impression of the Japanese jockeys are that they are very clean riders and very fair.

Q: What are your thoughts towards the series?
A: Thank you for inviting me to take part in this series. I’ve been looking forward to this for the past few weeks. As it’s my first time, I’m quite excited and hope that my horse is in form and I have the chance to win.

Craig Williams [Australia]

Q: As an internationally successful jockey with a deep understanding of the level of Japanese racing, where would Japan stand among the world of horse racing?
A: First of all, I’d like to thank the JRA and of course the Owners Association of Sapporo for inviting me and putting on this great event. I feel honored to represent my country Australia. When you look at the results from Japanese horses, trainers and their jockeys, whenever they travel around the world, the results speak volumes. Everyone is very respectful and always wary of coming up against the Japanese horses or trainers or jockeys whenever they compete around the world. And it will be no different. I’m sure that with all the top jockeys that we have here from Japan, NAR and the rest of the world, the Sapporo racing fans are going to enjoy the show that we’re going to put on Saturday and Sunday. I’m looking forward to it and am very excited.

Q: One of our horses, Curren Mirotic, is scheduled to participate in the Melbourne Cup this year. What are his chances of winning?
A: Basically, if Curren Mirotic turns up in his best form, he’ll win the Melbourne Cup, it’s pretty simple.

Emma-Jayne Wilson [Canada]

Q: What is your impression of Japanese racing?
A: Japanese racing speaks for itself as Craig mentioned earlier. As they travel around the world, the impressions that they leave, it’s success, top quality animals, top quality trainers, top quality jockeys. So my knowledge is, as you’ve represented yourselves over the years through international horse racing, it’s a very high bar.