Whyte, Douglas

Born in Durban, South Africa, aged 37, has been champion jockey in Hong Kong for the last eight seasons (a record) and is long odds-on for a ninth crown this term. Whyte breaks records for fun – last season he broke Tony Cruz's record of 946 career wins and became the first rider to partner 1,000 wins in Hong Kong. His monstrous tally of 114 in 2005/06 broke his own record. Has lifted local Gr.1 events such as the Hong Kong Gold Cup and Hong Kong Vase (Indigenous); QEII Cup (London News), Chairman's Prize (Oriental Express); Citi HK Champions & Chater Cup (Packing Winner), the Centenary Cup (Best Of The Best) and Stewards Cup (Armada).

Spencer, Jamie

Aged 28, he burst onto the scene by winning the Irish 1000 Guineas in 1998 as an apprentice; Spencer has won over 1,000 races with over 20 at the elite level. Was Ireland's Champion Jockey in 2004 while stable jockey to Aidan O'Brien, but broke the association early in 2005 to ride freelance in Britain where he later lifted the Jockeys' championship. Added a second British championship (shared with Seb Sanders) last year. He has been on nine HK winners in two Club Jockey stints.

Lemaire, Christophe

Aged 29, he took out his licence in 1999 and is now ranked among the very best riders active in Europe. Among some 800 career wins, he has won over 20 Gr.1 races throughout the world, including the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Cup in 2006 aboard Pride and five wins on the brilliant filly, Divine Proportions. Lemaire often winters in Japan where he has had a good deal of success, most notably on Heart's Cry, winner of the Arima Kinen (defeating the great Deep Impact) and the Dubai Sheema Classic.

Smullen, Pat

Aged 31, is on the verge of winning his fifth Champion Jockey crown in Ireland. He started his career as understudy to John Murtagh at the John Oxx stable before being appointed Dermot Weld's stable jockey at the end of the 1990s. Smullen has won over 950 races, including 14 at Gr.1 level. He ranks winning the Irish Derby in 2004 on Grey Swallow and the Breeders' Cup Marathon on CXHK Vase mount as highlights. He has partnered four winners in HK to date.

Oliver, Damien

Aged 36, arguably the finest Australian jockey of the modern era; victory aboard Forensics in last year's Golden Slipper meant he became only the sixth jockey to have completed the Grand Slam of Australia's major races – Melbourne Cup (twice), Caulfield Cup (four times), Cox Plate (twice) and the Slipper. He has landed the Hong Kong International Cup on State Taj (1994) and the Hong Kong Sprint twice on Falvelon and won the International Jockeys' Challenge in 2003. He has won 82 Gr.1 races among some 1,900 career victories logged.

Soumillon, Christophe

Born in Belgium, aged 27, he won the French Derby aged 20 and later retained by the Aga Khan for whom he won the French Derby and Prix de l'Arc double on Dalakhani in 2003. Three times Champion Jockey in France, setting a new record of 226 wins in 2005. He won the 2005 Breeders' Cup Turf on Shirocco and the King George in 2006 on Hurricane Run. This year he swept the board on the unbeaten Arc winner, Zarkava, Europe's Horse of the Year. Notable success in HK also, sharing the Cathay Pacific International Jockeys' Championship in 2004 and voted Most Popular Jockey in 2005/06 by local fans. He has won five Gr.1 races in HK, including the MBHK Derby in 2006 on Viva Pataca.

Gomez, Garrett

Aged 36, Gomez grew up in Arizona and rode his first winner aged 16 and over 3,000 have followed. He is currently the leading rider in American in terms of wins (more than 200) and stakes earned (US$22m and counting). He has won some 50 Gr.1 races with eight Breeders' Cup titles included and last year he collected the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey. He is based in California.

Starke, Andrasch

Aged 34, he has been Germany's champion jockey on five occasions. He has also recorded a long list of victories in his homeland headed by five wins in the Derby, five in the Oaks and he also landed his second Grosser Preis von Baden last September on Quijano. He made all to win the SIA Cup on Epalo in 2004. Overall, he has won 19 races in Hong Kong including two victories in 2000 and 2005 in the Cathay Pacific International Jockeys' Championship at Happy Valley.

Velasquez, Cornelio

Born in Panama, aged 40, was a champion rider in his homeland before switching to the USA in 1996. He has ridden over 2,000 career wins and over 30 at the highest level including four Breeders' Cup crowns – he won the Breeders' Cup Mile on CXHK Mile mount Kip Deville last year. Based in Florida, he also has riding titles at Saratoga and Churchill Downs.

Callan, Neil

Aged 30, with over 1,000 career wins Irish-born Callan has progressed into one of most prolific and hard working riders in Britain – he has easily broken the century mark in each of the past five seasons and averages more than 1,000 rides per year. He is first jockey to the Kevin Ryan stable which provided his breakthrough Gr.1 wins on Amadeus Wolf and Palace Episode in 2005. His other Gr.1 success came last year aboard his CXHK Mile mount Pressing in the Gr.1 Premio Roma.

Iwata, Yasunari

Aged 34, Iwata has made a hugely successful transition from the regional NAR circuit to the major league of the JRA in Japan and will be forever remembered for his narrow, nerveless victory in the Melbourne Cup 2006 aboard Delta Blues. He also won the World Super Jockeys as an NAR jockey in 2005. He has won eight Gr.1 races in total, including the Japan Cup last year on Admire Moon and the Yasuda Kinen this year on Vodka.