Frankie Dettori and Mick Kinane, two of the biggest names in horse racing, are among the six international jockeys who will clash with South Africa's top riders in the International Jockey's Challenge at the Steinhoff International Summer Cup race meeting at Turffontein Racecourse in Johannesburg on Saturday, November 29.

According to an article on the SAHorseracing.COM website, the inter-national team contains champions from several countries, including the UK, France and Australia. The full team is Frankie Dettori (England), Mick Kinane (Ireland), Ryan Moore (England), Damien Oliver (Australia), Srinath Surender (India) and Christophe Soumillon (France).

Legend in lifetime

Italian-born Dettori has become a legend in his own lifetime and is the most famous jockey in the world. He is the retained rider for Godolphin, the banner under which the rulers of Dubai race, and has won virtually every major race in the world, including the Epsom Derby, the Dubai World Cup, the Breeders' Cup Turf in the USA, the Japan Cup and the Arc de Triomphe.

Like Dettori, Irish-born Kinane has long been regarded as one of the best jockeys on the planet and has won the Irish Jockey's Championship a record 13 times. He, too, has won major races in a string of countries, including the Epsom Derby twice, the Arc de Triomphe, the Belmont Stakes and the Melbourne Cup, Australia's most famous race.

Ryan Moore was champion apprentice in the UK in 2003 and went on to clinch the British Jockeys' Championship in 2006 when he booted home 180 winners. Injury put paid to his chances of retaining the title last year, but he currently holds a commanding lead in the race for this year's UK jockeys' title.

Belgium-born Christophe Soumillon has been a dominant figure in French racing for years. He was champion apprentice there in 1999 and won the French Jockeys' Championship in 2003 with 207 winners. His major successes include the Arc de Triomphe, the Breeders' Cup Turf, the Dubai Duty Free and the King George V1 and Queen Elizabeth Stakes in England.

Surender has won the jockey's title in India no fewer than five times and has won virtually all the major races in that country. He has ridden over 900 winners from 2800 rides, including some 400 successes in Macau.

Oliver is a household name in Australia and has won 80 Group 1 races, including the Melbourne Cup twice, four Caulfield Cups, two Cox Plates and a Golden Slipper to complete the Grand Slam of Australian Racing. He has won the Melbourne Jockeys' Premiership on seven occasions and ridden with success in New Zealand, Mauritius, Hong Kong, Japan, Ireland and England.

Thrilling challenge

The international riders will compete against South Africa's best jockeys in a thrilling four-race challenge on Steinhoffe Summer Cup day. It will be the first international jockeys' contest in South Africa in some 20 years and JSE-listed Phumelela, which operates horse racing and/or tote betting in seven of South Africa's nine provinces, is proud to have been able to secure such a formidable international team.

The riders to represent South Africa will be selected in the near future. Phumelela has asked the National horse racing Authority, an autonomous national body that is responsible for ensuring that all races are run according to the rules of horse racing to choose the team.

The team could be chosen from jockeys such as Greg Cheyne, D.L. Habib, Andrew Fortune, Gerrit Schlechter and Mark Khan.