Silvestre de Sousa
Age: 43
Background:
One of 10 children, Silvestre de Sousa first sat on a horse on the family farm at age six, became an apprentice jockey at age 18 and within two years was champion apprentice in Sao Paulo. He moved to Europe at age 22 and was employed as a work rider for Dermot Weld. In 2004, dispirited after two years without a ride in public, De Sousa moved to England and teamed up with North Yorkshire trainer Dandy Nicholls. His first win in Britain was achieved aboard Sonic Anthem at Southwell on 1 January, 2006. Riding mainly for lesser trainers, often on longshots, he established his reputation on the northern circuit and in 2010 he rode his first century. With trainer Mark Johnston's support he finished runner-up in the 2011 British champion jockey race. He was retained by Godolphin from 2012 to 2014, during which time his haul included the G1 Dubai World Cup on African Story. Riding freelance in 2015, he achieved 132 wins to claim the British champion jockey title and repeated in 2017 (155 wins) and again in 2018 (148 wins). He was named as retained rider for King Power Racing in 2019 but is currently riding as a freelance. De Sousa notched 16 winners in each of his first two short winter stints in Hong Kong (2015/16 and 2016/17) and earned a fine 44 during a longer spell in 2018/19. In 2018, de Sousa lit up Happy Valley with victory in the 2018 LONGINES IJC and followed up four days later with a first HKIR win aboard Glorious Forever in the G1 Hong Kong Cup.
Achievements:
British Champion Jockey (2015, 2017 & 2018), LONGINES IJC winner (2018).
Notable race wins include:
Hong Kong Cup (2018 Glorious Forever), Nunthorpe Stakes (2021 Winter Power), British Champions Sprint Stakes (2019 Donjuan Triumphant), Prix Morny (2018 Pretty Pollyanna), International Stakes (2015 Arabian Queen), Dubai World Cup (2014 African Story), Champions Stakes (2013 Farhh), Lockinge Stakes (2013 Farhh), Dubai Turf (2013 Sajjhaa), Premio Roma (2012 Hunter’s Light)
Hong Kong Career Wins (at start of 2022/23 season):
91 (win strike rate: 11.3%)

22/23 Season
Nationality : BRZ No. of Wins : 45 Total Rides : 434
Stakes won : $75,597,985 No. of 2nds : 50 Win % : 10.37%
No. of 3rds : 38
No. of 4ths : 40

Current Season