Rarely has the Hong Kong riding roster seen such upheaval during a season as it has in the past week and the Jockey Club is expected to act quickly as it looks to start filling the void left by the quick-fire departure of Brazilian trio Silvestre de Sousa, Vagner Borges and Ruan Maia.

Hong Kong racing was left scratching its head last Friday when De Sousa and Borges were handed long-term bans for betting offences, with De Sousa receiving 10 months for facilitating what is believed to be a HK$20,000 bet for Borges, who copped a year-long disqualification.

While nearly a week has passed, the fact the pair got themselves into such a situation is no less baffling. De Sousa “has lodged a notice of appeal against the penalty imposed” to be heard at a date yet to be fixed, but the chances of him riding in Hong Kong again are extremely remote.

Maia, on the other, has left of his own volition, going in search of what he hopes are greener pastures in Singapore after a lean campaign in Hong Kong.

What the Brazilians leave in their wake are opportunities for not only the remaining riders but also expatriate jockeys around the world keen to make Sha Tin home.

Between them, De Sousa (45), Borges (seven) and Maia (seven) have ridden 59 winners this term, with Antoine Hamelin the first direct beneficiary when he saluted aboard Sparkling Knight in De Sousa’s absence last weekend.

Chances will also be afforded to those overseas, with the Jockey Club expected to name at least one immediate expat replacement with 17 meetings remaining in the season.

What will be interesting to see is the approach officials take with an eye to next term, which begins on September 10.

There’s not a Brazilian left on the roster – Joao Moreira also departed this season – taking away from a line-up the Jockey Club likes to think of as global.

In De Sousa, the Jockey Club also loses an honorary Brit – he won three jockeys’ titles in the United Kingdom – and Englishman Harry Bentley and Frenchmen Alexis Badel and Antoine Hamelin are the only European riders who call Sha Tin home.

Any short-term fix looks likely to come from Down Under, where the season is winding down, as opposed to the Northern Hemisphere, where things are ramping up.

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But Jockey Club officials have nearly four months to ensure they have a significant name – one that adds real clout – to unveil in the lead-up to next term.

Finding the next De Sousa won’t be easy – with his star waning in the UK, ability to ride light and affinity with Hong Kong owners, he was the perfect fit – but what officials do have after a tough few years operating under strict Covid measures is a city that’s far easier to sell, to go with unmatched financial resources.

Just how ambitious they are remains to be seen.

Plans in place for Wellington

Trainer Richard Gibson has confirmed four-time Group One winner Wellington’s potential trip to Royal Ascot is tracking nicely.

Wellington has been entered for the Group One Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (1,200m) on the final day of the carnival on June 24. Provided all goes to plan in the next few weeks, the six-year-old will be boarding a plane in mid-June.

“We’re definitely going in the right direction. We’ll trial on the 13th [of June], and if that’s all good, we’ll go. Plans are well advanced, and it’s our intention to go at the moment,” Gibson said.