Ryan Moore was back among the winners at Lingfield on Wednesday on his first day riding for three months The world’s number one jockey has been sidelined since being diagnosed with a stress fracture of the femur in August

It meant he missed a series of big race meetings with Aidan O’Brien and at least seven Group 1 victories with Belgian star Christophe Soumillon successfully filling in in Moore’s absence. The ten-time champion of France added the trainer’s 26th top level victory of 2025 on Gstaad in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. Moore’s comeback was timed to get him back into the groove before next week’s Hong Kong International Races where O’Brien will have two runners, Los Angeles and The Lion In Winter.

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He has also been announced by the Hong Kong Jockey Club as a participant in the International Jockeys’ Championship at Happy Valley on December 10.

At Lingfield Moore finished runner-up on his first ride, the George Boughey-trained Sovereign Wealth in the Nursery Handicap.

But he was back in the winners’ enclosure after the next when steering the 1-2 chance Lazzar, trained by old weighing-room colleague Richard Hughes, to ride Lazzar in the Novice Stakes.

Moore’s sister Hayley Moore, working for Sky Sports Racing, was waiting to greet him but, despite the family connection, received only guarded answers from her brother in the post-race interview.

“Hayley, it’s been a while so it’s good to be back,” he said.

She enquired: “Are you looking forward to going back to Hong Kong? I know it’s a meeting you’ve enjoyed over the years.”

He said: “Yeah, we have some runners on Sunday and I will be riding next week in Happy Valley, so looking forward to that.”

She continued: “And the International Jockeys Challenge, you’re part of that again?”. Ryan said: “Yes, that’s on Wednesday. I’m looking forward to it.”

Back in the Sky Sports Studio, presenter Alex Hammond said: “I’m like that with my brother.”