Champion Hong Kong jockey Joao Moreira has answered a SOS from trainer Chris Waller and will ride favourite Omei Sword in the Group 1 $1m Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill on Saturday.

Hong Kong jockey Joao Moreira, above, will ride Omei Sword in the Golden Rose at Rosehill. Photo by Sarah Ebbett.

Waller only committed to run Omei Sword in the Golden Rose on Monday and was left searching for suitable rider after Brenton Avdulla, who rode her to victory in the Group 2 $175,000 Alpha Flight Services Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on August 20, was booked to ride Impending for trainer John O’Shea.

Leading Group 1 winning jockey Hugh Bowman, who does the bulk of the riding for the Waller stable, had also committed to ride the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained El Divino who he partnered when fourth to Astern in the Group 2 $175,000 MTA Run To The Rose (1200m) at Rosehill on August 27.

Waller tweeted that Moreira will be applying for a release from the Hong Kong Jockey Club to travel to Sydney to ride Omei Sword on Saturday and also that Tye Angland would ride the stable’s other runner Nikitas who has drawn just worse than midfield at barrier eight in the fourteen horse field.

“Please note that in the De Bortoli Golden Rose this Saturday, Nikitas will be ridden by Tye Angland and Omei Sword will be ridden by Joao Moreira pending approval from the Hong Kong Jockey Club,” Waller tweeted.

Omei Sword has jumped to the top of the market order for the Golden Rose after drawing nicely at barrier three and is the new $3.50 favourite at Ladbrokes.com.au ahead of Astern at $3.80 and Divine Prophet at $4.80.

Market order for the Golden Rose at Ladbrokes.com.au: $3.60 Omei Sword, $3.80 Astern, $4.80 Divine Prophet, $9.50 Yankee Rose, $12 Impending, $13 Derryn, $16 El Divino, $19 Mediterranean, $31 Thronum, $51 Good Standing, $61 Nikitas, $101 O’Reilly Cyrus, Oink, Chamalu.