Andrea Atzeni

Andrea Atzeni (born 26 March 1991) is a professional Italian jockey who was based in England for sixteen years before moving to Hong Kong. He was born on the Mediterranean island of Sardinia, where his father is a sheep farmer, and moved aged fifteen to Milan to work for Italian trainer Alduino Botti. Two years later he immigrated to England and joined the Prestige Place stables of Alduino's son Marco in Newmarket.

Career His first big success as a jockey came in the 2009 Cesarewitch Handicap, but he had to wait until 2012 for his first Group 1 win. This came on the Andreas Wöhler-trained Sortilege in the Premio Lydia Tesio ran at Capannelle Racecourse in Rome. Atzeni was appointed stable jockey to Roger Varian in 2013, and almost immediately won his first British Group 1 race aboard the Varian trained Kingston Hill in the Racing Post Trophy. He finished the season with 120 winners.

In 2015, he won the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes on the Luca Cumani-trained Postponed. In October Atzeni guided Simple Verse to her second Group 1 in the British Champions Fillies' and Mares' Stakes, prior to her being named European Champion Stayer at the prestigious Cartier Racing Award. After difficulty in finding good rides in his first season as a freelance, Atzeni took up the offer of a contract with the Hong Kong Jockey Club, starting in September 2023. During his sixteen-year career in Britain, he had won 26 Group 1 races.

Major wins

Australia Sydney Cup – (1) – Circle of Fire (2024)

Canada Canadian International Stakes – (2) – Desert Encounter (2018, 2019) E.P. Taylor Stakes – (1) – Sheikha Reika (2018)

France Prix d'Ispahan – (1) – Zabeel Prince (2019) Prix Jean Romanet – (1) – Ajman Princess (2017) Prix Morny – (1) – Vandeek (2023)

Germany Grosser Preis von Bayern – (1) – Seismos (2013)

Great Britain British Champions Fillies' and Mares' Stakes – (1) – Simple Verse (2015) Coronation Cup – (2) – Postponed (2016), Defoe (2019) Dewhurst Stakes – (1) – Belardo (2014) Goodwood Cup – (2) – Stradivarius (2017, 2018) International Stakes – (1) – Postponed (2016) King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes – (1) – Postponed (2015) Lockinge Stakes – (1) – Belardo (2016) Racing Post Trophy – (4) – Kingston Hill (2013), Elm Park (2014), Marcel (2015), Rivet (2016) St. Leger Stakes – (2) – Kingston Hill (2014), Simple Verse (2015) Haydock Sprint Cup – (1) – Emaraaty Ana (2021)

Ireland Irish Champion Stakes – (1) – Decorated Knight (2017) Moyglare Stud Stakes – (1) – Cursory Glance (2014) Pretty Polly Stakes – (1) – Nezwaah (2017) Tattersalls Gold Cup – (1) – Decorated Knight (2017)

Italy Premio Lydia Tesio – (1) – Sortilege (2012)

UAE Dubai Sheema Classic – (1) – Postponed (2016) Jebel Hatta – (1) – Decorated Knight (2017)