It’s now pretty obvious even to those three blind mice that Matthew Chadwick will ride off with this racing season’s Tony Cruz Award which is given to the “winningest” Hong Kong born Jockey.
For the uninitiated, this award is almost the holy grail for Hong Kong born riders. Named
after Hong Kong racing’s favourite and most successful son, there’s a huge sense of pride and being part of Hong Kong racing history in winning it.
For Matthew Chadwick to win it this season says much. He never left, but this was the season that many of us who have followed the somewhat rollercoaster career of this very gifted rider made his comeback- or at least reminded everyone just how good he is when everything clicks.
When returning to Hong Kong for the 2010-11 season as a ten-pound claiming apprentice after gaining experience riding overseas, we expected the world out of him.
The hype from overseas was enormous and he lived up to it in Hong Kong when indentured to the legend that is Tony Cruz.
This combination was nothing like the successful partnership between apprentice Jerry Chau and Douglas Whyte. Cruz and Chadwick were on a rarefied level.
Maybe it was this extra pressure that pushed him to be the most exciting rider to emerge out of Hong Kong since...well, Tony Cruz.
In hindsight, perhaps it wasn’t something he needed when coupled with the high expectations of riding for a legend and hard tough taster like Tony Cruz.
After a couple of glorious years including major Cup wins on champion dimunitive grey California Memory, cracks started to appear in the relationship.
What happened between Matthew Chadwick and Cruzy no one knows and no one needs to know.
What couldn’t be hidden was that something was troubling the young rider.
After a couple of years travelling under the radar, Matthew Chadwick was back in the limelight, this time, when partnering the fascinating Cruz trained Pakistan Star.
People still talk about that first win and with Matthew looking to have got his mojo back and the horse that was going to take him places.
As we now know, however, having a mind of his own, Pakistan Star only decided to race when he felt like it and the rider was replaced.
Despite a conga line of riders thinking that they might change the gallopers errant ways, they failed.
Returning to race riding in Dubai after being retired, thankfully, Pakistan Star is now chilling out at that magic place known as Living Legends.
What’s not surprising is to learn that this mercurial horse is bonding with people, especially those needing an emotional attachment with someone who might understand them better than humans. It’s great to see.
As for Matthew Chadwick, what’s been good to see, especially this season, is him
back on board runners for his old boss.
This might not be a permanent arrangement as Tony Cruz likes to offer different riders opportunities and blows hot and cold over a jockey’s rides- any jockey.
Still, win, lose or draw, the Cruz-Chadwick combination is a special one.
It’s very much a Made In Hong Kong product at a time when, as a city, Hong Kong is trying to make its own comeback.
After riding a brilliant treble last week at Shatin on Reunification Day, having Matthew Chadwick win the Tony Cruz Award is karmic, part of a circle game and very timely for Hong Kong racing.
It’s the right award at the right time for all concerned- and this includes Hong Kong.
One hopes that the Hong Kong Jockey Club uses this marketing opportunity well.
