If the eleven races at Shatin on Sunday looked like a benefit meeting for Hong Kong-born riding and training talent, it was timely, and needed.
There were doubles from apprentice jockeys Dylan Mo and Jerry Chau plus senior riders Derek Leung and wins for Matthew Chadwick, below, and Matthew Poon.
The winners of all eleven races were Hong Kong born trainers. There was Frankie Lor, former Assistant Trainer to John Size, who’s now battling his former mentor for this season’s Trainers title.
Others amongst the winners were Chris So, who’s worked under Caspar Fownes, YS Tsui, Peter Ho, Tony Cruz, and Benno Yung, Except for Cruzy, for everyone else, working with and around a world class trainer like John Size, for example, are invaluable lessons just as it is riding against the brilliance of Joao Moreira and Zac Purton twice a week.
In case anyone mentions what racing legend Tony Cruz is doing on the list above, though he might have been born in Macau, and was hugely successful when riding in Europe and the UK, he is most definitely a very proud Hong Kong boy.
In the midst of all this, might we have been seeing a dress rehearsal into the future of Hong Kong racing? Maybe.
Sure, there will always be cameo appearances by world class riders for some of the big Group races, just as there will be new and young talent from different parts of the world being introduced into the jockeys ranks. All this will continue and be one of the best on course schools for Hong Kong talent to keep learning and keep improving. After all, before arriving in Hong Kong, Douglas Whyte, Karis Teetan and Zac Purton were hardly household names. Hong Kong gave them an international platform to showcase their talent and which they grabbed with both hands and have become the success stories that they are today. This platform is not going to just disappear. In the here and now of Hong Kong, the city is getting ready for July 1. This is when incoming Chief Executive John Lee, who’s Hong Kong educated and a no nonsense leader, takes office.
With him as leader, the juju board points to a far greater focus on Made In Hong Kong products- and seeing them improve. This includes the racing product. This could have its good points and not-so-good points. It’s how one looks at everything...
For example, there’s often been the somewhat blinkered thinking amongst even racing fans that sub standard riding talent from everywhere else is better than the talent from Hong Kong. This often means that home grown talent don’t get a look in and are meant to be happy with the crumbs thrown their way. Unless fortunate enough to be the regular rider of a champion galloper like Golden Sixty, there’s often a need to try even harder to be recognised and taken seriously. When riding as an apprentice for Tony Cruz, Matthew Chadwick found this out when his “brand” gained traction from his partnership with the Cruz trained champion galloper California Memory.
Then came some time in the wilderness until returning to the flock to partner the fascinating Pakistan Star. This was during those very early days when the highly intelligent galloper thought that, maybe, he would like to be a race horse- and on his own terms.
This season especially, we have seen the resurgence of a more mature, inspired and driven Matty Chadwick. He’s riding with confidence and he makes the most out of the rides he gets. He also appears to be back in the good books of the tough taskmaster that is his old boss.
Nothing gets past Cruzy and it’s good to see him also supporting former apprentice Matthew Poon.
Years ago, Tony mentioned how being a Hong Kong boy, he would always support local talent. He has kept his word. After arriving from Adelaide, where he was known as The Poon Train, it’s this season that Matthew Poon has finally found his mojo. That busy and bustling riding style and his whip flying all over the place is kept in check. Maybe Tony Cruz has told him to “be cool, man”. As for Derek Leung, he remains a somewhat underrated jockey and it’s surprising why this is.
Derek has his own unofficial fan club, and being a charter member from the day when Douglas Whyte mentioned that here was the young jockey to watch, this is a rider who you can see give every one of his rides every possible chance in a race. What some often forget is that Derek Leung partnered the great Beauty Generation for three consecutive wins including a Group 1 win before the John Moore trained galloper went up through the grades, had to compete against tougher competition with the owners deciding that Zac Purton become his regular rider.
For the past two seasons, the home grown talent has been riding in great form. In a finish, he can mix it with anyone- and hold his own. Of course, with Hong Kong still running on empty as a city with no tourism and not much going for it following the leadership under the hapless housewife having made many confused, frustrated, suspicious and left to live under a cloud of fear, priorities have changed completely. There’s also been an exodus out of the city- and it’s continuing.
What’s left is a dwindling and ageing population comprising mainly Hong Kong Chinese. For Hong Kong racing to continue and prosper against the backdrop of this new abnormal, the Hong Kong Jockey Club has to have the patience of Job and wisdom of Solomon and everything in between.
The Club must, of course, strictly follow government mandates. There’s also the need for the Hong Kong Jockey Club to look after its own product and brand personality while seeing if it might help in rebuilding the city that is its home. Here’s where there needs to be some changes in line with the times in which Hong Kong finds itself today. It also needs to look at how its product is presented and viewed by local and overseas audiences. There must be more stringent measures taken to address proper dress codes, and that its venues maintain the high standards once set. No one wants to see things deteriorate into a bag of Jack’n Jill crisps.
For the Hong Kong Jockey Club, there’s no better time than the present to see where it’s going, how it’s going to get there and whether it’s a Lamborghini, a Fiat or an Uber. Personally speaking, worked effectively, the Club could very well be an example in showing the government that change is necessary, but how this change must be tempered with empathy, kindness, being inspirational and with a true understanding of the needs of all Hong Kong people- not just local racing fans.
As a Hong Kong Belonger, these times have opened my eyes to a great deal of hypocrisy and with many things having been conveniently swept under the carpet over the years. We live and learn and like that hit by Johnny Nash, I can see clearly now.
Do I like what I see? Guess.
