If there’s any doubt that like the city itself, Hong Kong racing is seeing a changing of the guard, this came screaming through when the new Dream Team of Trainer Douglas Whyte and Jockey Lyle Hewitson combined to take out the last race on Tuesday night with Equaletta Blitz.
Despite both having full books of rides, Zac Purton and João Moreira failed to ride a winner. Karis Teetan rode a race to race double whereas the young South African Hewitson went home with the Jockey Challenge.
The win in the last race took his season’s tally to 22 winners with 17 of these coming from Whyte- impressive numbers when one thinks about the time he was forced to spend recuperating with a broken pelvis after a shocking fall during the International Sprint last December.
What can’t go unnoticed or taken for granted is just how determined he has been to shake off memories of that injury, and return to race riding in the best way possible- as a winner.
What’s happened and continues to happen during what has very much been the season of the witch is one thing, but even more interesting is the journey ahead for Lyle Hewitson- and Douglas Whyte- the Batman and Robin of Hong Kong racing- horse racing twice a week and accepted by local fans like nowhere else in the world.
Forget about that old school narrative about “gambling mad Asians”. Though there’s a more mature generation of racing uncles who enjoy conspiracy theories just as they have done for almost four decades, and who keep the rumour mill spinning almost off the hook, horse racing really is a respite from the harshness of daily life’s realities.
Especially during these days and nights of various restrictions and no tourism, there’s not a helluva lot to do except maybe climb the walls.
Looking at the future of Hong Kong horse racing in, let’s say, five years time, champion trainer John Size would have retired unless thrown a lifeline. So might have David Hayes.
The immovable objects might be “Casibah” and the great Tony Cruz.
In five years time, Hong Kong Jockey Club Chief Executive Office Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, below, might even be staring at an enforced retirement- IF a suitable replacement has been found, which is something of an absurd impossibility.
For someone with all the guile and experience of Douglas Whyte, this offers a buffet of opportunities.
Opportunities have always knocked twice and three times for Douglas Whyte in Hong Kong. He’s like a song by Tony Orlando and Dawn.
When Champion Jockey, there might have been better riders. Maybe. None, however, had the determination and focus of the Durban Demon.
This single mindedness has been sharpened over the years. Whatever Lola wanted, Lola got and the same can be said about Douglas Whyte.
As always mentioned when writing about him, Douglas also has time on his side.
Today at 50, he’s in his third season as a Trainer- and a very successful one.
In another five years time, he would have done his “due diligence”, and depending on how the business model of horse racing might have evolved in Hong Kong, Douglas Whyte will be ready for whatever is next.
For Lyle Hewitson, he’s in the middle of a unique learning curve and has been given the best seat in the house to see everything in the Hong Kong racing world up close and personal.
By the end of this racing season, a once very average Hong Kong-born Jockey known as FC Lor should have been crowned Champion Trainer as Frankie Lor.
It’s been real Sorcerer and Apprentice stuff with the former Assistant Trainer to John Size competing with his former boss for the title and winning.
With all the changes going on in Hong Kong, and the city taking its lead from what’s happening in China, the evolution of Frankie Lor would be in keeping with the script.
What’s going to be interesting is what unfolds during the off-season and the upcoming 2022-23 racing season and seeing who’s holding the best hand.
If he isn’t already, Douglas Whyte will be out there wooing the handful of Hong Kong’s racing dynasties as he works towards building a stable with some future champion equine talent.
His time spent as a jockey riding for trainers like Ivan Allan, Tony Cruz, David Hayes, Richard Gibson, and of course John Size, has given him a very clear picture of what’s needed to succeed in the changing landscape of the Hong Kong horse racing industry.
As a trainer, Douglas Whyte has a far broader picture of horse racing, knows where he fits in and who he trusts to have on his side. It’s obvious that it’s no longer Jerry Chau, the apprentice once indentured to him.
From everything we are seeing, Lyle Hewitson is who he is confident enough to know that he’s able to deliver the goods and bring his own talent to the table.
Of course, no one can predict the future, especially at a time when the world has entered the new abnormal and Hong Kong is just a pawn in a much bigger political game. In the game of horse racing, however, Douglas Whyte and Lyle Hewitson offer a horse opera that makes things just that little bit more interesting- and two players who could well be future game changers.
