Piercing the dawn fog in Sha Tin, floodlights illuminate the deserted track. There are no cheering crowds or flashing betting boards – just the crunch of hooves on the grass. For Hong Kong’s aspiring jockeys, the daily grind starts at 4am, away from the weekend glory of the winner’s circle.
Even knowing the future ahead, hundreds of young hopefuls still flock to The Jockey School (AJS) at this time of year every year, driven by a common, steadfast goal.
The doors to this elite world were re-opened on June 1, when the Hong Kong Jockey Racing Talent Training Center (RTTC) launched its annual recruitment drive, inviting applications for the program that has created Hong Kong racing professionals for over 50 years.
Following the physical and driving tests in July, selected candidates will attend an orientation camp where the top 25 will be selected to follow in the footsteps of local legends such as Tony Cruz, Ricky Yiu, Francis Lui, Vincent Ho and Jerry Chau.
A decade ago, apprentices Britney Wong Po-ni and Nichola Yuen Hang-yiu were among those hopefuls.
As the first female apprentice in seven years to drive full-time in Hong Kong, Wong took her first drive at Happy Valley last November, and the 27-year-old has taken 29 wins at Sha Tin in the past two seasons.
