Picture: Trainer David Hall. new jockey Britney Wong and Amy Chan pose for photos at Sha Tin. Picture: Jack Dawling. The first meeting of the new season will be on Sunday 8 September at Sha Tin. (South China Morning Post)
by Jack Dawling (South China Morning Post)
Britney Wong Po-ni hopes some advice from Hong Kong’s seven-time champion jockey will hold her in good stead.
Wong will be the first female jockey to ride full-time in Hong Kong since 2017 and the 25-year-old says she is raring to go after seeking guidance from Australian ace Zac Purton in the build up to the new season.
“I actually don’t think words can explain my excitement because this is a very huge opportunity for me,” said Wong, who fronted the media at Sha Tin on Thursday.
“I’ve been working very hard to get [a licence], so I’m very pleased that the club has given me the opportunity.
“I’ve had lots of help from people at the jockey school and Zac also came over to share his thoughts with me on Tuesday. His preparation is very thorough and he covers everything. I think that’s a big thing to learn from.”
Wong, who first joined the Jockey Club’s trainee programme in 2016, returns to her home country after riding 50 winners from 602 races in Australia and most recently gaining further education from a short stint in New Zealand.
She was forced to fly back to Hong Kong in April after an application for an extension of her stay was declined by the Australian government due to a change in visas for overseas students.
While Wong hopes her international experience can enable her to hit the ground running at Sha Tin, she is under no illusion of the tough challenges ahead.
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Britney Wong joins the Hong Kong roster.
Britney Wong joins the Hong Kong roster.
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“Riding in Hong Kong is a really big step up for me,” Wong said. “I’m not going to have any silly expectations, but every win is a win and every ride is a ride. So I’ll just do my best to give my horses every possible chance in each race.”
Wong will be indentured to trainer David Hall, who admits the youngster may face a baptism of fire early in the season.
“If you look at the previous apprentices that have come to Hong Kong, they’re probably a little bit more advanced than what she is,” Hall said.
“I hope the expectation is not too daunting for her because it will be very tough.
“I’m happy to have her on board and of course, a 10-pound apprentice can always be a handy one for the stable. Hopefully, it will be a good journey for her.”
