Profiles of Nominees for the Most Popular Jockey of the Year
The contest for the Most Popular Jockey of the Year this past season was more competitive than ever. Below are the profiles of the 10 jockeys nominated for this category of The Hong Kong Jockey Club Champion Awards (2006/07) to help voters recall their finest performances in the season.
NOTE : The Most Popular Jockey for 2006/7 was voted to be ~ Brett Prebble
Douglas Whyte
Born November 15 1971, in Durban, South Africa, has been champion jockey in Hong Kong for the last six seasons but is facing a serious test from Brett Prebble in his quest for a 7th title. Last weekend he partnered his 900th career winner in HK and his monstrous tally of 114 wins last year broke his own record. Has lifted local Gr.1 events such as the Hong Kong Gold Cup and Hong Kong Vase (Indigenous); Audemars Piguet QEII Cup (London News), Chairman's Prize (Oriental Express); Centenary Cup (Best Of The Best) and this year's Stewards' Cup (Armada).
Brett Prebble
Born September 23, 1977, a former champion apprentice and twice champion jockey in Melbourne. His HK breakthrough came aboard Precision in the Champions & Chater Cup in 2003 and in 2005 he added the Australia Stakes on Cape Of Good Hope. He has registered over 180 winners in HK and is challenging for the jockeys' title this term. Last year he won the Champions Mile and Yasuda Kinen on Bullish Luck. This year he took out the CXHK Sprint on Absolute Champion and added the MBHK Derby on Vital King and is pushing Douglas Whyte all the way for a first jockeys' title.
Olivier Doleuze
Born on April 19, 1972; son of jockey-turned-trainer, Georges. Former champion apprentice in France; mostly rode for Criquette Head-Maarek; Classic wins Green Tune and Egyptband Won the 2001 Singapore Krisflyer Sprint win on Iron Mask. Famed for his flamboyant winning celebrations, Doleuze is likely to finish 3rd in this season's Hong Kong jockeys' premiership. He has well over 200 career wins in HK recorded and is best remembered for his win on The Duke in the CXHK Mile last December.
Gerald Mosse
Born Jan 3, 1968, former champion apprentice in France; has ridden over 40 Gr.1 wins in Europe. Career highlight remains his Arc triumph on Saumarez in 1990; he has also won all the French Classics. Is in his 14th season riding in Hong Kong and recently breached the 400 winner mark, with three Hong Kong Derbies outstanding. His biggest money-spinner was Jim And Tonic, on whom he won the Hong Kong Bowl, Hong Kong Cup and AP QEII Cup. He also won the Hong Kong Sprint in 2002 on All Thrills Too. His feature wins this year were in the Gr.1 MBHK Classic Mile and Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup on Floral Pegasus and Joyful Winner respectively.
Felix Coetzee
Born March 7, 1959; he is son of trainer Hennie. He is a former triple champion jockey in South Africa. He won the Durban July three times also. He is approaching 600 winners in 14 HK seasons and enjoyed a phenomenal big race run in recent seasons, thanks chiefly to Silent Witness, the source of nine top-level victories, and Lucky Owners, winner of the Hong Kong Mile and MBHK Derby. Coetzee is no longer the retained rider for the Tony Cruz stable but is still very much in demand.
Howard Y T Cheng
Born July 18, 1981, Howard is in his ninth season as a jockey in Hong Kong and is closing in on a 200 career winners; he is also on course to better his best ever season of 37 wins as an apprentice in 2000/01. The most successful Hong Kong born jockey currently riding, Cheng has been excellent form this season and the highlight was his success on Flaming Lamborgini in the HSBC Premier National Day Cup in track record time.
Manoel Nunes
The licensing of Manoel Nunes, 31, as a HK jockey was announced after last season had ended. He arrived as a dual winner of the Macau jockeys' championship and he also won five Gr.1 races in his native Brazil, as well as the Macau Derby and Macau Hong Kong Trophy. His ability to ride at light weights has proved very popular in Hong Kong and he had partnered an excellent tally of 33 winners (after June 3) with Able Prince in the CX International Sprint Trial (Gr.2), his most lucrative success.
Eric Saint-Martin
Born August 31, 1965, the Frenchman is about to complete his 13th HK season in and is homing on a landmark of 400 career wins here, with several of those at the highest level. He has struck a good relationship with trainer Danny Shum for whom he won a second consecutive Gr.1 Centenary Sprint Cup on Scintillation this term.
Anthony Delpech
This season Delpech, born February 10, 1969, enjoyed the greatest moment of his career on the horse that made his name in Hong Kong. Vengeance Of Rain's terrific victory in the Dubai Sheema Classic, his sixth at the highest level for Delpech. The South African rider again sourced the majority of his success from Vengeance Of Rain's trainer David Ferraris.
Terry C W Wong
In pole position to become Hong Kong's Champion Apprentice, Terry Wong has enjoyed a best ever season with 25 winners (after June 3) to follow his tally of 18 last season; the majority of his wins have come for his boss Dennis Yip. He said his own personal highlight was winning twice early in the campaign on the high class sprinter-miler, Down Town.
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