A lack of opportunities and motivation has led freelance jockey Alfred Chan Ka-hei to call time on his riding career at the end of the season, although he is planning to stay in the industry in a different capacity.
Chan, 30, has collected 66 wins from over 1,100 rides in Hong Kong but feels his recent injury combined with a host of new overseas jockeys on the riding roster has made it difficult for him to gain support.
“The main thing is I’ve lost a bit of interest and motivation in the saddle,” Chan told Idol Horse. “I suppose I’m just not as desperate as I used to be.
“It’s very competitive in Hong Kong now and after my fall at Conghua, I lost all my connections and I haven’t got much support since.”
Chan, who completed his apprenticeship at the end of the 2020-21 season, was sidelined for a month after he suffered a bruised thigh when he fell from a horse during a barrier trial at Conghua in October last year.
A keen sailor and part of the Hong Kong sailing team as a sports-mad lad, Chan applied to the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s apprentice school as an 18-year-old who had never touched a horse before.
He completed his overseas training in New Zealand and South Australia, where he rode 49 and 50 wins, respectively, before entering the Hong Kong scene for the 2018-19 season.
Chan was indentured to the yard of Frankie Lor Fu-chuen but had to wait slightly longer than anticipated to build momentum in the city before enjoying a successful second campaign, collecting 22 victories, including his first and only treble at Sha Tin in June, 2020.
“I’ve had a great time as a jockey and the highlight was definitely riding the treble at Sha Tin,” Chan said. “Riding three winners in a day was a great feeling even though I remember the weather was horrible that day.”
Chan transferred to Caspar Fownes’ yard in January 2021 and declined to extend his apprenticeship past the end of that season after his partnership with the trainer yielded some success. He failed to build on his previous career-best tally, however, adding a further 34 victories over the next four seasons.
This term, the jockey has returned one win from only 16 rides and he feels the time is right to turn his attention to a career after riding.
“I just feel that not much is changing but it is what it is,” Chan said. “I’ve spoken to boss – Caspar – and asked if there is any position for me in the yard if I retire and he said there will hopefully be some work for me.
“He said, ‘you’re young, you may as well start trying to train instead of mucking around with not many rides’.
“I had a think about it and yes, he is definitely right. I only have one, two or three rides a month and the Stewards have already told me I need to improve my results this season otherwise they will consider not giving me a licence.
“At least in five years to 10 years of working, hopefully I can promote myself in a yard and maybe become an assistant trainer. Then, I can just see how far I go.” ∎
