As punters mill around late on Wednesday night at Happy Valley, jockey James Orman, dressed in casual street clothes, looks like an average foreign racing fan soaking up the atmosphere at the iconic racecourse.
Punters wander past, oblivious to the fact that the lanky westerner leaning on the plastic rail near the parade ring is the jockey that had won the Class 4 less than an hour ago.
“I still can’t believe I am even here, let alone riding winners,” Orman tells Idol Horse.
Orman’s phone is buzzing with congratulatory messages and it is clear he is still buzzing too.
Just over two weeks ago, he was in Queensland, where he secured the jockeys’ premiership in Brisbane for the past three seasons and sat atop the rankings once again. The 27-year-old received a call from a Jockey Club official asking if he could step in for a six-week stint after injuries sidelined four jockeys, including leading riders Zac Purton and Vincent Ho.
“It’s just a surreal feeling,” Orman says of the whirlwind debut in the city. “I have been here nine days now and I only found out I was coming a week before that. It has always been a dream to ride here, but I had never gotten the call up.”
The main reason Orman could pass as a punter to most is that at 177cm tall, he towers over most of the fans filing past. “I should have been playing basketball not riding horses,” he quips.
Yet, despite his height, the path to becoming a jockey was almost predestined for Orman. He grew up in a racing family; his father, Michael, was a jockey, and his mother, Carol Allardyce, was a trainer. A lifetime spent around horses has made him at home in the saddle and he has honed a rugged style that should resonate with local fans.
Chances to show that style have been scarce so far though. The winning ride on 25-1 chance Charming Babe was his fourth ride from three meetings and his previous starters were sent out at odds of 47-1, 235-1 and 142-1.
Two more longshots await on Sunday at Sha Tin but Orman is making sacrifices, including cutting his weight to 122 pounds (55.3kg), knowing that wins like his breakthrough on Wednesday could lead to more precious opportunities.
“I have to thank (trainer) Ricky Yiu for the chance and I hope it opens some doors for me,” he says. “The 122 pounds is tough for me, I don’t ride it at home but I am trying to do it here. I have been dedicated with my weight while I have been here. I want to be light because I want to get rides.”
Orman now has six weeks to turn a short stint into a full season licence and make Hong Kong home for his wife Heidi and their two children Floyd (five) and Hallie (three).
“I had to take them out of school so we could come, but they love it and this is where I want to be,” Orman said. “I’ve got a six-week contract but I would love to be here full time. We will have to see what happens. We’ve got to kick a few more goals now.” ∎
