Britney Wong has raced against some of the best jockeys in the business during two years based in Australia, but one rival in particular serves as an inspiration as she embarks on her first Hong Kong racing season.
Wong rode mostly at tracks in and around Adelaide when in Australia, the same circuit Jamie Kah emerged from to become a record-breaking champion in the highly competitive Melbourne ranks and an accomplished big race rider.
Rather than focus on results as a goal, Wong will instead use the lessons learnt riding against Kah – particularly her competitiveness – as she dives into the deep end of one of the toughest jurisdictions in the world.
“I won’t set a target in terms of winners in this season, just focus on every single race and try to perform to my best,” Wong said when asked of her goals for her rookie year, ahead of her Sha Tin debut at Sunday’s Season Opening. “I have raced with Jamie Kah in Australia before, and her determination was exceptional. I hope I can learn from every jockey in Hong Kong by competing with them.”
Access to horses is extremely limited in Hong Kong so the path of most riders when they enter the system is unconventional. Like many riders recruited into the Hong Kong Jockey Club Apprentice School, Wong has no background with horses and was a standout student athlete who had expertise in swimming.
When her lack of height made it clear she would never reach the goals she had set in the pool, Wong’s mother heard a story on the radio about the Racing Trainee Programme and she was encouraged to apply.
After being accepted into the school, Wong’s dedication made her an obvious candidate to be stationed overseas for the next stage of her development as a jockey.
“She’s a very serious person, never late to training,” said Amy Chan, Headmistress of the Apprentice Jockeys’ School. “She also has a good living style, that’s exactly what we expect from elite athletes.”
Now 25, Wong rode 50 winners from 602 rides, apprenticed to Morphetville trainer Jon O’Conner. She will now be indentured to astute Australian trainer David Hall, who said he will allow his new jockey the freedom to utilise her 10-pound claim with other stables.
Thursday’s press conference was notable for the increased mainstream media attention, far more than even star foreign jockeys receive.
Most of that attention is likely to relate to the fact Wong is Hong Kong’s first female apprentice since Kei Chiong, who had a meteoric but brief career until she retired in 2017.
The attention is also centred on Wong’s engaging personality, smile, and frankly speaking, an interest from the media in her looks, but when asked by local TV station TVB about being the centre of attention for reasons other than racing before her Hong Kong career has even started, Wong’s steely professionalism came to the fore.
“I hope people will focus on how I perform during races,” she said, “rather than my appearance.”
