Things can change quickly in Hong Kong racing.
When Brenton Avdulla left his on-course apartment for the races at Sha Tin on Sunday he was in good form, sure, but the reality was that he was seventh in the jockeys’ championship, had just four rides for the day and was weighing up what seemed some slim prospects for the upcoming feature races.
Later that day, in the space of 65 minutes, Avdulla’s Hong Kong career may have just turned a corner.
Avdulla won three consecutive races starting with the Hong Kong Classic Cup as Rubylot emerged as one of the favorites for the BMW Hong Kong Derby and the jockey returned home having vaulted into third place in the championship, behind just fellow Australians Zac Purton and Hugh Bowman.
“I am not doing anything differently, I am just getting better opportunities,” Avdulla told Idol Horse as he walked home from the races.
Avdulla is quick to remind that although things can turn fast in Hong Kong, it is mostly a grind and Sunday’s ‘breakthrough’ was an overnight success two years in the making.
“I have actually been here two years in May and the rides I was getting to start off were pretty ordinary,” he said. “I was able to build a bit of momentum through my first full season and Tony Cruz and John Size have been massive supporters of mine, but I am trying to work on branching out to a few more stables because I want to ride for everybody. You just have to be given an opportunity to do it.”
Avdulla finished tenth in last season’s jockeys’ championship with 33 wins but 27 of those came from just three trainers: Size, Cruz and David Hall.
One of those newer partnerships is with Rubylot’s trainer David Hayes, who sits atop the Hong Kong trainers’ championship after 50 meetings with 35 winners.
Four of those winners have come from just seven rides by Avdulla, whose 29 wins have come for eight different trainers.
“I think in Hong Kong, with the quality of the expat riders on that list everybody is usually a leading rider in their jurisdiction and they have to start again. It’s just about building relationships, getting those opportunities and when you do, you just have to make the most of it,” he said. “I think that whenever I have been given an opportunity I have been able to make the most of it and the last 12 months have shown that.”
If Rubylot can unleash a similar finishing burst as he did in the Classic Cup in the BMW Hong Kong Derby on March 23, Avdulla’s profile in Hong Kong will take another leap.
For all of the buzz the Hong Kong International Races create worldwide, within the city itself and among owners, it is the Derby that might still hold the most influence.
“I have always thought Rubylot would be a good ride going forward to the Derby,” Avdulla said. “He was electric early in the season over 1400m and that was a testing 1800m today and he handled that. As long as he settles and then he is able to use his turn of speed to get them then he has a great chance.” ∎
