The Singapore Turf Club has granted a two-week visiting jockey’s licence to Hong Kong apprentice jockey Matthew Poon Ming Fai. The licence will take effect from the moment the work permit is approved.
Apprentice Matthew Poon (outside) gets up at Happy Valley in a close finish on Gracious Ryder, picture Hong Kong Jockey Club
Currently licensed by the Hong Kong Jockey Club, Poon, 23, spent one year of his apprenticeship riding during the 2015/2016 season in South Australia where he was licensed by the Thoroughbred Racing South Australia (TRSA).
In that season, Poon booted home 44 winners, including seven in the metropolitan area, to finish in 13th position on the South Australian metropolitan jockey’s premiership. Poon was subsequently awarded the 2016 Dux of the TRSA Apprentice Academy, with one of the rewards being a short riding stint at Kranji to gain further riding experience, as has been the agreement between TRSA and the Singapore Turf Club in the last few years.
Poon is the eighth apprentice jockey after Amy Herrmann, Libby Hopwood, Jordan Frew, Krystal Bishop, Jamie Kah, Jake Toeroek and Sigrid Carr to benefit from that deal.
He recently returned to Hong Kong where he has already notched 15 winners from 81 rides to bring his total career tally past the 120 winner mark. He still sits in fourth spot on 29 winners on the current Adelaide log.
Poon will be indentured to Kranji trainer Shane Baertschiger during his Singapore stay and goes to scale at 48kgs.
The Singapore Turf Club has also granted a three-month apprentice jockey’s licence to Chin Chee Seng, effective from 1 July to 30 September 2017. Previously indentured to trainer Bruce Marsh, Chin, 31, has ridden all-up seven winners from 233 rides in Singapore,
Chin is now indentured to trainer Daniel Meagher and goes to scale at 51kgs.
