After going off the scene for a while, Mark Walker’s apprentice jockey Ng Choon Kiat will make his reappearance at Kranji this Friday.

The Singaporean rider has been out of the saddle for around two and a half months after he dislocated his right elbow in a trackwork fall on February 14.

There was certainly no love lost between him and the horse who put him on the sidelines for so long – Shamrock.
 

Mark Walker's apprentice jockey Ng Choon Kiat aboard Alamosa Express on Tuesday, picture Singapore Turf Club

“I fell in a gallop on Valentine’s Day. It was from Shamrock, the same horse I lost to a few days earlier (he was riding Wild Bee, beaten a head on February 4),” said Ng who returned to riding work on Saturday and was on Tuesday riding Alamosa Express at the barrier trials.

“It was super painful as the bone came out of its joint, and luckily, it didn’t stick out. It was also such bad timing as it happened just before the Chinese New Year.

“I also lost a few winning rides. For example, Michael Clements wanted to use my three-kilo claim on Chopin’s Fantaisie at his comeback (April 1) as he had 59.5kgs, but I was not fully recovered yet. The horse beat Viviano by a nose.

“Staying at home and doing nothing was boring. I couldn’t wait to be back riding horses.

“My fitness is only around 80%, but it’s coming back. I’ve been going to the gym a lot, but there is nothing like race-riding to get the full fitness back.”

A winner of 19 races all-up, Ng, 29, said he is in the mix for four rides on Friday night, but with one balloted out and two in the same race, he might just end up with two rides, with so far only Cavatina for trainer Desmond Koh in the $20,000 Class 5 race over 1400m a confirmed starter.

“Doctors actually said I could have been out longer, so I’m happy I came back earlier than I thought,” he said.

“It’s okay if I end up with only one ride on Friday. I’m hungry to get winners and I had to start somewhere.”

Ng actually made a flying start to the 2018 season by scoring aboard Big Regards for his master on New Year’s Day. Though he does not enjoy the pick of Walker’s rides at the best of times, he appreciates the support from his yard and, above all, is only too happy to slip into his riding breeches again.

“My boss’s horses are coming on, but for me, I will take whatever ride he gives me,” said Ng.

“I can only hope for more support from not just him, but other trainers as well.”