Even for the most seasoned jockeys, Hong Kong is a daunting place to ride, but you would not know it when speaking to the city’s newest apprentice Nichola Yuen Hang-yiu.
Granted, like all local apprentices, Yuen spent plenty of time honing her craft overseas, riding 78 winners across Australia, New Zealand and South Africa in five years before her April 1 debut in Hong Kong, but as is so often said, Hong Kong is a totally different beast.
The best of the best ride here, so you would have forgiven Yuen for taking some time to acclimatise and find her feet, but that has not seemed to be the case.
Last Sunday’s Sha Tin meeting marked Yuen’s third double so far and took her to 12 winners for the season, over halfway to the 20-winner mark that will see her claim be reduced from 10lb to 7lb.
Comparison is so often the thief of joy and statistics are hard to quantify, but just a brief look at the numbers shows you that Yuen is on an exciting path.
