Gavin Lerena pursuing boyhood dreams in Hong Kong

23/02/2016

South Africa’s champion jockey Gavin Lerena is excited at the challenge before him as he begins a two-month chapter in his already distinguished career, which he hopes will lead to a long-term engagement with Hong Kong racing.

The record-breaking hoop made a significant splash upon his only previous visit to Hong Kong. That came last December when the 30-year-old saw off some of the world’s very best riders to win the LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship at Happy Valley.

“That night was certainly a career highlight,” said Lerena, during a press conference at Sha Tin Racecourse this morning (23 February). “It has always been my dream to come to Hong Kong and I was lucky to get that chance at the LONGINES IJC. The couple of months since then have continued to be a dream for me.

“I’d never ridden at a venue like Happy Valley - it was a fantastic experience in front of an exciting crowd. That gave me a chance to experience this unique environment and now I’m looking forward to the next two months here.”

Lerena, who won the South African title last season with 220 wins, is licensed on a short-term Hong Kong Jockey Club contract from Sunday, 28 February until Sunday, 1 May. The rider is hoping to impress in that time.

“I’m looking to build a base,” he said. “I’d love to ride here full-time but of course I need to strike up some relationships, so we’ll see. I like winning Group races - I love winning big races - but I would like to strike up some good relationships with trainers and owners, and horses, and just give everything my best. I’m here to ride winners.”

Riding winners is a notable achievement in an environment renowned for its competitiveness, with a pool of around two dozen talented riders vying for rides at two race meetings a week. Lerena is confident that he has prepared as well as can be expected and is ready to adapt to Hong Kong racing’s exciting challenges.

“I’ve mentally prepped myself that it’s very difficult here - very competitive - it’s not like home where I could be riding three or four winners a meeting.  And the style is different, things happen much quicker out of the gates here - you have to be alert at the jump. I think I handled it quite well in December and I’ll adapt where I need to,” said Lerena, whose minimum riding weight is 122lb.

The rider, whose father Tex Lerena was a jockey, too, has been at the fore in South Africa since early in his career when he smashed Michael Roberts’ 30-year record for most wins by an apprentice. Lerena notched 238 successes en route to three champion apprentice titles in his homeland. Now established as the overall champion, he hopes to follow in the footsteps of South African greats past and present who have thrived in Hong Kong.

“South African riders have come here in the past and done amazingly well,” he said. “In the ‘80's it was Bartie Leisher, and obviously Douglas Whyte has done remarkably well in the last 15 or so years, Felix Coetzee is a champion in my eyes and he rode Silent Witness, so some great South African jockeys have gone through the ranks here. I hope I can do the same.

“I grew up in the racing game,” he added. “I was born riding horses and all these men were super heroes to me. It’s certainly my dream to get here; I’ve got this far so I’ll certainly give it my best.”

Andrew Harding, the Jockey Club’s Executive Director, Racing Authority, said: “South Africa is renowned for producing champion jockeys. The South African apprentice training scheme is one of the best in the world and Gavin is a graduate of that - he graduated with distinction as a three-time champion apprentice, breaking the record for number of wins.

“His record speaks for itself: he is South Africa’s champion jockey, with about 1300 career wins and nine Group 1 successes so far in his career. When he came here in December for the LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship we liked what we saw and we’re very pleased that he has accepted the Club’s invitation to ride here.”