Lance O'Sullivan's appearance yesterday morning at Sha Tin to have a chat with the current crop of apprentice riders, including the slightly troubled Alvin Ng Ka-chun, was doubtless a welcome addition to their general education on race riding.
O'Sullivan was a multiple jockey championship winner as one of the best ever produced in New Zealand, was highly successful riding in Australia and Hong Kong as well, and has plenty of experience dealing with the schooling of young jockeys through the training scheme in his homeland.
He was able to say a few words to help the young riders shape their ideas, and able to run through some of Ng's recent errors that have attracted suspensions and discuss with him whatever it was he was thinking at that moment.
But, as beneficial as such cameos by high profile achievers like O'Sullivan can be, the difficulties being experienced by Ng, and before him by Keith Yeung Ming-lun and others, are not going away like that or even with occasional tutoring by the top active jockeys.
The club is expected to find a mentor for Ng, to help him over the current speed bump in his career, just as Douglas Whyte was credited with assisting Yeung last season. Still, it is not a permanent solution.
As much as the top seniors probably feel a duty, even a pleasure to pass something on to the next generation - and for their own safety in races there is an incentive to do so - when all is said and done, these riders are also their competitors.