No season review five years ago would have forecast the changing landscape of Hong Kong's jockey colony to resemble the situation as we close the door on this season.
In 2004-05, wins by Chinese jockeys accounted for 64 races from the season programme of 710 contests.
The quality of the expats had simply buried the local riders, owners had abandoned them for the big-name foreigners and the way ahead looked grim, with the juniors of that time looking mostly battlers.
Five years on, the foreign riders have been getting some of their own medicine.
Yes, perpetual weight allowances for local riders, introduced in 2005-06, were an immediate and continuing game changer but many have observed, some even complained this season that the conveyor belt of capable apprentices claiming 10 pounds has starved them of opportunities.
Some of the popular foreigners of the recent past have left, the best 'senior jockey' rides are gravitating to Douglas Whyte, Brett Prebble and others at the very top of the table, and the remaining chances directed to local jockeys.
As a result, 2009-10 saw 272 wins for the locals from 767 races and, most importantly, the squeeze applied to all but the most prominent expats with a number of the newer claimers tallying wins in the 20-30 region.