Cooksley cuts stint short

Visiting jockey Grant Cooksley will ride at his final Hong Kong meeting tomorrow night, writes Robin Parke.

The New Zealand-born rider is here for a three-month Jockey Club stint that was not due to end until the final meeting of the season.

In an official announcement yesterday, the Jockey Club said that Cooksley was returning to Australia for 'personal reasons'.

He will not be returning to Hong Kong before the end of the present season and his departure could reflect the lack of opportunities that Cooksley has had.

He began well by winning a trophy race on Score but has enjoyed success only twice since, most recently aboard the well-backed David Hayes-trained Perfect Model.