BRITISH jockey Richard Quinn was so impressed by his first, brief taste of Hongkong racing last Sunday that he has applied for a one-month licence next winter. Quinn hardly had a chance to get his bearings over the weekend, flying off after racing at Newbury in England on Friday, and arriving at Kai Tak on Saturday evening. On Sunday, he rode the disappointing Thourios into eighth place behind Glen Kate in the International Bowl, and Half A Tick into 10th place in Romanee Conti's International Cup . . . and then he was rushing back through the gates at immigration on his wayhome after just 24 hours on Hongkong soil. And just to prove he was not jet-lagged, after touching down at Heathrow in the early hours on Monday Quinn went straight to Brighton, where he landed a 28-1 double on Shikari's Son and Millsolin. It seems hard to believe when he insists that jet-lag does not come into his vocabulary, but his Brighton results lend a lot of credence to his claim. Hongkong became the 23rd different country in which Quinn has ridden when he took part in the International series at Sha Tin last week. ''It is one place I had always dreamed of riding at but just never got around to,'' said Quinn. ''These days, a jockey based in Europe is very likely to get around to riding in at least a dozen countries or so in Europe, and then there are always the winters abroad.'' During his career, Quinn has landed 10 Classics in six different countries, although Snurge's St Leger triumph at Doncaster remains his only one so far in Britain. ''My ambition is to keep riding good horses and winning the best races. If I am granted a licence in Hongkong, I look forward to getting to know more about the local scene. I didn't have too long to dwell on matters over the weekend,'' said Quinn. In coming to Hongkong for the big day, Quinn was forced to give up the mount on Roger Charlton's Inchinor, who duly landed the Greenham Stakes in good style last Saturday. A Hongkong licence in the winter could be just what is required to redress the balance. Incidentally, Frankie Dettori, who is banking on getting a licence in Hongkong next season, took Newbury by storm last Saturday, landing a 15,969-1 four-timer, which included Inchinor. If nothing else, the effervescent Dettori continues to ride in brilliant form. Meanwhile, Mick Kinane has made a triumphant return to Ireland following his Hongkong stint, during which he partnered 23 winners. His first ride back, the Ever Ready Derby entry Advocat, by Dancing Brave, scored an impressive three-length win in the Gowran Maiden at Gowran Park and is being spoken of as a rising star. ''He's a very nice colt, and one that will go places,'' said Kinane. How ironic that this first winner back should be in the colours of Sheik Mohammed, whose offer Kinane had rejected only weeks before. Kinane will continue as first jockey to Dermot Weld during his stay in Ireland, but will be backed up by extra rides, courtesy of Oxx. The arrangement is bound to work well for all concerned, with the only possible complication being if Advocat makes it to Epsom in June. In that case, Michael Roberts, the Sheik's number one jockey, might just feel the time was right to pull rank.
