HONGKONG claimer Jimmy K. H. Ting had the most memorable day of his career in the saddle yesterday when he won the inaugural Macau Apprentice Jockeys' Invitation Race, outrode his claim and ended up with a Taipa treble.
Ting received a huge ovation from the partisan crowd when he rode a good race on 7-2 favourite New Wings to win the Apprentice Invitation which featured riders from the 14 Asian Racing Conference countries.
He had earlier outridden his claim when bringing home topweight Polomyx with his first ride at Taipa in the opening event on the twilight card. But the cheers really rose from the crowd when he gave a superb performance on Baby Face (5-1) in the Open Class sixth event.
And Ting's endeavours, applauded by Hongkong's Director of Racing Philip Johnston, will be seen by a much wider audience than the 5,941 on course yesterday.
Leading Australian television station, Channel Nine, are showing the race today with commentary by Johnny Tapp. The race is also expected to be shown later in England.
There was fulsome praise for Ting on New Wings, prepared by one-time Hongkong trainer Lee Tin-lam who said after the race: ''I remember him when he first started with Kan Ping-chee and I thought then he was a good boy. He has always worked very hard and he has ridden some good winners in Hongkong.
