JACKIE C. K. Tse rode his first overseas winner in Sydney yesterday when he booted home 15-1 shot Alzinna at the Canterbury midweek meeting, but his celebrations were short-lived. Tse won by two lengths in a 1,250-metre race but stewards suspended him until September 9 - three days before the season starts in Hong Kong - after finding him guilty of a careless riding charge. Tse, who returns to Hong Kong tomorrow, pleaded guilty to the charge but then called for an interpreter saying he failed to understand the Australian procedures. Prominent Hong Kong owner, Sonny Yam, for whom Tse was riding in Sydney, joined Tse as the interpreter in the stewards' room. Yam was shown the video and in Tse's defence said that in Hong Kong as long as there is room, jockeys are allowed to maintain their position. Even though the suspension took the gloss off the win, Tse and Yam still celebrated at the Ritz Carlton hotel with former Australian Prime Minister, Bob Hawke, who is Yam's racing partner. Tse, Yam and Hawke were also joined at the party by former Hong Kong jockey Brent Thomson who rode his first winner back in Australia on Tuesday on the Billy Mitchell-trained Silent Water at Kembla Grange. Thomson, who left Hong Kong late last season, is a former stable jockey of local trainers Brian Kan Ping-chee and Eddie K. C. Lo.
