Record-breaking jockey, who rode 15 winners in Fuchu, eclipses even local legend Yutaka Take in his short stint
Record-breaking jockey Douglas Whyte surprised nobody during the summer break by being as successful in Japan as he is in Hong Kong, but the wider exposure to racing there did bring the rider one pleasant surprise.
'I had been there on one-off trips before but riding in Japan regularly allowed me to appreciate the wonderful mutual respect there is between all facets of the sport - between the jockeys and trainers and officials, right along to the fans,' Whyte said after wrapping up his stint with leading trainer Kazuo Fujisawa last weekend.
'It's quite refreshing to see the respect in the business there - none of the sniping that you can see in other places. The racing is very professional, well run and you can see why Japan is where it is in the racing world.
'The jockeys are seen more as heroes of the sport than in other places I've ridden. When the favourite loses, the punters accept that it's part of the business rather than something underhanded. The attitudes of people were probably what I enjoyed most about it.'
Whyte, who sandwiched a brief family holiday at his country house in Italy in between riding, carried on from where he left off in Hong Kong when he became the first rider to a century of wins last term and was so successful his figures eclipsed even the local legend, Yutaka Take. From 66 rides, the Durban Demon rode 15 winners, a multitude of placings, and his efforts included a treble and a four-timer.
