THERE will be no additional trainers in Hong Kong racing until the start of the 1995-96 racing season.
The Jockey Club decision yesterday to freeze numbers is seen as a major triumph for local trainers.
But the move will also cause considerable embarrassment to the powerful Hayes racing family in Australia, where it had already been reported nationwide that David Hayes would be taking up a training position in Hong Kong in August.
Director of racing Philip Johnson yesterday met the representatives of the local trainers and jockeys, Brian Kan Ping-chee and Tony Cruz, to inform them of the decision reached by the Stewards of the Jockey Club.
Kan and Cruz had submitted a number of requests two weeks ago, reflecting the rising disquiet in the ranks of locally-licensed personnel.
Kan was delighted with the developments. ''We made several requests to the Club but we have got the major ones that we wanted and we are all delighted.
''Nobody wanted any trouble or anything like that. But we have talked to them and they have listened to us. We were also looking for five horses each season and we didn't get that. But overall we are very, very satisfied,'' said Kan.
