Visitors and would-be recruits watched as stable assistants groomed horses and farriers shod their charges.

There were also displays of riding gear and horse feed, and visitors could try their riding skills on a wooden horse designed for jockey training.

Leung Ho-yin, a 21-year-old applicant, said: 'My height and weight meet the basic requirements for a trainee apprentice jockey. So I would like to have a go.'

A trainee apprentice jockey must be 1.58 metres or under and weigh no more than 43kg.

Job hopeful Wong Po-law, 23, was making the most of his opportunities to find a job. 'Horse racing is very challenging. I want to be a jockey despite the hardship involved.' He said he was not worried about the dangers of horse racing. If he could win some international events, he would be delighted.

Yan, an 18-year-old pet-shop saleswoman, said: 'I applied for the racing trainee programme last year but failed. So I'll try again because I really want to be a jockey.'

She fears that being a woman could put her at a disadvantage.

'Though training in the racing school will be very tough, I believe I can handle the hardship,' she said.

Still, Yan was not confident of landing a place because of the number of applicants.

Successful candidates will join the club's foundation course, which covers a period of six to nine months.

Ms Lok said: 'We will choose 60 to 70 people to join an interview camp. During the camp, 40 people will be selected to become racing trainees. Then they will start the [foundation] course in September.'

Racing trainees can join either the riding group or non-riding group according to their abilities. The trainees will receive a monthly salary of $7,000 plus subsidised meals.

Keith Yeung Ming-lun, an 18-year-old trainee jockey recruited two years ago, said: 'Diligence is the key to success. If you work hard, you can have good returns.'