Despite looking to be one of the toughest Jockey Challenges yet, punters have brought out the red carpet and the 'welcome back Douglas' banners as the Durban Demon returns from Japan with a full book of rides at Happy Valley tonight.
His supporters hit the Jockey Club fast and hard yesterday afternoon, forcing odds makers to trim the price on Douglas Whyte from HK$2.5 to HK$2 under an avalanche of support, while all bar one of his rivals drifted in the market.
That one rival who held his market support, Felix Coetzee (HK$11), looks to have decent winning chances in the final two races with Lollipop for Caspar Fownes and First Baby for Alex Wong Yu-on.
Whyte has won seven Jockey Challenge's from 11 attempts. The only other winners when he has been competing have been Brett Prebble (three times) and, just last Wednesday, Zac Purton as a member of category 12 'Others'.
While Whyte and Prebble were in Tokyo on Sunday for the big Yasuda Kinen meeting, Darren Beadman picked up the series as a heavily bet HK$3.5 favourite, having firmed in from HK$4.5. The value jockey might be Howard Cheng Yue-tin, who not only has a full book of rides but some sound winning chances among them.
One of only four jockeys to have full books on the night, Cheng has some strong winning chances in the early events, even if he does looks slightly challenged by some wide barrier draws.
