Du Plessis ditching his New Zealand campaign to take up reins in HK

New Zealand-based Mark Du Plessis will turn his back on an almost-certain championship win to rejoin Hong Kong racing next month and a promising new apprentice will return home from the same country.

The Jockey Club Licensing Committee yesterday announced Du Plessis will be licensed from May 1, ameliorating a potential shortage of senior riders, while 10-pound claimer Vincent Ho Chak-yiu will begin his local career the same day.

Du Plessis has been locked in a battle with star teenager James McDonald for the New Zealand championship, trailing him as of yesterday by 122 wins to McDonald's 132, and 17 wins ahead of third-ranked Opie Bosson.

In a surprise move, McDonald announced only on Wednesday that he is also leaving the scene to ride in England, Ireland and Singapore after May 8, which would have guaranteed Du Plessis the title race, barring accident, which ends on July 31.

Zimbabwe-born Du Plessis briefly had a ticket here at the end of the 2007-08 season, riding eight winners, then returned to ride 28 wins last term. Ho will also make the journey from New Zealand, where he has been undergoing his Jockey Club programme of overseas training to rave reviews. Like Derek Leung Ka-chun, Ho has been attached to the Andrew Scott stable at Matamata, which has close ties to trainer Paul O'Sullivan, and former champion rider Lance O'Sullivan has been his mentor there.

Ho sits 19th on the New Zealand ladder with 36 wins, making him the fifth-ranked apprentice.