Jockey Howard Cheng
Meet Hong Kong's official second-most popular jockey. The homegrown Howard Cheng just won a major race in May and was the second runner-up for last year’s Most Popular Jockey award. He talks to June Ng about life on horseback.
HK Magazine: What’s life as a jockey like?
Howard Cheng: Two things mostly: training and racing. And training is more about getting the horse to stay fit. Every morning, I have to wake up at 4:30am and start training the horse with running exercises. I’ll go back to sleep around 9am and then wake up in the afternoon, when it’s time for me to train myself as a jockey, doing cardio exercises and stuff.
HK: So when did you know you wanted to be a jockey?
HC: I was 16 and at the crossroads, thinking about whether I should continue my studies or find a job. But you see, I really didn’t want a rigid nine-to-five job. I wanted to do something fun. So I saw the Jockey Club’s advertisement recruiting jockey trainees and thought, “Hey, maybe that’s something for me.” I’d always been interested in horse racing so I applied and got in.
HK: What does it take to be a jockey?
HC: Weight is the number one thing, so you have to be fairly small—to start as a young trainee, you have to weigh less than 100lb and be not be taller than 5’3. From there you have to monitor your weight, since you’re still at puberty but don’t want to grow that much more. I’m lucky in that I didn’t really have to struggle with my weight, but I know some people who have to drop out the program because they grew too much.
HK: How hard is it for Hong Kongers to become jockeys?
HC: It’s a difficult career to get in to. Every year, only about 10 people out of the hundreds of applicants will be selected. It’s not much of a problem because it’s more about quality then quantity. But for me, as a locally born-and-raised jockey, I feel honored that I can compete with all those foreign jockeys, because they’re the best in their own countries. I just want to keep up and do my best, so hopefully people will know that Hong Kong jockeys are as good as ones overseas.
HK: What’s the difference between racing in Hong Kong and racing overseas?
HC: It’s much louder and tenser over here, because of the sheer number of spectators. In other countries, horse racing is more laidback and relaxed; it’s almost like a family day out thing, where you bring the kids along. Personally, it’s more fun to race in Hong Kong because of the atmosphere.
HK: So do you prefer horses to people?
HC: Horses are very spiritual animals for me, and they’re all unique in their own way. They all have different personalities, just like people. My bond with them grew after I joined the industry, but I still prefer people. Horses are like pets to me.