Ellis Wong Chi-wang may have been made to wait slightly longer than most before riding in races at Happy Valley, but the 23-year-old jockey is confident he can make his presence felt on his debut under the city circuit’s lights.

Wong was granted permission to accept Happy Valley race rides last Tuesday, with stewards deeming him capable of safely negotiating the tight-turning track, and he is set to steer Benno Yung Tin-pang’s Multimore and the Caspar Fownes-trained Lyrical Motion on Wednesday’s eight-race card.

Over eight months – 248 days, to be precise – will have passed between Wong’s debut on May 7 last year and his first Happy Valley ride, but the youngster is hopeful his maiden appearance will be worth the wait.

“I’m very excited for my first meeting at Happy Valley. I’ve got two rides and one is for boss [Caspar Fownes], so I’m looking forward to it,” Wong said. “It has taken a bit of time to get to Happy Valley, but I hope it will go well.”

Wong has had to stay patient to be permitted to participate at Happy Valley, but when it comes to actual mounts and winners, the 10-pound claimer is in similar areas to a couple of recent additions to the Hong Kong roster.

The apprentice has eight wins to his name from his 87 rides, a very similar body of work to what Jerry Chau Chun-lok (86 rides, seven winners) put together before gracing the city circuit.

Angus Chung Yik-lai, who sits fourth in this season’s jockeys’ championship, had 66 rides and six winners to his name before heading to the city circuit, whereas Alfred Chan Ka-hei made his maiden Happy Valley appearance after 89 mounts and seven victories.

The difference for the likes of Chung and Chau, however, is that the pair did their dues in two months rather than eight, while Wong has found it hard to attract big books of rides in the city and had to sit tight over an off-season.

“I’m looking forward to it,” Wong said. “I’ve done a lot of preparation with my coach [Felix Coetzee] to adapt to the track, so we’ll see what happens.”

On Wednesday’s programme, Wong will attempt to continue his stellar record riding for Yung when he hops aboard Multimore in the Class Five Paterson Handicap (1,000m).

Wong and Yung have only teamed up on five occasions but have returned two victories and two minor placings. Multimore, who has placed in half of his six starts this term, will have to negotiate barrier nine successfully to record another win for the trainer-jockey combination.

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“I hope Multimore can improve, he has run well this season,” Wong said. “But I’m more confident about [Lyrical Motion]. He won well last time and he’s drawn a good barrier, so hopefully he can go well.”

Wong appears to have a solid chance on last-start winner Lyrical Motion, with the six-year-old gelding drawn five in an open first section of the Class Four Great George Handicap (1,200m).

Winless from 19 post-import outings before his December 29 victory, Lyrical Motion swept to a comfortable two-length success in the Class Four Pat Sin Leng Handicap (1,200m) and has Wong’s sizeable claim to offset his seven-point ratings rise.