By Alan Carasso
Callan Murray, at the age of 20 a rising star in the South African jockey ranks, has been cleared by the Hong Kong Jockey Club to accept mounts at the Sha Tin meeting Sunday, May 21. Over the coming days, the Club's Licensing Committee will consider an application from Murray to be granted a Club jockey's licence through the end of the current racing season, according to a release from the club.
The winner of 234 races during his young career, including victories in Australia when riding for trainer David Hayes, Murray was South Africa's champion apprentice during the 2015/2016 racing season. He achieved a high-water mark as recently as May 6, when booting home the winners of three Grade 1 races at Turffontein in Johannesburg: even-money favorite Mustaaqeem (Aus) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}) in the S A Nursery; the latter's full-brother Rafeef (Aus) in the Computaform Sprint at odds of 7-1; and 25-1 Deo Juvente (SAf) (Trippi) in the Premier's Champion Challenge. Murray is also the regular rider of G1 S A Classic winner Heavenly Blue (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}), who finished third as the evens favourite in last Saturday's G1 S A Derby.
Murray will try to become the latest in a string of South African riders to taste success in Hong Kong, either as permanent or visiting riders, a list including the likes of Felix Coetzee, Robbie Fradd, Weichong Marwing, Anthony Delpech, Glyn Schofield and Anton Marcus. Douglas Whyte was Hong Kong's leading rider for 13 straight seasons from 2000/01 through 2012/13, while Gavin Lerena raided to scoop the 2015 Longines International Jockeys' Championship.
Murray has advised the HKJC that he is able to ride at 117 pounds, meaning he can accept mounts weighted at 115 pounds with the allowable two-pound overweight.
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