By Mike Dillion
Hong Kong-based apprentice jockey Carol Yu could hardly have picked a tougher day to make her New Zealand debut.
While an Avondale meeting in the middle of winter hardly seems a huge ask, today's fixture hosts a $333,000 Pick Six jackpot.
And Yu has a key ride, Kelshan Tiger, in the fifth leg.
Yu and fellow Asian apprentice Philip Cheng have joined the Jillings-Yuill stable at Takanini until August 27 while Hong Kong racing takes its three-month break.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club uses the down-time by sending its apprentices to overseas racing arenas, four to New York and two each to Norway, Germany, Australia and New Zealand.
Yu and Cheng arrived on Monday with the Hong Kong Jockey Club riding master David Charles, an Australian who went to Hong Kong earlier this season from John Meagher's Melbourne stable. They have been riding trackwork out of the Jillings/Yuill stable this week.
Yu, aged 23, is apprenticed to prominent trainer Patrick Biancone and has ridden 11 winners and Cheng, aged 20, with John Moore, six.
"That doesn't sound a lot by Australian and New Zealand standards, but it's a terrific effort when you consider there is a restricted amount of racing in Hong Kong and they have to compete against some of the world's best," said Charles.
"It's hard for Hong Kong apprentices. They did their cause a lot of good this season when they one day won seven of 10 at Sha Tin."
Both apprentices claim a 3kg allowance under New Zealand rules and can ride at 49kg. Colin Jillings expects them to be well received.
He said: "Carol will do a good job on Kelsh".
Racing: Chinese jockeys ride for Jillings
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