Oh scores first win

Apprentice jockey Hyeontaek Oh came within a long head of victory in his first raceday ride earlier this month, and while he came off second-best on that occasion, he wasn’t to be denied in another short margin finish at Matamata on Wednesday, timing his run perfectly to get Lae Zee (NZ) (Zed) up on the line to win by half a head.

“That was amazing,” Oh said.

It’s been a long road to get to the races for the 28-year-old, with the seed of becoming a jockey firmly placed in his mind while attending school in his native South Korea.

“When I was young people around me recommended that I become a jockey because I was small,” he said. “When I graduated high school I was thinking about what I should do and I decided I wanted to become a jockey.”

Oh applied and was accepted into the Korea Racing Authority’s Horse Racing Academy, however, following an injury he was unable to maintain the required weight and furthered his experience with a brief stint in Australia.

“I was in there (Academy) for one year because my ribs cracked and I couldn’t keep my weight down,” Oh said. “In Korea, apprentice jockeys must be under 49kg and we had to check weight every other day and I couldn’t get it under in that time.

“After that I went to Australia and worked for Desleigh Forster in Brisbane for experience.”

Oh then returned to South Korea to undertake mandatory military service, and it was during his time in the army that he began exploring his options of pursuing a riding career internationally, and he decided New Zealand was a good fit.

“When I was in the military I started sending emails to New Zealand trainers saying that I wanted to be a jockey and it didn’t matter if I started as a stablehand,” he said. “I sent emails to a few trainers and Chad (Ormsby, employer) was the only one that answered.”

Oh has been working for Ormsby for the last three years and he said he is fortunate to work for a horseman of Ormsby’s skill and experience.

“Chad is a good mentor, he was a good jockey and just watching him ride is really helpful,” Oh said.

Ormsby has enjoyed having Oh as part of his team and he was rapt that his perseverance and hard work was rewarded on Wednesday.

“I remember myself as an apprentice, you always want to get that first one out of the way nice and early and hopefully it helps open up some opportunities for him,” Ormsby said.

“He had a passion to become a jockey ever since he arrived. He has worked really hard and the road hasn’t been that easy but he stuck at it and hopefully going forward he will reap the rewards.”

Ormsby gave Oh his first raceday ride aboard his Group Three winner Master Fay (Deep Field), who came just shy of victory at Ellerslie earlier this month.

“He gave a good sight for a long way and he almost pulled it off, but I think he might have just knocked off when he saw the winning post, which he can do,” Ormsby said. “He is old enough and wise enough that he knows where the winning post is and he probably just knocked off at the wrong time.”

Ormsby has been pleased with Master Fay’s subsequent work and he is looking forward to stepping him up to a mile for the first time on Saturday when he returns to Ellerslie to tackle the Gr.3 Manco Easter Handicap (1600m).

While Master Fay has only been tested up to 1400m, the mile doesn’t hold any concerns for Ormsby, who is more worried about track conditions.

“He is doing really well in work and he is thriving,” Ormsby said. “It is a bit of a roll of the dice stepping him up to a mile before he heads to the paddock.

“I don’t have any queries about the distance, it is more about the track and how it is going to play on Saturday. Any time there is a bit of cut in the ground he tends to put the handbrake on, but we will see what the track does.”

Ormsby will also head to Ellerslie with in form gelding Castle Rock (NZ) (Fastnet Rock), who will be seeking his third successive win in the Golf Warehouse 2100.

“He is a really nice stayer in the making,” Ormsby said. “He is still a green horse at this stage, but it looks like there is plenty of ability under the hood.

“He hasn’t really been tried on a track with a bit of cut in it, but he is pretty classy which will take him a long way.

“It’s a month between runs, so he is on the fresh side, but he is a natural staying horse, so I expect him to deal with the distance again really well.”

While Oh won’t ride either horse, he is booked to ride stable runner Beast Of Burden (NZ) (Turn Me Loose) in the Power Farming Morrinsville 1200 at Te Rapa on Friday, and Ormsby said he will benefit from Oh’s four-kilogram claim.

“We try and keep him fresh,” Ormsby said. “He hasn’t performed very well at all on wet ground, so hopefully the claim can take care of that.”

With winter approaching and a win now under his belt, Oh is hoping more opportunities come his way.

“I can ride at 50kg, so hopefully I can get more opportunities,” he said.

While Oh is enjoying fulfilling his dream in the saddle, he said he is loving his time in New Zealand and sees himself making his adopted country his permanent home.

“My big plan is to get residency and get a house here,” he said.