Former Sydney premiership winning jockey Brenton Avdulla is loving life in Hong Kong as he approaches the end of his first full season and has no plans to leave.
Avdulla has ridden 26 winners from 351 rides this season, striking at a healthy 13.5% including the Group 1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) aboard California Spangle, who he’ll ride in Sunday’s Group 1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) at Sha Tin.
The 33-year-old landed the ride aboard the Tony Cruz trained California Spangle in the Silver Jubilee with the Group 1 Hong Kong Mile winner out of form, and has made the most of the opportunity, also winning the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint (1200m) in Dubai last time out.
“It’s worked out really well, this time last year I was still based in Sydney and you’re watching horses like Golden Sixty and California Spangle from afar but to be here twelve months later riding one of them, it’s a big thrill,” Avdulla said.
“To win a Group One over 1400 (metres) on him here and then get the call up to ride him over there (in Dubai) was a big thrill, never did I think in my first season in Hong Kong I’d link up with a horse like him and win a couple of Group Ones… he’s been a pretty good horse to me already so we’ll see what we can do this weekend.”
Avdulla admits he wasn’t sure what to expect success-wise when he came to Hong Kong and is confident his new banner horse can deliver him his 16th win at the highest level this weekend, even if the track is rain affected.
“I don’t think the rain’s going to dampen his chances too much, he handled a little bit of cut out when he won the 1400 hundred (metres) so he’s just got to break cleanly, I’ll ride him to his strength which is to sustain a gallop.”
“I think if he holds his form he’s the one to beat… his 1200 (metre) record is very good, I think he’s only been beaten once and that was a close second… I think if he’s there in good form and brings what he has in his last two, I’m sure he can be a good chance.”
California Spangle is a $3.40 betting site favourite for the Chairman’s Sprint Prize and will jump from barrier seven in a field of 11.