This time next week a new name will appear in Victorian form guides with Lyle Hewitson preparing to take up an Australian stint.
The South African, who is among the elite riders in Hong Kong, will fly into Melbourne on Saturday with his first rides to come at next Monday’s Pakenham synthetic meeting.
Hewitson will remain in Melbourne until August 21, with Nick Pinkerton looking after his rides, in a stint that is both a warm-up for the commencement of the Hong Kong season and a relationship-builder for Spring.
“It’s a tough time of year, and I’ve opened Lyle’s eyes to eyes to it, it’s very competitive here and he’s not going to be able to just pick up rides left, right and centre,” Pinkerton said.
“But we’ll look to use these two-and-a-half weeks to showcase his wares, build a few relationships, meet a few people and just let people know that he’s around.
“If you’re looking for a rider for anything later in the spring in a Group 1 race and you can’t get who you want, he’s got freedom and licence to do so from the Hong Kong Jockey Club.”
Hewitson has cemented himself in Hong Kong where he has ridden 120 winners, including 40 in the season just gone, which placed him eighth in the jockeys’ premiership.
He rode almost 1000 winners in South Africa before taking up residence in Hong Kong and is a seven-time Group 1 winner in his homeland.
Hewitson has also ridden in Japan and Singapore with this to be his first taste of racing in Australia, where Pinkerton said the 26-year-old had expressed an interest in riding on a permanent basis in the future.
He has been booked to ride two horses for Robbie Griffiths and Mathew de Kock at Pakenham and Pinkerton said interest had been expressed from other stables, including Lindsay Park Racing with Hewitson a regular rider for David Hayes in Hong Kong.
“He’s here for just over two weeks and is happy to ride jumpouts, trials and races. He can ride at 53 kilograms,” Pinkerton said.
“He’s got that real polished style that in Australia will come to the fore and I think he’s made for our racing here.”