Champion Apprentice Tom Marquand and Assistant Trainer Ryan Colley are well into their four-week international work placements thanks to the generous support of HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and the Racing Scholarship Fund (RSF).
Within a matter of days of touching down on Australian soil to begin his RSF mentorship, Marquand secured a win aboard the Tom Dabernig and David Hayes-trained Tashbeeh in Caulfield, who reacted well to Marquand’s urgings and got up to steal the win by half a neck.
Dabernig praised Marquand’s handling, commenting, ‘It was a good ride. He got the job done and fought off the danger from the outside.”
The teen trailblazer, who is apprentice jockey to Champion Trainer Richard Hannon went on to say, “To receive an opportunity like this to ride horses on days like these – you simply couldn’t dream it.”
Colley, 22, who flew to Lexington, Kentucky on January 18 is the first representative of the Northern Racing College in Doncaster to take part in the International Federation of Horse Racing Academies’ (IFHRA) initiative, and will be mentored by Executive Director of the North American Racing Academy, Remi Bellocq.
Before his departure Colley said, “I’m really excited to undertake a scholarship in the operating of the American racing system. It will be my first time to the States and I’m told their practices are very different to ours, so to get an opportunity like this courtesy of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Festival is absolutely fantastic.
“My ambition is to become a starter in the UK and the experience I will gain in America will be extremely helpful in the development of my career”.
Colley thanked IFHRA and His Highness Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan for the fantastic opportunity which he believes will aid the learning of young jockeys and racing industry personnel.
Ms Lara Sawaya, Chairperson of the International Federation of Horse Racing Academies (IFHRA), Executive Director of the HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival and Chairperson of Ladies & Apprentice Racing Committees in the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFHRA) commented, “The initiative of HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, is encouraging many youngsters to learn new skills in riding and will provide them with new opportunities to learn different riding skills from countries other than their own”.
The IFHRA Racing Scholarship Fund is designed to benefit both students of IFHRA member racing academies and employers within the horse racing and related industries. 19 Students from 11 different countries will work abroad in real-world situations gaining experience from mentorships which will be a long-term advantage to future careers.
