The globetrotting Qin Yong is the toast of the Hawkesbury this week, as the talented apprentice celebrated his first double at Mudgee on Saturday.
The Chinese-born hoop, known affectionately by his peers as “Jerry”, is certainly seeing plenty of the Australian countryside, currently under master trainer Brad Widdup.
His victories on the Hawkesbury-trained pair No Escape for Terry Croft and then Underground for Widdup lifted his number of Australian winners to six.
Yong won his first Australian race on Azzie’s Ready at the Wellington Boot carnival on April 8.
He has since scored on Boyer for Widdup at Canberra on April 20, followed by Joey’s Destiny for Clint Lundholm at Dubbo on May 6 and Perfect Times for Azzie’s Ready’s Quirindi trainer Peter Mills at Gunnedah on May 7.
Qin Yong has now had 40 rides under Widdup’s guidance, and has also ridden 10 placings.
In both cases at Mudgee, Qin Yong’s 4kg allowance proved invaluable.
To round out his most successful day in the saddle thus far, “Jerry” also was runner-up on Underground’s stablemate Ajani ($3.10 favorite) in the Benchmark 71 Handicap (1200m) and third on Bezel ($4.20) in the Gooree Cup (1600m).
Yong is sponsored by international breeding and racing syndicate The China Horse Club, and has been studying at the local Australian Racing and Equine Academy at Richmond’s Tafe base.
