Whyte retires
DOUGLAS WHYTE waved farewell to the most successful race-riding career in Hong Kong history on Sunday evening and fellow legend Felix Coetzee reflected on his prowess.
Coetzee said, “He was an absolute professional and was always looking for a different way to stay ahead. He was very committed, very smart and very competitive and together these made for a formidable combination.
“He was diligent and revolutionised the standard way of securing rides. Instead of waiting for first entries Douglas would know which horses would be suited to which races and he would then find out from trainers what the programs for the horses were. This required an extreme amount of planning because it must be remembered he had more than one choice, but he was very good at picking.
“As a rider even before he went to Hong Kong he had an incredible ability to get an excellent position for his mount from any draw. “He was a very smart guy and opportunistic and he did his homework, so he would know the horses and riders and how the race would set up. He also had the ability to get horses relaxed and travelling smoothly with a good rhythm and his timing in the finish was brilliant too.
“If you just look at the last ride of his career on Sunday it is testament to what Douglas is all about.
“It was an absolute peach of a ride and the horse only lost because it was his first run in Hong Kong and he ran out of fitness.”
Uncle Steve
Whyte eased the French-bred Uncle Steve back after jumping from the widest draw of 14 in the 1 400m event and soon had him relaxed with cover fifth from last. He turned for home on the rail and about three lengths off the lead.
After initially being baulked he switched outward and looked a possible winner as he moved through the gap, but the horse then unfortunately ran out of steam and finished a 1,25 length fourth.
Whyte has been granted a Hong Kong trainer’s license and Coetzee believes as one with such high standards of professionalism he will succeed in this tough field too.
Coetzee
Coetzee was asked whether Whyte enjoyed celebrity status around Hong Kong and felt the best way to answer it was through a story about their joint family visit to the local Disneyland.
He recounted, “Douglas and I were good friends but only off the course, on course we were professionals We once took our families on a joint visit to Disneyland in Hong Kong.
“As is the tradition all the characters like Mickey and Minnie Mouse and Goofy etc make an appearance while you are sitting to eat so the kids can pose and get autographs. Our kids were excited and got their autographs. And then Mickey Mouse came over an asked Douglas for his autograph! I think that just about sums up the esteem in which he is held!””
Hkjc.com wrote - The 13-time champion jockey’s final ride did not produce the fairy tale victory that he and the Sha Tin faithful desired, but the day delivered heartwarming displays of respect and appreciation for a sportsman whose achievements have lifted him high into the pantheon of racing’s legends.
Whyte retires with a Hong Kong career total of 1,813 wins – 894 more than current champion Zac Purton – total stakes money of HK$1,587,210,086.67, multiple Group 1 scores and, of course, his defining 13 consecutive premierships (2001-2013).
His win strike rate over more than 22 years riding at Happy Valley and Sha Tin stands forever at 14.78%.
The man they call the Durban Demon was “overwhelmed” in particular at the send-off he received from his jockeys’ room colleagues, for so long his unwavering rivals. “Behind the gates (before the last race) it was quite emotional because the starter, Tony (Speechley), said a few words and all the jocks gave me a hip-hip-hooray, so it was a really nice send-off.
“You get a bit of a lump in your throat but I still had a race to ride,” Whyte said.
Whyte’s blank on his final day was not for the want of trying but did owe something to a stroke of misfortune.
Mr Croissant
Two seconds were his closest placings – Mr Croissant in race two and Seven Heavens in the eighth – but the near-miss came when he rallied the impeded Storm Signal close home in the seventh contest, only to take third.
“I would have won the race,” he said. “That’s the only bittersweet ending to the day. I’d have loved to have had a winner but I’m happy with the way every horse ran and the way I rode every horse.
“I’m leaving on a high but I would have won on Storm Signal. I was just gaining momentum, I was coming to win the race and when you get knocked sideways like that – then the horse on my inside turned my hindquarters and he lost momentum and still picked up.
“Of course, I’m a sportsman,” he added, “you’d love to ride a winner on your last day but the main thing is the fantastic ending, the good reception from the crowd – every horse I thought ran well today.”
Earlier, Whyte received a silver dish and a commissioned painting from the Jockey Club.
That came after race four, before a parade ring full of his weighing room colleagues, trainers, media, and family, with a few thousand appreciative spectators looking on.
“That was emotional. Thank goodness they didn’t give me a mic straight away because I wouldn’t have been able to speak. I don’t often cry but possibly I would have,” he said.
Zac Purton had set the tone for the celebrations before Whyte stepped out from the Parade Ring wings.
The arch rival went down on one knee and “shoe-shined” the legend’s boots, to the huge delight of watching fans.