New South African jockey Derreck Donavan Dennis David won’t ride in Singapore for long, but such unique initials may well make him the new punters’ pal for a week!
David would not have any clue that 4-D is Singaporeans’ favourite lottery game, but he already considers himself lucky for the “short but rich” experience he will gain as he makes his Kranji debut this weekend.
The 27-year-old rider was meant to begin his six-week Singapore stint on February 1 but his work permit was not approved until this Monday, one week before his licence runs out on March 14.
David still looked at the bright side. To him, the chance to ride at the last two from the 12 meetings slated in the February 1 to March 14 period – this Friday and Sunday – was better than nothing. David is booked for two rides on Friday – Poseidon for Cliff Brown in the Racing Guide Classic and Taffetas for Bruce Marsh – and four rides on Sunday – Certainly and Hussonator for Brown, Ghost for Leslie Khoo and Schiltron for Michael Clements.
Should the 2009 South Africa champion apprentice jockey and reigning Mauritius champion jockey ask for “make-up” meetings, he would not be looking beyond another week either. David has signed a new contract with leading trainer Gilbert Rousset for the new Mauritius season which kicks off on March 26.
“I’m very excited about this short stint coming up. It’s been a lifelong dream to ride at Kranji and I’m sure it will still be a rich experience I will never forget,” said David.
“I’ve never visited Singapore and I always told myself I would only come here when I ride in its races.
“I’d like to say a big thank you to the Singapore Turf Club and also the trainers who have put me on this weekend at such short notice. They will turn my dream into a reality.
Derreck and wife Angelique
“I wish I could stay longer but I am also a very loyal jockey. I signed a contract with my stable in Mauritius and I think it would be unfair to jump ship.
“I need to be back in Mauritius on the Monday before the season starts on March 26.”
A pure product of the prestigious South African Jockey Academy, David, who is of Lebanese descent, has a family steeped in horse racing. His cousin was legendary jockey Bartie Leisher – probably the first South African jockey to pave the way to the likes of Douglas Whyte and Felix Coetzee in Hong Kong – and his uncle Donovan Habib was also a jockey.
David was considered among one of the rising stars in the Rainbow Nation where he rode for leading trainers such as Mike de Kock and Gary Alexander, for whom he rode Pierre Jourdan to two Legs of the Triple Crown, the Grade 2 Gauteng Guineas and the Grade 1 SA Classic in 2010, and the Grade 2 Charity Mile in 2011.
He also notched a second Gauteng Guineas with Golden Chateau to bring his total Grade 2 and 3 haul to 14 along with four Listed races.
Golden Chateau wins the Gauteng Guineas with Derreck David aboard
David had his first taste of overseas racing when he accepted lucrative contracts to ride in Mauritius for three different trainers from 2013 to 2015. Besides landing the champion jockey title on the Indian Ocean island last year when retained by Rousset, that year also saw David claim the other significant conquest in his life: He married his wife Angelique in Mauritius last October.
A lightweight jockey who can go to scale at 50kgs, David has also ridden in Zimbabwe and Dubai. David and wife arrive from Mauritius on Thursday morning.
Michael Lee on www.turfclub.com.sg
