In Hong Kong, he will always be labeled as “disgraced jockey” Marco K L Chui.
Now, the jockey has been given 12 months to try and shake off this albatross when he tries to piece together his riding career in Western Australia.
Having tasted success as an apprentice when with the Tony Cruz yard in 2007-2008 before losing his allowance, Chui then struggled to ride winners as a senior jockey and was tested positive for ketamine. He returned and was found positive again for use of the same drug and was banned from Hong Kong racing forever.
With former Perth jockey Johnny Claite as his agent and having taken part in 14 barrier trials, the 25-year-old jockey is now set to take his place amongst Western Australia’s senior jockeys.
We sincerely wish Marco Chui all the best as he did show promise as an apprentice before seemingly losing the plot.
He has done his time, he is still hungry to be part of horse racing as a jockey and he should be eternally grateful to the Western Turf Club in Perth for “adopting” him and throwing his career this lifeline.
Chui has, no doubt, been watching and doing his homework and realizes that many of the WA jocks might not get the headlines of those riding in NSW and Victoria, but in Daniel Staek, Jason Whiting, Kyra Yuill and, of course, Willie Pike and Paul Harvey, are jockeys who are right up there as riders.
But with Johnny Claite as his agent who knows all-too-well the ins and outs of riding in Perth and what to do and for whom, he will be trying and get Chui on and be associated with some good rides.
As with anything in life, time will tell if Chui grabs this opportunity with both hands and makes the most out it.
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