Cutting straight to the chase, the successes of Trainer Frankie Lor For-chuen often seem to go “silent running”. It’s even easy to forget that he was Champion Hong Kong Trainer last year and continues to do well this season.
His career is being watched and applauded by some well known names in the training ranks in Australia. And yet...
At a time when this city should be looking at celebrating everyone and everything worth celebrating as Hong Kong takes baby steps towards masked normality, there’s often the feeling that true Made In Hong Kong heroes in what’s Hong Kong’s favourite pastime get lost in the shuffle, even by those who should be supporting them- Hong Kong racing fans.
Back in the day, Frankie Lor, now 56, was what was described as an “unfashionable” jockey. Hard work and more hard work led to him becoming Assistant Trainer, first to John Moore and then to John Size..
Frankie Lor would be the first to say that he’s learned much from both Australian masters.
He’s now very much his own man with a powerful stable, loyal owners willing to invest in new equine talent and has a very good strike rate.
Despite him always giving of his time, and his often memorable and candid interviews with Nick Childs, there’s the nagging feeling- and it’s personal and called having an opinion-that he’s somewhat of an afterthought.
Guess the same can be said about excellent Made In Hong Kong riders like Matthew Chadwick, who’s every bit as good as almost any overseas jockey riding in Hong Kong, Derek Leung and Vincent Ho, below.
With his imperious ride aboard his good buddy Golden Sixty at Shatin on Sunday to win the Hong Kong Jockey Club Cup, hopefully more can be made about the all-Hong Kong team behind this wonderful champion galloper.
This Hong Kong flavour is especially important as we head towards the Hong Kong International Races.
With three of Hong Kong’s leading chances for International Cup successes- Golden Sixty, Romantic Warrior and Lucky Sweynesse- all belonging to Hong Kong owners and trained by Hong Kong born and bred talent in Francis Lui, Danny Shum and KL Man, respectively, surely this is a mighty significant USP?
The timing of all this is also integral in showing the world Hong Kong coming together and under a united front.
All this is good for a Hong Kong racing product that’s come of age and seen today as an unique international brand that’s doing its home proud.
