Douglas Whyte waved farewell to the most successful race-riding career in Hong Kong history this evening (Sunday, 10 February) at Sha Tin Racecourse, bowing out after saluting his fans long after the last race had weighed-in.
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 heart-warming 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. 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.”
Whyte’s bubbly send-off