There was a time when Keith Yeung contemplated retirement, but on Sunday afternoon (22 March) at Sha Tin, he’ll take a ride for one of Hong Kong’s most successful trainers in the race that everyone in the city wants to win.

On track for one of his best seasons yet, a resurgent Yeung will partner Juneau Pride in the HK$26 million 149th BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) for 13-time Hong Kong Champion Trainer John Size. It is a unique chance that came as a surprise to the 37-year-old.

“I was actually looking for a job as a work rider a few seasons back. I went to a few trainers and asked them if they wanted a work rider. I was going to finish up, and I was serious about it. Somehow though, I started training hard and taking it more seriously, and it just turned. It started to fall together, and now it’s amazing,” Yeung said.

Yeung has experienced the highs and lows of professional sport – including lean spells, crushing falls and injuries – and in the ultra-competitive cauldron of Hong Kong racing, he knows that experience can mean very little in comparison to your last win, and that riding opportunities and associations with connections count for everything.

“I am lucky. I have a few nice horses and long-supporting owners. They trust me, they have faith in me, and they never doubt me. It just makes your job so much easier; it gives you the confidence,” Yeung said.

Now in his 18th season, Yeung has 15 winners – including a recent double – after 54 of the 88 scheduled race meetings. It’s a position that is poles apart from his lowest returns of eight (2019/20) and nine wins (2020/21) before he rallied to scores of 18 (2023/24) and 20 (2024/25).

Overall, Yeung has won 339 races in Hong Kong since debuting in 2008/09 as an apprentice with former trainer Almond Lee. Support has been broad for the rider this season, too, winning for the likes of Francis Lui, David Hayes, Danny Shum and Size.

“I’m fortunate to get the support from John Size and the owners. I’m grateful, and hopefully I can give everything and do my best for the horse,” Yeung said. “It came about after trials. I was on my own in the paddock and John came up to me and said, ‘What are you riding in the Derby?’ and I replied, ‘Nothing, of course’, and he responded with ‘Okay, you’re riding my horse – he might get in, so text me after entries come out’.

“It was something I wasn’t even worrying about, but then I started to panic, and I was asking everyone when the Derby entries come out. I asked the press and jockeys, but it’s a nice surprise and I am very, very grateful for the opportunity.”

Success this Sunday would be Yeung’s biggest. He won the 2020 G3 Premier Plate Handicap (1800m) on Dances With Dragon, and although the affable jockey is yet to ride Juneau Pride in competition, he has trialled the three-time winner previously ahead of the Pride Of Dubai gelding’s first race beyond 1400m in the BMW Hong Kong Derby.

“I have trialled him twice at Conghua. I do know him, but not as well as Brenton (Avdulla) does, of course, but he’s a lovely ride, especially with the hood on. You can literally put him anywhere in the race.

“We won’t know about the distance, no one will know, but we’ll wait for the draw to come out and hope for the best in the race,” Yeung said.

Master trainer Size has won the BMW Hong Kong Derby with Fay Fay (2012), Luger (2015) and Ping Hai Star (2018) among 1,643 career wins in Hong Kong since the 2001/02 season. Juneau Pride comes into the race following a closing second to fellow BMW Hong Kong Derby entrant Emblazon over seven furlongs on 1 March.

And after taking six rides at Happy Valley on Wednesday night (18 March) – Perfecto Moments, Regrowth Winner, Magic Super, Automated, Kingly Demeanor and Withallmyfaith – in preparation, Yeung hopes to make the most of his opportunity when 14 emerging talents head to the gates searching for once-in-a-lifetime glory at Sha Tin.