C.C. Wong wins first Korean feature
Michael Lee
A first silverware capped a much happier second stint in South Korea for Malaysian jockey Wong Chin Chuen on Feb 16.
The former Kranji staple produced a copybook front-running ride aboard speedy mare Crown Hamseong to beat a mostly male field in the Listed Segye Ilbo Trophy (1,200m) in Seoul.
A homebred by US stallion Freedom Child and prepared by Seoul-based trainer Lee Gwan-ho, Crown Hamseong scored by two lengths from Daemangui Gil.
"I'm very happy I won my first feature race in Korea," said Wong, whose previous best performance at South Korea's elite level was a second in a Group 3 race.
"I've never ridden this mare before. Her past runs have been over 1,600m, but she was even faster than the sprinters and won easily.
"I'm enjoying my time in Korea better this time. I've already ridden eight winners this term."
It is nearly a year since the seven-time Singapore Group 1 winner moved to South Korea in March 2024.
Among the first to jump ship amid news that Kranji was closing doors on Oct 5, 2024, Wong – C.C. or Jimmy as he is better known – was an instant hit in Seoul.
With 35 winners on the scoresheet, he seemed to have found the perfect place to showcase his talent, but homesickness brought him back to Singapore to ride out the last two months of racing.
Six wins including the Group 1 Raffles Cup aboard Lim's Saltoro made the surprising comeback worth it, but it was still only a short-term benefit.
Thoughts of whether he had not burned his bridges with the Korea Racing Authority (KRA) were not unwarranted.
Post-Oct 5, rumblings of Wong heading to Australia did the rounds. But his name popped up one week later in Kuala Lumpur, even winning one race on top horse Antipodean.
It fuelled rumours that the Kedah-born rider had settled for home as his new workplace, but it proved to be just a cameo. Wong's name resurfaced in Seoul in December – and by the sound of it, for a much longer tenure this time.
"After Singapore closed, I tried to contact KRA to see if I could get back to Korea," he said. "While waiting for their answer, I rode at one meeting in Malaysia.
"I was just killing time, and then KRA said I could come back. I got there in November and started riding in December."
Wong said it was not that hard to pick up where he left off, more so with a few enhancements in the racing experience.
"Even though I was away for four months, I got the same support from trainers," said Wong, who speaks limited Korean and communicates mostly through a KRA interpreter.
"In Korea, my contract is worked out by the club (KRA). They must have had meetings with trainers (about my comeback), who said they would support me.
"I noticed some changes in the racing itself, like the gear they use.
"I also noticed there are more younger people who've joined the industry and they speak English more.
"Even the older trainers are making an effort to speak English to us. They are opening up."
Former Kranji jockeys, fellow Malaysian A'Isisuhairi Kasim and Brazil's Ruan Maia are also among the handful of expat riders in Seoul. A'Isisuhairi won one race as well on Feb 16.
Some things will not change overnight, though, like jockeys having little say in their rides, but Wong said loyalty can prevail at times, especially after a big win like Crown Hamseong's.
"I used to ride for her trainer before I left, but that was my first ride for him this time," said Wong.
"He was already using someone else when I came back, but an opportunity came up, I grabbed it and won. Maybe he may support me more now."
While Wong still misses wife Charlene and son Jayden, he is handling it better now.
"My family is still in Johor Bahru. I just go back when I can, like for Chinese New Year two weeks ago," he said. "So far, so good."
manyan@sph.com.sg
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