Not Horsing Around

In this exclusive interview, we delve into the illustrious career of the renowned horse trainer and former jockey Tony Cruz, who reflects on his remarkable journey, unpacks the gruelling regime behind the lives of jockeys and trainers and reveals why retirement isn't on the cards 

- Tara Sobti

Tony Cruz began his racing career in 1973, and was among the first apprentices of the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Apprentice Jockeys’ School when it opened in 1972. He went on to win a whopping 946 races in Hong Kong, which remains a record, and is a six-time champion jockey in the city.

Upon retiring from riding in 1996, he became a trainer, which has proven to be an equally prosperous role. Cruz famously trained the great Hong Kong champion Silent Witness to 17 consecutive wins. Here, he talks about the thrill of the ride, common misconceptions about the racing world and his hope for the future of the sport.

My father [the renowned jockey Johnny Cruz] got me into riding at a young age. When he saw that I had some talent, he encouraged my passion for racing, so I guess you could say I became a jockey in large part thanks to my father. He was a very big influence on me.

Racing is definitely in my blood. My father and my uncle [Mac da Rosa] were both jockeys in the amateur racing days, so I grew up watching them race horses. It was always very exciting and my interest in horse racing grew from there.

Being a trainer is obviously very different from being a jockey. I was very fortunate to be licensed by the Hong Kong Jockey Club as a trainer after hanging up my boots as a jockey. I travelled to the US, UK and France to observe and learn from some of the top trainers in the industry. When I came back, I had a lot of confidence to start my new role in Hong Kong.