It didn’t really matter whether his mates in New Zealand or Australia called him Tom, Dick or Harry, three-kilo-claiming apprentice jockey A’Isisuhairi Kasim is already making a name for himself through his deeds at Kranji.
Photo by Singapore Turf Club
For the sake of simplicity, the Malaysian rider didn’t mind being referred to as “Harry Kasim” during his formative years in the Antipodeans. He candidly admitted his foreign-sounding Malay name could be a mouthful to foreigners, especially during a race-call in Hastings or Flemington.
When he relocated at Kranji last September to pursue his riding career, it was A’Isisuhairi Kasim that was used on racebooks and soon became widespread across all manners of media.
Whichever name was used, the long and short of it was the Kelantan-born youngster could ride, but it was still no exemption from racing’s steep learning curve.
After he booted home his first Singapore winner Kobe Top Gun, who is trained by his master Steven Burridge, at the very last meeting of the 2012 season last December, many thought 2013 would be his for the taking, but he actually hit a speed bump and had to wait until the 11th race meeting at his 34th ride to finally find the line (Daring Journey).
But the floodgates have since opened, as A’Isisuhairi has not drawn a blank since, having ridden at least a winner at each meeting, leapfrogging to third spot on the Singapore apprentice jockey’s premiership on six wins, headed only by 2011 champion Shafiq Rizuan (eight wins) and reigning champion Tengku Rehaizat (seven wins).
“I was a little bit frustrated at the start of the season, especially when the others like Shafiq and Tengku were winning. I kept running second, and then I also had a fall (Gold Pyramid),” said A’Isisuhairi in his Kiwi-accented English.
“I kept asking myself when will be my turn, but I didn’t lose my confidence, and since my first winner in February, I’ve been getting some nice rides and more wins have come my way.
“I was even more thrilled last Sunday as I had only one ride (Dazzling Dame) and was worried the good run would stop, as that mare has just not been putting it together in her races up to now, but to my surprise, she won as well!
“At her first start, she didn’t like the wide draw, but this time she jumped very well from a wide draw again, and travelled like a winner all the way.”
Horses seem to run for the 27-year-old, who unlike many of his peers, had his first ride from a young age, aboard the many ponies roaming freely in his hometown. After trying his hand at track riding with ex-Kuala Lumpur trainer John Nicholls in 2003, A’Isisuhairi only decided to become a jockey after dropping out from his mechanical engineering course in Kuantan in 2005, and has not looked back since.
Following a brief stint with another ex-Kuala Lumpur trainer Peter Tennent in 2006, he went to New Zealand where he honed his craft with trainers Dean Wallace, Don Dwyer and Michael Moroney, bringing up a total of 82 winners from over 1,000 rides in the last three years.
“A track rider recommended I went to New Zealand. I first joined Dean Wallace at a place called Waiuku,” he recalled.
“It was very good as it was very hands-on as I even learned how to break-in horses, including babies.
“I really enjoyed my time in New Zealand. I travelled wherever my bosses would send me to ride."
The accolades came in thick and fast, but it was not until he crossed the Tasman Sea last June that A’Isisuhairi enjoyed his biggest claim to fame. On a three month-stay in Melbourne for Moroney at his Australian satellite stables, he rode his only winner African Pulse at Flemington at his very last day before heading back to Moroney’s Matamata stables.
“That was my biggest thrill during my overseas experience,” he recalled fondly.
“But it was not only the win in Flemington. The whole opportunity of riding against so many top jockeys was just amazing.
“I certainly learned a lot from jockeys like Dean Yendall, Craig Williams, Michael Rodd and even Steven King who now rides here, but he probably doesn’t remember me then.”
After declining Burridge’s offer to join his Kranji stables three years ago – because he felt he “wasn’t ready” - A’Isisuhairi finally accepted when the Australian trainer made another bid through Wallace last year.
“I could have stayed in New Zealand for another year, but I felt that the experience I got overseas has given me an edge and I was now ready to come home,” said A’Isisuhairi.
“The competition was really tough with so many jockeys in New Zealand and Australia while it is a much smaller pool here. I felt it would be less challenging to make it here.
“Singapore is my home now and that is where I will focus my career now. Of course, I would love to become Singapore champion apprentice jockey one day, but I must keep trying my best for Mr Burridge and the other trainers, before anything else.”
More winners can only come with more rides. His recent good run was probably no stranger to a significant swelling in his book of rides this weekend - six rides on Friday and seven rides on Sunday.
