One of Ireland's leading flat jockeys, Colin Keane is looking forward to his first Longines International Jockeys’ Championship in Hong Kong next month.
The 24 year old rider will join the likes of Ryan Moore, Javier Castellano, Hugh Bowman and Yutaka Take in the four-race competition at Happy Valley on December 5.
(Credit At The Races) The jockey said:“It’s a great opportunity to go in against some of the best in the world and I’ll be asking a few jockeys who’ve ridden at Happy Valley before about what to expect.
Keane was crowned Irish Champion Jockey in 2017 and has been number one stable jockey for Ger Lyons being based in Ireland since 2014. The trainer things of the jockey in high regard and believes he can show how good a jockey he is on the international stage.
He said:"I can’t wait for the world to see what he can do.
“Colin is a lovely, unassuming lad who works incredibly hard and as soon as he came to me as a 7lb claimer I knew we had something special.
“He’s so sharp out of the gate in a race, he knows just where to be as things develop, and if he is out the back in the early stages, then you know it’s for a good reason.
“A trip like this is very important to him and, if the gods smile on him, I’ve no doubt that he can prove a match for Ryan Moore and all those top riders.
“I always think what’s meant for you won’t go past you and Colin is ready for this exposure.I know he’ll make a good impression as a person and I’d love to see him win a race on a night like this at Happy Valley just to show people how good he really is.”
Colin Keane is a very laid-back character and this nearly cost him his spot in Hong Kong.
The Irishman said: “I can be slow opening emails, but luckily my girlfriend Kerri (Lyons’s daughter) spotted the Hong Kong invitation just before the deadline.”