Derek Cheng 

Article by Chris Pitt

Cheng, Cheam and Chan. Those were the names of a mini invasion of Far Eastern jockeys who tried their luck in Britain in the mid-1970s.

Derek Cheng – or to give him his full Chinese name, Tai-Chi Cheng – was the first to arrive and also the most successful of the trio. He came for a brief holiday in Britain in 1972, having just been crowned champion jockey in Hong Kong for the fifth time after riding 33 winners in Hong Kong’s 34-day season. He’d been invited by Mr Wing Sang Tsui, who had several horses in training with Peter Supple and gave them all names relating to his homeland, such as China Silk, China Bank and Canton Silk. Derek finished third on five-furlong sprinter China Silk at Epsom on Oaks day and third again at Yarmouth four days later.

A casual meeting with Henry Alper, owner of triple Champion Hurdle winner Persian War, over dinner at the Sportsman’s Club, via a mutual friend, London restaurateur Mr Tom Fu, who had horses with Epsom trainer John Benstead, led to 37-year-old Derek Cheng being offered the ride on Persian War in the Ascot Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Derek – known as ‘Top Cat’ Cheng in his homeland – spoke with the horse’s trainer Dennis Rayson at his Exning stables and gave Persian War a mile and a quarter workout on Newmarket’s Racecourse Side gallops in company with two other horses. Derek reported that he liked the horse very much.

They duly took their place in the Ascot Stakes line-up on the opening day of the Royal Meeting, Tuesday, June 20, 1972, but there was to be no fairytale ending, with nine-year-old Persian War being tailed off for the last half of the two-mile four-furlong contest and trailing home among the tail-enders.

Although Derek did not manage to ride a winner during his initial foray, he made a more serious commitment the following year and was rewarded with four winners. The first of those came on Super Track for Guilsborough, Northamptonshire trainer Ron Mason in the Municipal (3yo) Handicap at Doncaster on Saturday, June 30, 1973. His second winner, Prince Mandarin at Kempton in July, was owned by his friend Tom Fu and trained by John Benstead. The other two, Track Minstrel and Clued Up, were both at Ayr and for Ron Mason.

Another visit during the Hong Kong close season in 1974 resulted in three winners, beginning with Track Minstrel at Chepstow, then on Paper Chase for Manton-based trainer George Peter-Hoblyn, and finally on Ron Mason’s two-year-old filly Harem at Ayr.

Derek’s final visit to these shores was in 1975, when he rode just the one winner, Ron Mason’s Guilsborough Grey in an Ayr seller on July 19.

iWhile 1975 marked Derek’s final year in Britain, two other Far East jockeys made their British debut. Malaysian-born Peter Cheam, 29, had ridden over 200 winners in nine years with successes in Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong and Australia. His big race victories included the Queen’s Cup in Hong Kong, the Perak Gold Cup in Malaysia and an international jockeys’ invitation race in Sydney, Australia. He manged two winners, a second and a third from just 16 rides during his short stay, his successes coming on Wrenaldo in a Redcar seller in June, trained by Peter Supple’s son Steven, and Royal Set at Lingfield the following week for John Benstead.

The third oriental invader, Hong Kong apprentice Patrick Chan, had his first ride in England on the Ron Mason-trained Silly Socket in the Sapcote Handicap at Leicester’s evening meeting on June 14, 1975. Patrick had ridden five winners in Hong Kong and had been recommended to Mason by Derek Cheng. He’d spent the previous summer working in Mason’s stable and returned to the Guilsborough trainer when the racing season in Hong Kong ended. Unfortunately, as he was not apprenticed to him officially, he was unable to claim an allowance and that meant opportunities were limited. Consequently, he failed to ride a winner here.

Derek Cheng’s British winners were, in chronological order:

1. Super Track, Doncaster, June 30, 1973

2. Prince Mandarin, Kempton Park, July 10, 1973

3. Track Minstrel, Ayr, July 17, 1973

4. Clued Up (above) Ayr, July 20, 1973

5. Track Minstrel, Chepstow, May 27, 1974

6. Paper Chase, Nottingham, June 17, 1974

7. Harem, Ayr, July 13, 1974

8. Guilsborough Grey, Ayr, July 19. 1975

Peter Cheam’s winners were:

1. Wrenaldo, Redcar, June 21, 1975

2. Royal Set, Lingfield Park, June 28, 1975