Newly licensed trio secure stables at Kranji
Saimee Jumaat and Young Keah Yong to start from Aug 1, while Tan Kah Soon will start a month later
Former assistant trainers Saimee Jumaat, Young Keah Yong and Tan Kah Soon will branch out on their own later this year.
The trio have been allocated stable stalls by the Singapore Turf Club, after being recently granted professional trainer licences by the Malayan Racing Association.
The stables allocation for Saimee and Young, both Singaporeans, will start from Aug 1, while Malaysian-born Tan's allocation will be from Sept 1.
Of the three, Saimee, 45, is by far the most famous name, being one of the most successful jockeys to have been produced on local soil.
With more than 1,300 wins in 23 years of riding, Saimee has carved out an illustrious career that includes eight Singapore champion jockey titles and several Group wins, such as the Singapore Gold Cup, Singapore Derby, Raffles Cup, Lion City Cup, to name a few.
But the one victory that stands out has to be his historic win in the inaugural Singapore Airlines International Cup with Ouzo in 2000. No other local jockey or locally trained horse has won that race until its discontinuation in 2016.
Saimee stopped riding in 2012. He joined trainer Steven Burridge as a stable supervisor in January 2015 before graduating to the position of assistant-trainer in March last year. He is currently assistant-trainer to Sonny Yeoh.
Young, 39, has been involved in the local racing circuit since 2001 when he started out as a syce with former Kranji trainer Charles Leck.
Four years later, he became his stable supervisor before moving to new trainer David Kok's yard in 2009.
With more responsibilities falling upon Young, it was not long before he obtained his assistant-trainer's licence in January 2010. Two years later, Young moved to trainer Desmond Koh's yard to work in the same capacity.
Tan, 36, is the newest face of the three as he joined the Kranji circuit only in October 2014, but his resume is no less impressive.
Son of former Penang trainer Dr Tan Swee Hock, Tan was among the first draft of trainees to join the prestigious Flying Start programme launched by Darley in 2003, and now known as Godolphin Flying Start.
After spending two years travelling the world gaining industrial attachment with some of the best trainers in the world, Tan graduated in 2004, and immediately got a job, first as head lad, and then assistant-trainer to Godolphin's trainer Saeed bin Suroor for seven years.
Among the top horses Tan looked after with the Boys In Blue, the two who stand out are 2007 Group 1 Hong Kong Cup winner Ramonti and 2010 Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes winner Poet's Voice.
Tan ended his overseas training in 2012 to return to his father's yard in Penang in 2013 as stable supervisor before quickly being promoted to the position of assistant trainer five months later.
The next year, he again went on the move, this time, down South across the Causeway to join former Kranji trainer Sam Chua in October 2014.
Five months later, he moved to trainer David Hill where he is still currently employed as assistant-trainer.
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