‘Heavyweight’ Duric makes light of battle against flab

They were sceptical. They might even have traded bets on it not happening.

Yes, the well-informed racegoers at Kranji on Sunday had plenty to talk about during races.

So they traded opinions and scratched their heads.

Could it really happen?

Was it going to happen?

Even the race commentators wondered aloud.

They, too, had their doubts.

And it was not about a horse or horses – which is usually the subject of discussion at the racecourse.

On that day, the talk centred around a respected jockey and his waistline.

Well, not really his waistline – but his weight.

That came after Vlad Duric had scored a stylish win on the $6 favourite Last Supper in the second race.

Next up for Duric was the ride on Pacific MV in the sixth event.

And the big question was this: Could Duric ride at 54kg, the weight Pacific MV was to carry?

It seemed incredulous. All along, Duric was a “heavyweight” among the jockeys plying their trade at Kranji.

His struggles to keep his weight down is an open secret.

A four-time Singapore champion jockey, his fight against unwanted flab must have been a frustrating and uphill battle.

After all, weight gain is like a death sentence for a jockey, whose livelihood depends on him keeping his weight in check.

Roll back the action to Race 6 on Sunday and, surprisingly, Duric made the 54kg weight on Pacific MV.

The popular Australian jockey even managed to get his mount home third, behind the winner Maxima and runner-up Grand Avante, despite his saddle slipping back during the race.

How did he do it? No, not filling third place. That was sheer jockeyship. And he is among the best.

But how did he finally get his riding weight down to 54kg after finding it so hard to do and for so long?

Some might have thought it was due to a “secret formula” Duric had discovered.

Well, as it turned out, there was no hocus pocus. No magic pill. Just sacrifices and more sacrifices.

When the going got heavy, Duric embarked on a rigorous regime. It was torturous – but necessary.

He said: “I had only one meal a day, at dinner time.

“I’ve been eating mainly scrambled eggs and I cooked them using olive oil and butter.

“Once in a while, I did change my meal a bit and I would sometimes fast for 48 hours.

“But I kept myself hydrated and I walked 15km a day.

“Also, with the HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) sessions I do and riding horses for trackwork, I went from 67kg to 54kg in eight weeks.

“Yes, my wife doesn’t want to cuddle me now because I have no fats.”

Yes, he even managed to laugh.

So, credit to him. He did the work and now he is reaping the reward.