Shane Dye's shock return
Dye hands back Hong Kong licence to ride in Sydney
By Ray Thomas
February 15, 2008 12:00am
JOCKEY Shane Dye has decided to relinquish his Hong Kong riding licence and is planning a shock comeback to Sydney racing.
Dye told Hong Kong Jockey Club officials last night he wanted to return to Sydney as soon as possible to be closer to his two sons, Nicholas, 16, and Jack, 5.
He intends leaving Hong Kong in the next few days and revealed he wants to resume trackwork at Randwick early next week.
"I'm currently suspended and can't return to race riding until March 2, but I'll use that time to improve my fitness and let people know I'm back," Dye told The Daily Telegraph from Hong Kong last night.
"Although I've loved my time in Hong Kong, I'm looking forward to riding in Sydney again.
"The timing is just right because the Sydney autumn carnival is just around the corner and the one thing I really missed in Hong Kong was Australia's major racing carnivals.
"Plus my boys, Nicholas and Jack, have been asking me for ages to come back to Sydney. They are desperate for me to be closer to them and I want to be closer to them."
Dye, 41, was at the peak of his riding career when he was lured to Hong Kong eight years ago.
He was Australia's most outstanding big-race jockey and had won all the majors, including the Melbourne Cup (Tawrrific 1989), Cox Plate (Octagonal 1995) and a record-equalling four Golden Slippers on Courtza (1989), Canny Lad (1990), Tierce (1991) and Burst (1992).
With 90 wins at Group One level on Australian racetracks, Dye trails only George Moore (119) and Roy Higgins (108) on the all-time list of the nation's most successful big-race jockeys.
Dye believes he has the ability and desire to climb back to the top of Australian racing.
"My goal is to dominate the Group One races again - like I always did when I was riding there," he said.
"If I get the opportunities, then I'm certain I can re-establish myself in Australian racing.
"I think there is a lack of big-race jockeys in Australia at the moment."
Dye's imminent return bucks the worrying trend in recent years where Sydney's top jockeys have been lured to ride in Hong Kong, including Darren Beadman, Glen Boss and Zac Purton.
Dye said he had been frustrated by injuries and suspensions in Hong Kong in recent weeks.
"It's been tough for me lately because I haven't been able to do a lot of riding," he said.
"Before my latest suspension, I was getting about three rides at Happy Valley on a Wednesday night and six rides at Sha Tin on a Sunday.
"I wasn't getting enough race rides to help with my rhythm and fitness."
Dye attended the Karaka Yearling Sales in New Zealand last month and was surprised at the number of trainers and owners who asked when the jockey was going to return to Australian racing.
"That was when I started thinking seriously about whether I wanted to leave Hong Kong," he said.
"It wasn't going to be an easy decision because I love Hong Kong and I love the racing.
"But I've been here for nearly eight years now and ridden more than 400 winners. I've always wanted to eventually return to Sydney and once I was mentally comfortable with leaving Hong Kong, I knew it was time to go home."
Dye said he achieved most of his goals in Hong Kong, with the exception of the riding premiership.
"I came second in the premiership on three occasions so I did pretty well because it is so competitive in Hong Kong," he recalled.
"I think I had Douglas Whyte beaten one year but with six meetings to go I got suspended and he won the title.
"But I've got a lot of great memories of my time in Hong Kong, particularly the day I rode four Group winners, including a Group One."
Dye said his time in Hong Kong had also provided him with some "lowlights".
"I've had four falls over here, two of them serious," he said. "The worst was a couple of years ago when I suffered bruising to the brain.
"It took me longer than I expected to regain my fitness and get my body right after that fall but that's all behind me now.
"My body is fine now, 100 per cent, and all I need now is regular riding, particularly in races."
Article from: The Daily Telegraph
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,23214320-5006070,00.html
