Challenge accepted as Pierre Ng fills Hong Kong’s training roster

Pierre Ng will join the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s training ranks as its newest member for the upcoming 2022/23 racing season.

“First of all, I would like to thank the Hong Kong Jockey Club for giving me the opportunity and, secondly, I would like to thank the Licensing Committee, Stewards and everyone involved in the performance interviews. I would like to thank them all and I will grab this opportunity with both hands – I look forward to my career as a trainer,” said Ng, 38, via an online media briefing today (Friday, 10 June).

The newly-licensed handler completes a 22-strong roster and will first see out the remainder of the current season in his role as assistant trainer to Francis Lui, a position he has held for two seasons.

Andrew Harding, the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Executive Director, Racing, said: “The Club is deeply committed to developing local talent and we have a comprehensive program to identify potential future trainers and equip them with the skills and competencies required to succeed in this highly competitive environment.

“Through this program, Pierre has had the opportunity to work alongside and learn from leading trainers in Hong Kong as well as having valuable opportunities to study leading stables in Japan, the U.S. and Australia.

Born into a racing family as the son of former trainer Peter Ng – who led his stable for over 30 years with 462 wins and claimed a trio of Hong Kong Horse of the Year titles with Mystic (1984/85) and Quicken Away (1988/89 & 1989/90) – Pierre Ng commenced work with the Club in 2007 as a work rider for his father’s stable before being assigned as Paul O’Sullivan’s assistant trainer in 2013.

Alongside O’Sullivan, Ng played a pivotal role with Aerovelocity and the heroics of the quirky but brilliant sprinter in Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore – travelling the horse abroad for successes in the 2015 G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen (1200m) at Chukyo in Japan and 2015 G1 KrisFlyer International Sprint (1200m) at Kranji in Singapore.

Ng then shifted to the John Size stable for two seasons – both times when Size was crowned Hong Kong Champion Trainer in 2017/18 and 2018/19 working with talents like Mr Stunning, Ivictory and D B Pin. The 2017/18 campaign for Size returned record earnings in a single Hong Kong racing season, accruing total prize money of HK$176.4 million for connections.

After a short stint under Size’s tutelage, Ng moved to Francis Lui’s stable for the 2019/20 season where Ng has played a central role in the stable’s success and returns of 63 and 61 wins in 2019/20 and 2020/21, respectively, as well as the remarkable achievements of Golden Sixty – Hong Kong’s highest earning horse (HK$113.4 million) and most-prolific winner since the commencement of Hong Kong racing’s professional era in 1971.

Ng has been by Golden Sixty’s side since his debut run across an extraordinary career including his famed 16-win unbeaten run, six Group 1 triumphs and Four-Year-Old Classic Series clean sweep in 2020 – becoming only the second horse in history to do so.

“Pierre has been an integral part of Hong Kong stables that have housed world champion horses and he’s also played an important role with successful overseas campaigns.

“The Licensing Committee’s assessment is that Pierre is ready to take the step up to training in his own right and I’m confident that he has everything that is required to be successful and to make an important contribution to the future strength and quality of Hong Kong’s world-class racing as well as providing his future racehorse owners with an excellent level of service and communication,” Mr Harding said.

In addition to his Hong Kong experience, Ng has also gained valuable schooling abroad, working under David Payne at Randwick in Sydney and David Hayes at Flemington in Melbourne, both times in the stable as a work rider and stable assistant.

In Australia, Ng also honed his craft with trainers Chris Waller and Mick Price, while in Japan he stationed himself with Takayuki Yasuda – trainer of Lord Kanaloa and Danon Smash, while in the United States he worked under American Hall of Famer trainer William I. Mott at Saratoga Springs.

“There will be pressure because my dad, Peter, was a very good trainer and he trained some very good horses to win big races in the past.

“The Club has provided training and courses for me and also the other candidates, so that when we are ready for the chance to be promoted then we are ready, that’s why I am not worried about this and I will keep my head down and work on myself and deliver as best I can,” Ng said.

Ng has also previously assisted in the preparation of yearlings in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and Japan. While in Australia, Ng completed a Bachelor of Science in Safety Science and Japanese Studies at the University of New South Wales.