OUTSTANDING!
Nice guys don’t always come last. Sometimes they buck the trend and are recognised for being exactly that- and the talent and to go with it, something that the 36 year old Hong Kong born horseman and jockey achieved last week by being named one of the Ten Outstanding Young Persons in the city.
This is the first time that someone from horse racing has been recognised for their achievements and contributions in being role models, and, as someone who has held Vincent in high esteem as a human busy being, I am extremely proud and happy for him and his family.
I interviewed Vincent when first indentured to the stable of champion trainer Caspar Fownes. Before the interview, I asked Cas what he was like, and being someone who spent his childhood in India with his family, he shook his head in a way that would have made Peter Sellers proud and said, “He’s a good lad”. He might have added, “Listen, choot, don’t scare the young boy”.
A tough but fair taskmaster, Vincent took “Life With Casibah” extremely well, learned much, and will always be recognised for his accomplishments in the saddle as a senior rider with champion galloper Golden Sixty.
Because of the Covid years, and racing having to take place in a bubble, the international world skipped a beat in seeing this equine hero at the peak of his powers.
With me being locked down in Hong Kong, I saw a team of nice guys made for each other. Golden Sixty was hardly the Ozzie Osborne of horse racing. He enjoyed winning with his friend Vincent Ho on his back.
This quiet resilience and dignity said it all as did the rest of the team around them- trainer Francis Lui, everyone in his stable, and owner Stanley Chan Ka-Leung.
When Vincent was involved in a horrific fall at Shatin in February of 2025 that kept him out of competitive race riding as he focused on recovering from his serious head injuries, an important part of his rehabilitation was visiting his old friend Golden Sixty, who is now enjoying retirement at Northern Horse Park in Japan.
What do they talk about? Probably about the good old days and that making good things happen is an ongoing journey.
Well done, Vincent and the others who are helping to inspire Hong Kong for the generations to come.
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