Beadman to Hong Kong!

[my miss storm cat]

The Sydney Morning Herald...

Champ Beadman rides off into the sunset
Craig Young
September 21, 2007


DARREN Beadman is returning to Hong Kong where one of the darkest chapters in the champion jockey's life took place. In 1993, Beadman was disqualified from riding worldwide by Hong Kong Jockey Club stewards after being found guilty of not allowing Better Choice to run on its merits.

"I was effectively accused of cheating," the rider wrote in his autobiography The Darren Beadman story. "For 'holding back' my horse. Nobody holds back a horse except for the wrong reasons; to the whole world I looked like a crook."

In the book, Beadman revealed he "became suicidal," and described the time in Hong Kong as "a personal and emotional disaster; it landed more body blows on me than I ever deserved …"

But the jockey said on Thursday: "That is behind me, I don't look at the past, I look to the future. It was another chapter in my life; like everyone, there are speed bumps, roundabouts, hurdles, you've got to overcome in life.

"I became a better person, I found my faith and I haven't looked back. I don't dwell on negative, I look at the positives. I never had any hard feelings about what happened in Hong Kong. It is over, let's move on."

Beadman is set to reunite with Australian trainer John Moore in Hong Kong. The jockey leaves for Hong Kong on Monday with the three-month licence to kick in on October 1.

He leaves Australian racing as the nation's premier rider, a seven-time Sydney premiership winner, who last season broke his old mark when riding 164 winners in town.

"I'm heading over to better myself," Beadman said. "I want to ride against some of the best riders in the world. I'll be out of my comfort zone. Over there it is a whole new ball game. I've always tried to stretch myself, set high levels, challenges and this is another one."

Beadman admitted: "I've always wanted to go back" to Hong Kong and added: "I've always tried to give racing the right image.

" I've tried to put racing in the papers, on television, in the media for all the right reasons.

"I'm thankful for the opportunities I've been given here. The Ingham family, Mr Bob Ingham, and other owners, trainers like John Hawkes and all the rest have been my greatest asset."

Beadman will jet out to Hong Kong with wife Kim and twin daughters Rachel and Jessica although son Mitchell, who is apprentice to Hawkes, is staying put.

"He is pretty much on his way now," Beadman said. "He lives his own life, I feel confident in what he is doing, the way he is going about his job. We're proud the way he has developed, and I'm sure he'll be right. He is in good hands."

The early exit is typical Beadman. "I'm not riding trackwork here due to EI [equine influenza]," he said. "I'll be riding six mornings a week over there, I want to get into rhythm, acclimatise, I don't want to go in half prepared, I want to be ready."

Beadman heads to Caulfield on Saturday to ride West Australian wonder Marasco. The gelding is taking on champion galloper Miss Finland in the Underwood Stakes.

"If he gives me the same feel as what he gave me at Flemington [when he won] I couldn't see why he wouldn't be the horse to beat," Beadman said.

"Looking at him in the enclosure before the Flemington run, there looked to be a bit of improvement. His coat still didn't look right."

Marasco has been to Caulfield on four occasions and each time left with the bridesmaid tag.

"There may have been circumstances," Beadman said. "It may have had something to do with the way the track was riding, whether it was a bit firm, the distance, luck in running. I've no doubt he is a genuine weight-for-age horse, I've no hesitation in saying that."

The Marasco attribute that impressed Beadman the most after riding the horse at Flemington for the first time was attitude.

"He is very laid-back," Beadman said. "He was quite measured in attacking Apache Cat. He didn't want to get there too early, he just waited for me to make him do it. That is a real asset."

As for returning to ride Marasco in the Cox Plate or venturing back for races such as the Melbourne Cup, Beadman replied: "I'll concentrate on Hong Kong and work everything out from there."