The next coming months will see the arrival of a new jockey and apprentice rider at Kranji, as well as the renewal of licence for a more familiar name.

The Singapore Turf Club has granted Australian jockey Michael Cahill (pictured above) a six-month visiting jockey’s permit to commence on 1 September 2008 and expire on 28 February 2009, while fellow Australian Amy Iredell Herrmann will be licensed to ride for two weeks only from 18 to 31 August, 2008, as part of a scholarship to expand her experience.

Irish jockey Mark Gallagher was meanwhile given an extension of another 12 months to his current licence, which runs out on 31 August 2008. The new licence begins its term on 1 September 2008 to end on 31 August 2009.

Cahill, 43, was actually due to arrive in Singapore in July 2007 to start a six-month contract, but had to abort the stay when he suffered hip injuries from a race fall and a separate wrist injury.

The Queensland-based rider was sidelined for one year and has made a significant impact since his comeback last June, riding a host of winners including the Listed Caloundra Cup with Fast Future.

A winner of 2200+ races spanning over 25 years, Cahill is also well-travelled, having ridden in England, Hong Kong, Macau, Korea, Malaysia and even Singapore during the Bukit Timah days.

Cahill is no stranger to Group success, having won the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 and Stradbroke Handicap and about 20 Group 2 and Group 3 races. He has also tasted International Group success in the 2004 Macau Derby, during the same year he won the jockey’s premiership with 112 wins.

Cahill goes to scale at 53kgs.

Apprentice Herrmann, 20, hails from South Australia, where she was indentured to Adelaide mentor David Balfour, who once trained in Singapore in the 90s.

She was recently awarded the Dux of the Apprentice School in South Australia, and part of the scholarship included a trip to Singapore.

Herrmann, who goes to scale at 52kgs, will be indentured to trainer Don Baertschiger during her short stay at Kranji. As 29 of her 118 wins were scored in the metropolitan area in Australia, she will be entitled to claim 3kgs in Singapore.

After a slow start, Gallagher, 39, has enjoyed his fair share of visits to the winner’s circle. This season he sits 9th in the jockey’s premiership with 17 wins from 171 rides, a commendable performance considering he does not really ride for the leading stables.

Gallagher goes to scale at 52kgs.
(Source: Singapore Turf Club)