KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 22 — In a sport once known as the pastime of royalty, the path to glory begins far from the grandstands in the Malay villages along peninsular Malaysia’s east coast, where a selected few leave behind their families and hometowns in search of something greater on the racetrack.
For many young boys from Kelantan’s rural heartland, the journey to the Selangor Turf Club (STC) isn’t just about learning to ride professionally — it’s a leap of faith, an opportunity to chase a dream far from home.
Having learned to ride and compete on horseback from the age of five, 28-year-old Nuqman Faris Rozi is one of the dreamers who chased that passion all the way to the STC’s Apprentice Jockey School.
“I come from a family of horse breeders, I was practically raised around horses and after I was born, I was already helping out in the stables and joining local competitions when I was young.”
Apart from horseback riding, Nuqman Faris is also skilled in horseback archery, having represented Malaysia previously at the 12th World Horseback Archery Championship in Seoul, South Korea in 2016.
“I have always loved horse racing, it was just a matter of wanting to push myself further and achieve more on a global level,” the Wakaf Bharu native told Malay Mail during an interview.
Chasing a dream
Armed with the basics, Nuqman Faris joined the STC’s apprentice jockey school shortly before the Covid-19 pandemic began in early 2020.
“Adapting to the new environment was a challenge because I was so used to staying in Kelantan.”
Nuqman Faris said one of the most physically and mentally demanding parts of being an apprentice jockey is performing nearly all stable work which usually begins before sunrise.
Besides physical work, he said apprentice jockeys are always required to always keep their weight in check — a disciplined effort achieved through rigorous fitness regimes and strict diets.
He explained that due to racehorses being allocated a specific weight to carry in a race, jockeys must remain in full control of their diet at all times to weigh the right amount.
This, coupled with a jockey’s exceptional balance and grip strength trained over time, allows them to stay on a horse galloping at speeds close to 60-kilometres per hour.
Moreover, injury risks — sometimes life-threatening from a bad fall — is also one of the present challenges, adding that he has undergone a dislocated shoulder and kneecap surgeries in the past.
“Many local boys from Kelantan aspire to become jockeys, but the moment they enter the racing circle they are unable to accustom themselves to the strict and disciplined training that comes with it,” he said.
The aspiration to become a jockey runs deeper than family ties, as Nuqman Faris’ cousin, Muhammad Farhan Ghazali also decided to pursue his dream at the apprentice school on the former’s recommendation in 2022.
A family effort
Like his cousin, 25-year-old Muhammad Farhan was also exposed to horses from a young age, where he often visited Nuqman’s family farm where he developed an early passion for horse riding and later shaped his ambition to pursue riding professionally.
“I remember I rode a horse for the first time and won a local racing competition after. I was eight-year-old at the time.
“So naturally my family was supportive of my decision to become a jockey,” he said, adding that he had spent his early years immersed in stable work and endurance riding in his hometown of Kampung Pauh Ganja just five kilometres from Kota Bahru.
Most recently, Muhammad Farhan rode to his first career victory in the RM62,000 UK Stable (Thailand) Trophy held on September 14 — a moment of pride and joy for both his family and hometown village.
“It’s challenging because I was really homesick, anxious when I first came here but gradually, I managed to settle down and the guidance provided here has enabled me to chase my dream further.
“One day, I hope to take that dream overseas,” he said.
Necessary sacrifices
Still, the challenges are real especially when it comes to strict diet control, Muhammad Farhan said as on most days he eats just one or two meals, starting his day before dawn at 5am and finishing by 11pm.
Beyond their weekly lessons — which include everything from English classes to mechanical horse training — apprentice jockeys also take on daily stable duties, working hands-on as syces or stable grooms.
As an apprentice jockey, Muhammad Farhan said it was important to build a bond with the racehorses as it is a unique sport which demands coordination between the human rider and the horse.
“We must first learn to understand them, and they will understand us in return because they know through their instinct whether a rider is confident or not,” he said, adding that his debut win wouldn’t have been possible without the training and support from the STC’s apprentice jockey school as well.
Another fellow apprentice, 24-year-old Muhammad Ikram Jamaludin also came to be at the apprentice school due to his passion for horses.
What started out as a hobby riding his family-owned ponies in his hometown of Pantai Sabak developed into an interest in polo and subsequently a hunger to achieve more.
Invaluable experience
“The apprentice school has given me many meaningful experiences where I have been taught and guided in every aspect of horse racing.
“Understandably, most of our families are worried about the inherent risks that come with being an apprentice jockey but when they see us race, they could feel our excitement because this is our hobby, our passion and the career we have chosen,” he said.
While Ikram and Farhan remain apprentices, Nuqman Faris has since completed his indentured apprenticeship and is now a full-fledged jockey.
“My family was very supportive of my decision (to become a jockey) because my father once dreamed of doing the same, but my grandmother forbade it even though my grandfather had given his blessing.
“So, in a way, I’m living the dream he never got to pursue,” he said.
