Hong Kong hoop seeks Sunshine State reset

By Jordan Gerrans

After one of the most disappointing seasons of his career, Group 1-winning Hong Kong jockey Matthew L Chadwick is eager for a mental refresh and will use a month-long stay in the Sunshine State to reignite his passion for riding.

The high-level jockey will base himself on the Gold Coast for four weeks, alongside his family, and will have a ‘working holiday’ in the Hong Kong off-season.

The 36-year-old will take two bookings at Aquis Park on Saturday for an old mate of his in Allan Chau and is open to riding around South East Queensland in the coming weeks.

Chadwick has two Group 1 victories to his name, along with six other Group wins.

It will be a homecoming of sorts for the top jockey as he commenced his career in the Sunshine State back in 2008 when he was sent by the Hong Kong Jockey Club to Australia to gain more experience as a rookie apprentice.

In the recently completed Hong Kong campaign, Chadwick tallied just 12 victories, which placed him well outside of the top 20 riders for the season.

In the pressure cooker environment of competing in the racing mecca, it can be mentally taxing to have a lacklustre season in the saddle.

“I want to refresh my mind and get back to the roots of the racing and just reconnect on a personal level,” Chadwick said about his Queensland stint.

“I want to get back to the love of horse racing and riding. It's a hard mental game over there.

“I haven't had a season in my career like this one before. This is my first full season where I've been genuinely disappointed and frustrated.

“Everything you could think of that you don't want to happen, has happened.

“It's just the pressure of Hong Kong, you are under the magnifying glass, it can really make you or break you, you sink or swim.”

Chadwick is best known for his association with former star galloper California Memory, who took him to Group glory in races such as the 2011 and 2012 Hong Kong Cup, the 2011 Hong Kong Gold Cup as well as the 2013 Champions and Chater Cup and the Jockey Club Cup in 2012.

He recorded 11 winners quickly at the start of the 2025-26 season, but following the Christmas period, he landed just one victory from there on.

“I'm happy that I'm feeling healthy, but on a level of professionalism and output, I was striking at a third of what I was the season before,” the honest Chadwick said.

“There is something wrong with that. So, I just want to reconnect with the horses and the love of racing and refresh my mind.

“So, that's the main goal. If I can help out a couple of friends and a couple of old faces I know, it'd be even better.

“I think you can learn so much and when you have the passion and everything running through you, I think it shows in your output, as well.

“So, hopefully every single bit of positivity will be beneficial. 

"I want to give my mental stuff a bit of a break, as well, so I can go back there fresh.”

In his bid to return to Hong Kong next season with a new attitude and mindset, Chadwick says a morning at the Gold Coast track recently was a big eye-opener.

Coming from the cutthroat environment of Hong Kong racing, Chadwick said seeing local participants genuinely enjoying their work reminded him why he got into the game.

“I enjoyed going down in the fresh air and just seeing people enjoying themselves,” he reflected.

“The people here are great and everyone seems to enjoy the work around the stables area.

“That is what I enjoy seeing, when you first start out riding and, in this industry, it is about the love of horses and the bond between all of that.

“You can see that with the riders here, the people here, they do it for their love of the industry and the animals.

“In Hong Kong, during the season, you can see people are under pressure and pushing for that win and searching and scratching for rides, digging for the right ones and everything.

“It's always a treasure hunt. It's non-stop. It's a lot less pressure here. You can just feel it in the air. So, it's really nice.

“It is just refreshing seeing people enjoying the work and being very hands-on with the horses and enjoying the work. 

"In this environment and climate, it brings back old memories.

“It's beautiful here at the Gold Coast, so if it's like this on Saturday, it's going to be a great day out regardless of the result. I just enjoy riding.”

Chadwick’s career has reached Group 1 glory at the highest level in his home country, but he enjoyed a humble beginning at country and provincial tracks in Queensland such as Warwick and Beaudesert.

He took his first professional ride at Warwick in May of 2008 before landing his maiden winner aboard Grand Corso at Beaudesert in June of that year for trainer Maryann Thexton.

He was indentured to Thexton initially before he went on loan to the Northern Rivers of New South Wales to gain more race riding experience.

 He completed the majority of his trials before beginning his race riding career in Queensland.

That was when he crossed paths with Chau, who was riding on the local circuit before turning his hand to training many years later.

Chadwick’s stint in Queensland worked wonders for the young jockey as he returned home soon after and claimed the Hong Kong Champion Apprentice title in 2008-09 before winning the Tony Cruz Award for the best local rider in the 2021-22 campaign.

At the Gold Coast on Saturday, Chadwick will ride Launcher for Chau in the Class 5 Handicap over 1800 metres and Hi Tiago in the Class 2 Handicap over 1000 metres.

While Chadwick plans to do some riding over the coming month, the main point of his Australian sojourn is family time.

“The kids and the family have never been here, they've never seen where I've started out riding,” he said.

“So, I just thought I'd bring them over. A couple of years ago, we went to Melbourne to see California Memory, my old horse that I used to ride.

“Because I was very young at the time, I haven't been back in a long time. It's a lovely place.

“We just had a long season, so I don't want to be overkill myself and ride too much over here.

“I wanted to make sure my family comes first. 

"They've had a long season and my professional side has been hard, so they felt that, as well.

“They've had to read all of that, so I want to make sure they have a good time, they come first.”