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Christmas cheers for Grant
Cooksley PENANG, 24 December 2004 |
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Grant Cooksley, who was granted a MRA licence to ride in Malaysia only for the second half of this season, has been granted an Expatriate Jockey Licence for the 2005 season. Cooksley, who was given the nod soon after winning Malaysia's richest race, the RM1.5 million Piala Emas Sultan Selangor (Sultan Selangor Gold Cup) on FLYING DIAMOND in July, is again sponsored by the Selangor Turf Club and will ride in Malaysia only. Cooksley, dubbed the "iceman" for his cool and calculated riding, has a long string of big race successes in New Zealand, Australia and the local circuit. In the MRA circuit, he won the 1986 Perak Derby and the 1987 Singapore Derby on CHINESE WALL when he first rode here as an expatriate jockey. As a visiting jockey, Cooksley won the 1994 Coronation Cup astride THE BEST IN TOWN. Cooksley has also ridden on a local permit at Kranji, finishing fourth in the table with 27 winners in 2001. That year, he captured the Emirates Singapore Derby, the Queen Elizabeth II Cup and the Patron’s Bowl on BOCELLI. The following year, he won the Singapore Gold Cup and the Raffles International Cup on SMART BET. He last year, he won the latter race again with LIM’S REWARD. So far, Cooksley has ridden 15 winners this year. 
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