Ariel Smith to make Kranji debut

SINGAPORE,  11 January 2006

Eclipse Award winner Ariel Smith has being granted a four-month freelance jockey permit by the Club and will make his maiden appearance at Kranji on Friday. The Ameircan has been booked on Boomer Lake (Race 2), Gain Prosperity (Race 7) and Mighty Wind (Race 9).

Of Panamanian parentage, Smith, 23, rode in New York for six years where he was the leading apprentice in 1999, winning 81 races and US$2.8 in stakesmoney, becoming the only apprentice to top US$2m in earnings. His achievement earned him the Eric Beitia Memorial Award in New York and the national Eclipse Award.

Smith, whose father Alfredo was a successful rider in the New York circuit in the 80s, then rode in California for 18 months where he rode five black-type winners, including the Lady Fingers Stakes and the Donald LeVine Memorial Handicap.

He has ridden over 240 winners since he commenced riding in 1998 and joins Australian Ronald Stewart as the two new jockeys at Kranji in January and goes to scale at 51.5 kgs.