SINGAPORE,  25 May 2007

Irish jockey Mark Gallagher has been granted a three-month extension to his visiting jockey’s licence and will remain in Singapore until Aug 31.

Gallagher, 38, has won five races and was placed 16 times from 78 rides in the three months he has ridden at Kranji since March 1. Given the smaller support he has received compared with the other expatriate jockeys who ride for the big stables, Gallagher has not done badly at all.

English trainer David Hill’s CHYNA PEARL was probably Gallagher’s only reason to smile until recently as she provided all of his first three wins. Gallagher, who has ridden mainly for Hill, Daniel Murphy and Michael Clements, added two more wins over the SIA Cup weekend to boost his tally to five, courtesy of STARRY FIRE for Douglas Dragon and CASMODADO for Clements.

Prior to riding in Singapore, he spent seven years in India, and has also plied his trade in Ireland, England, France, America, Macau, Malaysia and Singapore (at Bukit Timah). He is a winner of 37 Classic and Grade races. He has now grabbed the incredible chance, albeit slim, to improve this tally when he picks up the reins atop roughie LEADER for trainer Brett Johnson in the Group 1 Vodafone Epsom Derby (2400m) on June 2.