Davy Bonilla will be hoping for better luck when he returned to ride at Kranji after a lapse of 10 years next month. The French jockey has been granted six-month licence from Nov 1.

The globe-trotting jockey was in Singapore to ride LETHALS LADY (Rudimentary - Madiyla by Darshaan) in the S$1mil Singapore Classic on Mar 1, 2002 and nearly pulled it off when he finished second on the France-trained English mare in the Group 3 event run over 1800m. He had one other unplaced ride that day.

Bonilla, 39, has ridden extensively around the world and boasts more than 1,200 winners to his credit in 23 years of riding.

Currently licensed by France Galop, Bonilla was the regular partner of French champion sprinter MARCHAND D’OR (Marchand De Sable - Fedora by Kendor), with whom he scored five of his 13 Group 1 wins, namely the July Cup in England (2008), the Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp (2008) and three Prix Maurice de Gheest (2006, 2007 and 2008).

Most of Bonilla’s feature successes were achieved in France, but he has also tasted success in the Group 1 Gran Premio del Jockey Club Italiano in Italy aboard LAVEROCK (Octagonal - Sky Song by Sadler’s Wells) in 2006, the Group 1 Preis von Europa astride GOLDEN SNAKE (Danzig - Dubian by High Line) in 2000 and Deutsches Derby on NICARON (Acatenango - Nicol’s Girl by Dunbeath) in 2005 in Germany.

Besides France, England, Italy and Germany, Bonilla has also ridden in Japan, Spain, Japan, Belgium, America, Canada, Turkey, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Switzerland and Mauritius among others. He goes to scale at 52kg.

The Singapore Turf Club has also granted visiting jockey’s licences to South Australian-based apprentice jockey Jordan Frew for three weeks from Oct 29.

Just like Amy Herrmann and Libby Hopwood in the past, Frew, 19, was awarded a trip to study Singapore racing as part of his prize for recently becoming the Dux of Apprentice School in South Australia.

The New Zealand-born rider has been riding for more than three years and will be indentured to Kranji trainer Cliff Brown during his three-week stint in Singapore.