He's already made plenty of waves throughout the year, and tallied up plenty of salutes, but standout apprentice jockey Qin Yong showed on Monday that he wasn't going to let the year finish quietly.
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The China-born jockey notched up another classy win in the Rising Star series at Dubbo, sitting in the saddle for Muswellbrook trainer Dale Wagstaff in the Milestone Hotel Class 3 Handicap, which served as a heat of the Rising Star.
Yong already shot to the lead of the 2019/2020 competition after a win earlier in the year in Wellington with Bryan Dixon's Song One, but has now extended that lead well clear of his nearest rivals Samantha Clenton, Mikayla Weir and Yvette Lewis.
In the Rising Star Heat, Yong made the most of the space on offer, jumping from the fifth barrier in the middle of a field of seven and leading the contest after moving to the inside ahead of the final turn, holding onto a clear lead along the straight and powering home ahead of Kathryn Cahill's Dictation and Kody Nestor's Five Star Gal, who ran in second and third respectively.
An ecstatic Yong and Wagstaff celebrated the win after bringing Drusilla back to the placing stands afterwards and Yong was full of praise for the trainers and jockeys who have helped him develop since making the move from China to New South Wales.
"It's amazing for me, coming from overseas," Yong said.
"In China, racing's shown some incredible development, but it's still young and just starting, so to come here to a horse racing country, it's really helping with improving."
Yong also expressed satisfaction with the track conditions, a hotly discussed topic after heat and smoke unfortunately forced cancellations of recent events in Dubbo, but there were little signs of wear and tear on the Dubbo race course on Monday.
"The track conditions today were really good, I was very happy with it and I really enjoyed the run along the track."
For the young jockey, who's experienced much of his success since finding a home in Hawkesbury at Dubbo and Wellington's tracks, it's always good to find a win on the racecourses that have welcomed him.
"It's amazing for me, coming from overseas."
- Dubbo jockey Qin Jong
"This is one that I really like here in Dubbo, people here are always so friendly and welcoming and glad to have me here, so I'm very appreciative of that," Yong said.
"The trainer [Dale Wagstaff] did a great job with the horse and it feels great to get a win and I'm very appreciative of all the hard work."
The next Rising Star race will take place in Wagga on January 21.
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