10 February, 2009
Trainer Hideyuki Takaoka and jockey Toshio Uchida received special recognition at the 2008 NAR (National Association for Racing) Grand Prix Awards held in Tokyo in early February.
Trainer Hideyuki Takaoka was the leading trainer in the Hokkaido regional racing circuit in 2000. He later relocated with 18 of his Japanese-trained horses to Singapore, where he started training in 2003. In November of 2008, he won his first G1 race in Singapore with El Dorado (JPN) in the Singapore Gold Cup. His special award of merit is in recognition of his pioneering work as a trainer from Japanese regional racing who has successfully ventured overseas.
Jockey Toshio Uchida was a leading jockey for many years at the now closed Utsunomiya Racecourse and since then has been riding at numerous regional racetracks around the country. In 2008, he rode at Busan Gyeongnam Racecourse in Korea on a short-term riding license from June until the end of December. During that period, he achieved an outstanding result of 69 winners and 43 seconds from 311 rides, with a win percentage of 22.2% and place percentage of 35.7%, which was a record at the racecourse for the number of wins in a year as well as for win and place percentages. He also rode for 2 months in 2008 in Macau, where he won a G1 race. His special award of merit is for his riding success in the 2 countries.
Trainer Hideyuki Takaoka was the leading trainer in the Hokkaido regional racing circuit in 2000. He later relocated with 18 of his Japanese-trained horses to Singapore, where he started training in 2003. In November of 2008, he won his first G1 race in Singapore with El Dorado (JPN) in the Singapore Gold Cup. His special award of merit is in recognition of his pioneering work as a trainer from Japanese regional racing who has successfully ventured overseas.
Jockey Toshio Uchida was a leading jockey for many years at the now closed Utsunomiya Racecourse and since then has been riding at numerous regional racetracks around the country. In 2008, he rode at Busan Gyeongnam Racecourse in Korea on a short-term riding license from June until the end of December. During that period, he achieved an outstanding result of 69 winners and 43 seconds from 311 rides, with a win percentage of 22.2% and place percentage of 35.7%, which was a record at the racecourse for the number of wins in a year as well as for win and place percentages. He also rode for 2 months in 2008 in Macau, where he won a G1 race. His special award of merit is for his riding success in the 2 countries.
Photo by : The National Association of Racing