ORMAN IS HAPPILY PURSUING THE OPPORTUNITY OF A LIFETIME IN HONG KONG'S 'AWESOME' RACING SETUP
By Graham Potter | Tuesday, April 22, 2025
After dominating in Queensland racing for the past three seasons with successive wins in the Jockey’s Premiership in 2021/22, 2022/23 and then again in 2023/24 season, Jimmy Orman has been busy pursuing the opportunity of a lifetime offered to him by the Hong Kong Jockey Club, mixing it on the world stage in the most competitive racing precinct in the world. HRO'S WINNO caught up with the lad from Queensland who made his way to Hong Kong between track work and trials at Sha Tin on Tuesday.
WINNO: “Great to catch up with you Jimmy. How is life in Hong Kong”
JO: ”It’s good. We’ve have been here probably eight or nine weeks now. It's been awesome, I have ridden a few winners and getting some support which is great … but enjoying it more importantly”.
WINNO:: ”Family is a big part of your life. How are they doing?”
JO: “Heidi (Jimmy’s wife) is enjoying it. The kids are really liking it as well. They've got lots of different little friends down there in the playground to play with. They have started school here. Everything's all well and good with the family.”
WINNO: With Hong Kong only racing two days a week, it must be a dramatic change in routine and lifestyle (less travelling, not so much wear and tear on the body riding at multiple meetings and driving to and from them). I would think much has changed for both you and the family.”
JO: Yeah, and to be honest, I actually like it a lot more … there’s a lot more time off with the family and I'm into a good routine now. There is a lot of track-work, but I’m used to that now. I know what the week holds every week, so it is a pretty cruisy lifestyle."
WINNO:”Any last word?"
JO: "The racing is awesome, and it is great to be a part of it!"
HRO adds: While the ultra-competitive Hong Kong riding scene is notoriously difficult to break into, Orman caught attention almost immediately when snaring his first winner in Hong Kong at Happy Valley in only his fourth ride after arriving in Hong Kong. He then followed up with a win at the very next meeting at Sha Tin, but his biggest win of all to date came when the Hong Kong Jockey Club extended his original six week riding licence until the end of the season. While the contracts are not yet been allocated for the 2025/26 season in Hong Kong, you wouldn’t bet against Orman’s hard work and talent carrying him to another big win in that regard.
*Orman has a ride in a Group 1 feature on the big, FWD Raceday at Sha Tin on Sunday. He rides Copartner Prance in the HK22 million Chairman’s Sprint Prize
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