Jockey Khaw dies from injuries after KL race fall
Malaysian racing community is mourning the loss of 32-year-old Penang-born rider
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Jockey Khaw Choon Kit happily celebrating his win on Ironclad in Race 2 at Sungai Besi on Aug 9, but less than three hours later, tragedy struck in Race 7 when he crashed heavily from Team Work, sustaining injuries that were to prove fatal. Both Ironclad and Team Work are trained by Richard Lines.
PHOTO: SLTC
Sharon Zhang
Shock and sadness swept through the Malaysian racing fraternity after news broke of the death of popular jockey Khaw Choon Kit.
The Malaysian rider died in hospital on the wee hours of the morning of Aug 17, eight days after his fall in a race at the Sungai Besi meeting on Aug 9.
Khaw, 32, suffered his life-ending injuries after he fell off Team Work – trained by one of his biggest supporters Richard Lines – in the Community Circuit Race (1,200m).
Team Work, who was having his first start, showed plenty of speed to lead under Khaw.
But the three-year-old galloper’s greenness showed when he hung out briefly before abruptly ducking back in between the 400m and the 300m mark.
Shortly after the 300m, Team Work smashed into the rails, sending Khaw crashing onto the ground on the other side of the track.
The Penang-born jockey was taken to Sultan Idris Shah Serdang Hospital immediately but reportedly stayed in a coma until his death.
Five races before that fatal accident, Khaw won aboard Ironclad for Lines in a Class 5A race (1,275m).
Of Khaw’s 15 winners in 2026, one-third of them came from the 11-time Malaysia champion trainer’s yard.
Khaw was indentured to Lines when he began his apprenticeship in 2013 as a 19-year-old.
The British handler said Khaw has grown very close to his family and was “a special human being that everybody loved”.
“He’s gone too soon,” said Lines.
“He’s such a special human being and everybody loved him. Work ethic-wise, he’s second to none.
“On and off the track, he’s such a caring person. He loves animals and was very passionate about racing.
“We’re closely knit as a racing community, and everybody will miss him.
“My wife, stepson (ex-jockey) Winston (Cheah Wei Wen) and I have been visiting him every day since his fall. His parents also flew in from Penang and we were all by his bedside when he passed.
“Winston is very close with him and he will be driving his parents back home today. My wife and I will be flying to Penang tomorrow for his funeral on Friday.”
Cheah, who is now assistant trainer to Lines and who rode at Kranji briefly for eight months from 2020 to 2021, was shaken by the demise of his close friend.
The two knew each other when Cheah started out as a track rider for Lines and they became best friends.
“He was such a gentleman,” said Cheah, who is also a Penang boy.
“We would joke and laugh with each other, and also go on road trips together. He loved life and was a great person to hang out with.
“His dream was to ride overseas someday, and he had applied to many places. But every time the permit was granted, he somehow ended up not making the trip.
“I hope he is not in pain anymore. I will miss him a lot.”
Khaw’s body will be sent back to his hometown. The wake will be held at Batu Gantong (How Qin Tong) funeral parlor and the cremation will take place at Batu Gantong Crematorium on Aug 21.
All-up, Khaw has ridden 218 winners in Malaysia, with his best result coming in 2018 when he rode 43 winners and finished fifth on the jockeys’ log.
Khaw’s biggest achievement came when he captured the 2019 Group 1 Coronation Cup (1,600m) in Ipoh on board the Frank Maynard-trained Sacred Empire.
He won the Penang Turf Club Farewell Trophy (1,300m) on the Sivan Veerapen-trained Super Salute at Batu Gantong racecourse’s final meeting on May 31, 2025.
Khaw is survived by his parents, a brother and a sister.
