Rodd, Moloney, Collett relinquish Kranji licences

The Singapore Turf Club (STC) has cancelled the licences of jockeys Michael Rodd, Patrick Moloney and Alysha Collett, after the trio indicated that they would not return to Singapore to ride this year.

The three expatriate jockeys were licensed until the end of the year, but they have informed the STC that they were relinquishing their visiting jockeys' licences.

Australians Rodd and Moloney returned to their former Victorian bases in late April. They have ridden winners since their return.

New Zealander Collett picked Sydney, where her elder brother Jason is based. She has also ridden winners since then.

The common push factor for the trio's departure was the suspension of Singapore racing due to the Covid-19 circuit breaker on April 7.

They had said the enforced break had cast their riding careers and financial situations into uncertainty. Jockeys earn riding fees and stakemoney from races.

Horse racing in Australia went on uninterrupted during the pandemic, albeit races were conducted behind closed doors.

Another STC-licensed Australian jockey, Daniel Moor, left a couple of weeks before Rodd, Moloney and Collett for the same reason.

But, unlike his three colleagues, who had hoped to return to Singapore when the situation cleared up, the Victorian jockey decided to surrender his licence.

He left with two winners and 13 placings from 70 rides.

Rodd, who won many Group races during his few years in Singapore, has ridden 16 winners and 26 placings from 99 rides at Kranji.

Moloney has eight wins and 15 placings from 95 rides. Collett has the most number of rides - 118 - for seven wins and 20 placings.

Singapore racing resumed behind closed doors last Saturday, with a record 14-race programme consisting of a record 167 runners.