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The Singapore Turf Club has granted Australian jockey Joseph Azzopardi a three-month visiting jockey’s licence which will commence from the date of issuance of the work permit.
Currently licensed by Racing and Wagering Western Australia, the Perth-based Azzopardi, 23, does not hail from a racing family, but became a jockey after he was told he had the right size. He first joined Karnup trainer Rebecca Nairn before transferring cross-country to the Eastern Seaboard with Victorian trainer Troy Corstens for six months in the 2014/2015 season, during which time he booted home around 15 winners.
Azzopardi then completed his apprenticeship with leading Perth trainer Adam Durrant, for whom he still rides today. After coming out of his time at the end of 2015, Azzopardi rode mainly for trainers David Harrison, Daniel and Ben Pearce, clocking in close to 380 winners in eight years of riding.
The career highlights are two Group 3 wins in the 2017 WA Champion Fillies Stakes aboard Art Series and the 2018 Gimcrack Stakes aboard Agent Pippa. He also has 12 Listed race wins to his name, the latest being the Rangeview Stud Classic aboard the Pearce-trained Angelic Ruler at Bunbury on Sunday.
A third place aboard the Durrant-trained Kia Ora Koutou in the Group 1 Victoria Derby in 2015 also remains a memorable achievement in his young riding career.
After finishing in fourth position on last season’s Western Australian Metropolitan Jockeys’ Premiership on 32 winners, Azzopardi currently sits in seventh position on 13 winners in the 2018/19 season.
Singapore will be the first overseas stint for Azzopardi, who goes to scale at 53kgs.