The money and The Gun – Why Hong Kong suits Brenton Avdulla just fine

In a couple of years in Hong Kong, Brenton Avdulla’s fortune and fame have exploded. But while he is enjoying the rock star profile, he tells Matt Stewart that there are other charms of working in one of world racing’s most competitive jurisdictions.

While riding trackwork at Sha Tin, Brenton Avdulla occasionally glances up at the balcony of the family apartment halfway up one of those big towers to see his five-year-old son Hunter waving furiously at him.

“I just think that’s pretty cool,” Avdulla said.

It’s one of a couple of stories that speak volumes about the charm of life for an ex-pat in Hong Kong, as well as how things have changed for Avdulla, who arrived in the racing mecca just over two years ago.

The other involves the giant billboards above overpasses and near railway stations to so often feature jockeys and horses.

“Me and California Spangle, we were up on a big billboard near a train station. They’re big on the racing culture here. Jockeys are rock stars. The pre-school teacher was telling the class about it. I think that’s also pretty cool,” he said.

For Australian jockeys and trainers accustomed to nothing but grind, darkness and debt, these are not relatable images.

But in Hong Kong, if you’re good, it’s a fairyland, and it’s clear to all, including the fanatical local fan base, that Avdulla is good.

There are two secrets in Hong Kong’s ability to draw many of the greats of world racing. The betting pools are gargantuan, generating the fuel for the greatest prize pools in the world. A good five years and you can buy that 800-acre farm back home and wipe out a lifetime of debt.

But even more important is the lifestyle.

The HKJC gleaned long ago that trainers and jockeys have families. They built on-site towers at Sha Tin and created something half-way between a commune and a community.

For nostalgic Australians, the lifestyle is a more glamorous version of the ‘burbs in the 1970s where neighbours were close and kids banded together.

The four Hayes kids all grew up in these towers before heading to Melbourne boarding schools. Tom Prebble, Nicholas Hall, Zac Purton’s kids, heaps of Poms and South Africans all have lived and raised young families there. Campbell Rawiller learned how to ride at the nearby equestrian school.

Avdulla paints an idyllic picture of the entire package of the Hong Kong experience. He and wife Taylor have three kids; five-year-old Hunter, three-year-old Bella and the newborn, Kobe.

Anywhere bar Hong Kong, this would be a tricky balance.

“We joke that they are the ‘village kids’ all running about downstairs,” Avdulla said.

“A lot of the trainers have young families. We’ve got four babies due in the building in the next five weeks.”

For Avdulla, the high-stakes racing was only part of the “sell”.

“I really enjoy the routine. You’re living on course, you’re racing twice a week, you’ve got a nanny, you’ve got a driver. I simply couldn’t afford a driver back home but here my earnings have doubled, tripled,” he said.

“You go out to dinner with the other families, you play golf. There is a great community here, everyone gets on really well, there’s no conflict, lots of respect.

“You are much more present in the lives of your kids than I could have dreamed of back home when you’re travelling five or six days a week.”

Welcome to this world Kobe James Avdulla pic.twitter.com/w6mWRlqZHX

— BRENTON AVDULLA (@brentonavdulla) June 13, 2025

On-track, the 33-year-old bookie’s son has leapt up the jockeys’ list in his second full season to be on the heels of Hall Of Famers Zac Purton and Hugh Bowman.

With three meetings remaining, Avdulla sits on 47 wins and will remain on that number due to a suspension that has called curtains on 2024/25. He is fourth on the premiership table to Purton (132), Bowman (68) and Italian expat Andrea Atzeni (55). Avdulla has swept past last season’s 33 wins and has exceeded his season-goal of 44; one for each week of the racing season.

A treble in three-straight races at Sha Tin back in March, including the HK Classic Cup, kick-started a late season charge as Avdulla’s relationship with John Size, who trained two of that treble, strengthened.

In the glory days of Bowman and Winx, Avdulla staved off Bowman to win the 2017/18 Sydney jockeys’ title. The legendary Australian hoop is a familiar foe.

Purton’s tactical style was something new.

“Obviously I never rode against Zac in Sydney, he was gone when I got there. But I’d ridden a lot against Hughie. I beat him in the premiership once and he chased me down once. When he was riding for Waller, I was there as well,” he said.

Avdulla had always prided himself on due diligence. His attention to form – of both horses and riders – initially helped him become one of Melbourne’s leading apprentices, winning a Rising Star series before receiving one of two job offers – the first took him to Sydney, the second, Hong Kong. He now shapes as arguably Purton’s greatest premiership threat next season.

“I like to have familiarity. I think I’m always very good with the form and I’ve worked really hard here for two full seasons,” he said.

“I know Hughie well and how he likes to ride. Zac has his own way too. They are both great riders and they have little things that you pick up.

“There is a limited pool of horses, trainers and jockeys and only two racetracks. The only real variable is six different rail movements at Happy Valley and that can lead to dramatic changes to patterns.”

Tony Cruz was first to seek out Avdulla, then Size. David Hayes also uses him. Cruz and Size are gods to the punt-crazy locals. Avdulla rode 17 winners for Size this season, 10 for Cruz and six for Hayes.

Cruz was first champion jockey then champion trainer, a six-time premier rider who won Group One races in Europe and a twice champion trainer. His best horse was the immortal Silent Witness.

Size arrived in Hong Kong 25 years ago and rewrote the script. His unorthodox methods led to 11 training premierships. For Avdulla, his familiarity with Size stable graduate Joe Pride played into his favour.

“John Size has been the biggest influence on my career in Hong Kong,” Avdulla said. “In my first full season he gave me some nice opportunities then this season he was instrumental in my rise through the ranks.

“I’ve had a lot of luck with Joe Pride in Sydney and John is the training method behind it all. We speak most days. There’s a lot of John in the way Joe goes about his business.”

“Tony Cruz has been great for me. He likes his horses going forward and that suits my rhythm. He likes them comfortable and free-flowing. You can’t compare Tony to any other trainer. Tony is his own man.”

The Cruz-trained California Spangle was an early gift for Avdulla. They became so famous they shared a billboard.

“California Spangle won the big Group One (Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup), then won the Al Quoz in Dubai. He was a champion Griffin winner over 1000 metres, ran second in the Derby to Romantic Warrior, got beat a bit by Golden Sixty but also beat him once; he was a superstar,” he said.

Avdulla’s position on one of world racing’s prime seats began with a phone call, a fluke.

“Gai Waterhouse’s apprentice had had a fall and was out of business. It was spring in Melbourne and there weren’t a lot of opportunities. I got a call from Gai and then six weeks became three months, then I went to Anthony Cummings and I was there until I arrived here two years ago,” he said.

Avdulla won 13 Group Ones in Sydney, beginning with Secret Admirer in the 2010 Flight Stakes and including Golden Slippers on Estijaab (2018) and Fireburn (2022).

Most memorable was returning to Melbourne to ride $101 shot Lasqueti Spirit in the 2016 Crown Oaks. There was a set play, one emulated by Declan Bates aboard Pride Of Jenni in the 2024 Queen Elizabeth Stakes; set up a margin, then keep soldiering on.

“There was no pressure, she was 100-1 shot. We knew that riding her that way was her only chance,” he recalls. “The big salute over the line cost me $1000 but I think it built my profile a bit.”

Like Sydney, Hong Kong came about rather than being planned.

“I was quite content with how things were going in Sydney, had a young family, and we were settled,” Avdulla said.

“But Terry Bailey (HK chief steward) approached me about coming up for a few weeks at the back end of the season. I was going home but it was winter and rode 10 winners in a three-week period and started to believe I could go alright here.”

Avdulla lays claim to one of the most interesting jockey-pedigree stories, one that once led to a few raised eyebrows.

Avdulla’s father Peter is, or was, a bookmaker. When Brenton first started out, the old man often fielded on-course. The authorities weren’t alarmed, but a little on edge.

“It was never a red flag at the start but once I got rolling and had a good 12 months, with dad fielding on-course, it got raised a little bit and I understood if there was some sort of perceived conflict of interest,” he said.

“So, dad then retired.”

This season has come to a premature end, but it was job done. Avdulla has no set goals, bar maybe a few less suspensions. He has returned to Sydney to catch up with family and friends “and then get ready to go again.”

“While the family is happy to live in Hong Kong I’m going to stay and just keep trying to build on what I’ve achieved. I’d like to stop getting suspended as much … there’s only so much time you can spend with the kids!”