Now aged 52, Tony Cruz has been a fixture of Hong Kong racing virtually since racing turned professional in 1971/72. His father Johnnie had ridden at Happy Valley as an amateur jockey. But for the family, as one door closed another opened. As the father retired from the saddle, the son enrolled in the Club's newly established Apprentice's School at Beas River.

Tony was one of only eight people in that first group of apprentices. His older brother Derek was also riding as a jockey, and later became a trainer too. So, the Cruz family have always been close to horses. Nonetheless, they can only have been very pleasantly surprised by the enormous success Tony has subsequently enjoyed. He was the champion apprentice in 1974/75 and 1975/76, and crowned six times as Hong Kong's champion jockey, frequently riding at the highest level in Europe in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Having first taken out a trainer's licence in 1996/97, he also won the trainer's premiership in 1999/2000 and 2004/05. His most famous horse remains Silent Witness, but he has enjoyed Group One success with Bullish Luck, Lucky Owners and Helene Mascot.