Former Cambridge apprentice Zy Nor Azman dedicated his win on the Bruce Marsh-trained Mings Man at Kranji last Friday to his injured colleague Hairi Marzuki.
“I dedicate this win to Hairi,” Nor Azman said after Mings Man prevailed. “He’s still in hospital, but he’s a fighter and I wish him a quick recovery.”
Marzuki, who rode 19 winners when apprenticed to Stephen Marsh in Cambridge before transferring to Marsh’s father in Singapore, is in the Intensive Care Unit of the local Singapore hospital after suffering a brain trauma in a race fall a couple of weeks ago.
The 31-year-old underwent surgery to remove a blood clot to his brain after falling from Chariots Of Fire on July 15, then had further surgery two days later to relieve pressure at the bottom of his fractured skull.
According to the latest Singapore report, he is conscious and communicates through writing notes to medical staff, family members and friends who have been at his bedside since the fall.
Nor Azman, who is also now apprenticed to Bruce Marsh, has been visiting Marzuki every day and keeping his fellow jockeys updated on the injured jockey’s progress.
When apprenticed to Ralph Manning at Cambridge, Nor Azman rode 29 winners before returning to Singapore.
Mings Man was his first winner back in Singapore when scoring on September 8, but since then he had just two wins until last Friday.
Nor Azman was regretting leaving New Zealand and despondent, but the serious injury to Marzuki has helped lift his game.
“I had lost the mood a little, but when I saw Hairi in hospital I realised I should just live the moment and stop feeling sorry for myself,” Nor Azman said. “I’ve since been working harder and it paid off with the win on Friday.”