Ethan Brown has taken up a spot on the Hong Kong jockey roster, starting April 20 and running until the conclusion of the present season.

The 26-year-old rider, presently placed third in the Melbourne Jockeys’ premiership with 27 victories, can start picking up mounts in Hong Kong as of April 26.

Brown received a phone call from ex-Melbourne chief steward Terry Bailey a few weeks back to gauge his interest in making the move to Hong Kong.

“It’s a good opportunity and I’m ready for a new challenge,” Brown said.

“Terry Bailey rang me a couple of weeks ago and asked if I would be interested and, I said ‘definitely’, and it all got ticked off in the last few days.

“It’s always been in the back of my mind to go there, and when they offered, I didn’t have to think twice about it.”

Prior to that, however, Brown is focusing on the autumn carnivals in both Melbourne and Sydney.

He begins this weekend aboard Giga Kick in the Group 1 Lightning Stakes (1000m) at Flemington, stepping in for the sidelined Mark Zahra.

Saturday marks Brown’s initial race appearance on Giga Kick, after having schooled the speedster in a trial at Caulfield Heath on January 29.

Brown held off on the Hong Kong commitment earlier so he could keep his partnership with Jimmysstar going.

The Ciaron Maher-prepared galloper is due back in the Group 1 William Reid Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield next month, then off to Sydney for the Group 1 T J Smith Stakes (1200m) and the All-Aged Stakes (1400m), both at Randwick, during April.

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“The Hong Kong trip is all based around Jimmy,” Brown said.

“He’ll run in the All-Aged on the 18th, I believe, and then I’ll fly out on the 20th and spend three-and-a-bit months there.”

The post Ethan Brown secures Hong Kong licence first appeared on Just Horse Racing.