Parents, friends and colleagues pay final respects to Cheng

A solemn religious ceremony at the place where apprentice Philip Cheng Cheong-tat fell last Saturday was the focal point of further mourning for the young apprentice yesterday.

The 20-year-old claimer's parents and girlfriend, together with weighing-room colleagues and trainers, gathered around the 800-metre mark on the Sha Tin track where Cheng's horse, For My Wishes, clipped heels. Taken unconscious to the nearby Prince Of Wales Hospital, Cheng died on Tuesday evening without regaining consciousness.

Shortly after the mid-morning ceremony, the Hong Kong Jockey Club issued a statement that it would administer a Memorial Fund to Philip Cheng.

'The Jockey Club has announced that, due to the overwhelming requests from supporters of apprentice jockey Philip Cheng, it has established and will administer a memorial fund that will assist Philip Cheng's parents in addressing their tragic loss. The Club is co-operating with the parents in the establishment and administration of this fund, the beneficiaries of which are also Philip Cheng's parents,' said the release.

The Memorial Fund is separate from the support the Jockey Club is providing to Cheng's parents in the immediate wake of the tragic accident.

For members of the public wishing to contribute to the fund, the details are - Account name: The Hong Kong Jockey Club (in trust for Cheng Cheong-tat Philip. Bank: Hong Kong & Shanghai Banking Corporation. Account number: 500-633193-001.