The decision to go abroad for the second time this year happened very suddenly for 20-year-old Murray, who was asked if he wanted to go only last Wednesday, reports JACK MILNER in Racing Express.

He was given a number to call in Hong Kong and applied to go.

“By Thursday it was all organised,” said Murray, who will have his first ride in the former British colony on Sunday.

Callan Murray (right) with Mike and Diane de Kock.

However, Murray has been riding with lots of success for the De Kock yard and was not going to sacrifice that lucrative opportunity just to ride abroad.

“I let Mr De Kock make the decision. I don’t think I would have gone without his blessing but he agreed, and luckily I now have the best of both worlds.

“Fortunately, many of his horses have gone for a rest so he does not have that many in Durban for the season.

“However, we did agree I would come back to ride Heavenly Blue in the Daily News 2000 in June and in the Vodacom Durban July.”

Murray had to get the Hong Kong Jockey Club to agree that he could return home for those rides, which they did.

Last December Murray spent a month in Australia and on Champions Day had a meeting any jockey could only dream about when he rode three Grade 1 winners.

“It’s all come so quickly for me but I’m just trying to keep focused. It’s all very exciting and all part of a learning curve,” said Murray.