Australian jockey Brett Prebble has failed in his bid to end Douglas Whyte’s reign in the finale to the Hong Kong jockeys’ premiership.

Prebble needed three wins without a reply from Whyte at Wednesday’s Happy Valley meeting to prevent the South African claiming his 10th straight jockeys’ crown.

Whyte failed to record a win at the meeting but Prebble also struck out in the first five races which left the Golden Slipper-winning rider needing to win the final three races of the season to claim the title.

Prebble’s chances were dashed when he finished second aboard the Caspar Fownes-trained Jumbo Gold in the Celebration Handicap (1200m) but he did manage to close the gap to one with a victory on Perfect Style in the season’s last race, the Bravo Handicap.

"John and I kicked off really slowly this season; the horses were too high in the handicap for him, suspensions for me - things were not firing overall," Whyte told the Racing Post.

"It took a while for me to find the rhythm outside, but it came. Also John told me he had some nice horses coming though and not to worry."

“Even when I was a long way behind last month I always felt I could claw it back. Looking back, it's fantastic. I don't know if I have felt a lot prouder than this in racing. I'm so thrilled."

Australian trainer John Size took out the trainers’ premiership with 75 wins, nine clear of his nearest rival, Caspar Fownes.

Meanwhile, Zac Purton ended the season with his best result since relocating to Hong Kong, finishing third in the premiership with 48 winners while Darren Beadman wound up in seventh on 43 winners.

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