24 Jan 2026

Veteran jockey Salee Saad passed away early this morning after a short hospital stay due to cancer. He was 52.

His death came as a shock for many in the racing fraternity. As recently as three weeks ago – on Jan 4 – he was still active in the saddle, opening his 2026 accounts on Thundergod in Ipoh.

The same horse had given him his 10th and final win of the 2025 season at the same venue just a week earlier.

The eldest of eight siblings, Salee started out an apprentice to trainer Robert Ng in 1991. He was transferred to Don Baertschiger in 1999 and also served under Cecil Roberts, Bonny Ng and Richard Lines before being granted in professional licence in 2004.

Salee rode 334 winners, with his first big win coming in the 2007 Penang Gold Cup on New Kuala Dipang, trained by Frank Maynard.

His next big success came in the Sultan Gold Vase (now known as Perak Gold Vase) two years later on Sinar Bintang, trained by Osman Sidek, and repeated the win in the same race with Balotelli in 2015.

Salee also rode Balotelli to win the Tunku Gold Cup in 2015 and backed it up with Impel in the same race a year. Both Balotelli and Impel were trained by Ooi Chin Chin.

In 1999, Salee was still an apprentice based at the Penang Turf Club when he met New Zealander Sharee Hamilton who was then a track rider for Kiwi trainer John Sargent.

They married a year later and have two children, Samuel and Shaydinah.

From a track rider, Hamilton went on to become a stable supervisor, then as assistant trainer before being granted her ‘A’ licence and is now based at Sungai Besi.

Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones as they navigate this difficult time. May his soul rest in peace.

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