Willy Kan

Willy Kan Wai-yue (簡慧榆) (June 17, 1978 – March 21, 1999), was a popular and promising female apprentice jockey from Hong Kong, who rode to no fewer than 17 victories in her short career (1997–1999). She was the first female to ride in the Hong Kong Derby and was known as "Little Sister" due to her likable personality.

Kan apprenticed with trainer Kan Ping Chee in 1997. On February 1, 1998, she got her inaugural win on Sir Galway (trained by Brian Kan) and on May 30, 1998, she won the Queen Mother's Cup in her first Trophy victory on Fat Choy Together (also trained by Brian Kan). Later that year, on June 23, she rode in Britain for trainer David Nicholls and got one win. She also won an apprentice race at Haydock in July on Nervous Rex. However, her mount that day crashed through the rail after the winning post, leaving Kan with concussion and an eye injury which eventually required surgery. The fall forced her to miss the first three months of the Hong Kong season.

On March 3, 1999, Kan created history by becoming the first female to ride in the Hong Kong Derby. She rode Man of Honour, trained by I Allan. Her career ended less than a month later.

Kan's last race took place on a rainy day at the Sha Tin Racecourse in Hong Kong. It was the third race, run at a distance of 1400 meters for Class 5 horses. Kan was racing in midfield on Happy King (漢廷之寶), trained by Alex Wong, when about halfway in the seven-furlong race, the seven-year-old clipped the heels of Big Fortune, causing her to fall in front of four horses. Two of these – Solidarity and Lucky Afleet – severely trampled her, kicking her in the chest and head. Kan was rushed to the Prince of Wales Hospital where she underwent emergency surgery for skull fractures and internal bleeding, but later died. The last race at the course was cancelled out of respect and the trophy awarded to the Champion Apprentice each season has now been renamed the "Willy Kan Memorial Cup" in her honor.

French jockey Eric Saint-Martin complained about the state of the track, but racing continued after Jockey Club officials had spoken to official jockeys' representatives, Eric Legrix and Eddie Lai.

Kan was the first jockey to die racing in Hong Kong since Brian Taylor in 1984. This was the second fatality at Sha Tin since the track opened in 1978 and only the third in Hong Kong.

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