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SARGA.CO – This is the story of a true horse lover. Even after spending decades away from the hustle and bustle of the racetrack, love ultimately led a former jockey back to the equestrian world that once shaped his life.

He is Clement Chan Hua Swee. Though now widely known as a social media personality who reviews food and street cuisine, the world of horses has never truly left him.

Famous for his catchphrase “Come on, try this one” while reviewing food, the man better known as HS Chan enthusiastically shares stories about his new life as a food hunter and reviewer.

During his youth, food was a simple pleasure he could never fully enjoy. As a jockey, Chan had many opportunities to sample a wide variety of dishes while traveling beyond Singapore to cities across Malaysia such as Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh, and Penang.

His favorite culinary targets were street food stalls. However, he could never indulge freely. As a jockey, Chan had to maintain a strict diet to keep his weight within the required limits.

Entering the world of culinary content creation marked a new chapter in his life, yet Chan still felt that something was missing.

Once the choice was made, Chan embraced life as an apprentice jockey, learning how to feed, care for, and tend to horses.

“It’s like being a Formula One driver,” Chan said, as quoted by Channel News Asia. “Before racing, you need to understand the car and the engine. How does it work? How do you get the maximum performance out of it?”

After graduating from jockey school in 1980, Chan entered a new phase as a full-fledged jockey. He had already been racing as an apprentice under trainer Keith Daniels, and three years later, he officially earned professional jockey status.

Several racehorses he rode left a deep impression on him. Chan fondly recalls Misty Line, with whom he achieved three victories, and Workaholic, a horse he guided from an inexperienced youngster to a champion.

Behind the achievements, there were also dark moments. Chan was forced to rest for seven months after suffering a broken right shin when he was kicked by a horse during a routine morning training session.

By 1985, however, Chan returned stronger than ever and reached the peak of his career, recording four wins and ten runner-up finishes in a single season.

Chan faced another major challenge when his wife passed away from cervical cancer in her early 30s. He was suddenly left as a single father to his daughter, who was just one year old at the time.

A life-changing decision had to be made. Chan chose to retire from racing, ending a career that had produced 14 wins during the 1980s.

“My greatest fear wasn’t dying after a fall,” he said. “It was becoming paralyzed. What then? My daughter was still a baby—she needed me.”

Chan then tried a completely different life, managing three pubs for three to four years. What initially seemed glamorous eventually left him feeling empty inside.

He later ventured into real estate, treating the job like another race, chasing as many property sales as possible.

Yet even after ten years in the real estate business, the call of horse racing remained too strong.

The opportunity came when Chan met Phan Tjun Sern, the owner of the horse racing media platform Punter’s Ways. Chan was offered a role as a race analyst, and without hesitation, he accepted.

The decision only deepened his longing for horses. Though no longer in the saddle, Chan proved that horse racing was still an inseparable part of his life.

As a racing analyst, his experience as a jockey became invaluable. In some race meetings, Chan accurately predicted seven or eight winners out of ten races.

Unknowingly, he spent 16 years as a racing analyst—the longest stretch of his career. He initially thought the role would last even longer, until another irresistible offer came along.

A friend invited Chan to work as a trainer at EQUAL, a charity organization that provides equine-assisted therapy.

“I realized how much I missed being able to interact with horses,” Chan said. “This is where I want to be.”