Jockey Boy

A heartrending story of a jockey boy riding a horse toward his dream

Dao, a small and agile jockey boy, has been competing in horse racing since he was five. With the money he earns from completing the races, Dao supports his family’s livelihood. When his baby brother Fatih is born, Dao’s parents face financial difficulties and send him to live with a horse owner. Dao leaves home to work and go to school at the horse owner’s house. At night, Dao studies in a dark corner of the stable under dim lights. He dreams of becoming a veterinarian. On the day of a training race, Dao is terrified when he sees a fellow rider fall from a spooked horse. His father takes him to a shaman who sprinkles him with holy water, says a prayer, and assures him that he will not be hurt even if he falls off the horse. Dao wants to believe those words, but hearing adults saying that Fatih will also be raised as a jockey weighs heavily on his mind. With anxiety and hope, the boy stands in front of the starting line. How long will this race continue?