KUALA LUMPUR, Oct. 22 -- In a sport once known as the pastime of royalty, the path to glory begins far from the grandstands in the Malay villages along peninsular Malaysia's east coast, where a selected few leave behind their families and hometowns in search of something greater on the racetrack.

For many young boys from Kelantan's rural heartland, the journey to the Selangor Turf Club (STC) isn't just about learning to ride professionally - it's a leap of faith, an opportunity to chase a dream far from home.

Having learned to ride and compete on horseback from the age of five, 28-year-old Nuqman Faris Rozi is one of the dreamers who chased that passion all the way to the STC's Apprentice Jockey School.

"I come from a family of horse b...