Jockey Orayne Sewell hopes the valuable experience riding at the Gulfstream Park racetrack in Hallandale Beach, Florida, USA, will help him become a better rider.

Sewell, 25, was one of the promising apprentice riders who made their debut at Caymanas Park in 2012, but after starting fairly well, the Old Harbour High School graduate went off the boil. Now he is hoping to rejuvenate his career on the international scene.

“My main reason for coming to North America to ride is basically to learn; to gain more knowledge about riding racehorses.

“I want to gain more experience and I believe that this exposure will help me.

“I want to learn as much as possible and try those skills in races.

“At the moment, I am around trainer Douglas Potter who really gave me this opportunity, this break, and I appreciate it very much.

“I am also around Jamaican trainer Mark Passley, so basically, I am home. I feel like I am home,” Sewell told the

Complete Racing Guide in a telephone interview.

Sewell, who is yet to score a win from 14 rides in Florida, says that he is learning quite a bit since he ventured to Gulfstream for just over a month.

“I came here last year but started riding last month and during that time, it has been great for me so far.

“Although I haven’t ridden a winner as yet, I have ended in second place once and I have finished third on four occasions, but the short experience, so far, has been great. It has been wonderful.

“I have been riding among some of the best riders in North American such as Eddie Castro, Cornelio Velasquez and Tyler Gaffalione, to name a few.

“I think that I have improved and I am becoming a better rider.

“I have started to crouch more; my timing has also improved.

“It has been good for me technically; I know it is a learning process and I am here to learn,” Sewell explained.

Sewell also shared his view on the racetrack and his experience riding on the turf.

“Caymanas Park has a bigger racetrack than Gulfstream; it is like a nine-furlong racetrack.

“Here is very pretty and the racing surface is always kept in good condition.

”At Caymanas Park we have a five-furlong straight, here there is none. At Caymanas Park we have a nine-furlong chute, here at Gulfstream there is none.

“Riding on the turf is a very good experience for me.

“Riding on a different racing surface is good for me as I want to experience every aspect of being a jockey.

“The turf itself is like a sponge; it is much faster than the main track.

”On the main track a horse will go 22 seconds for two furlongs, but on the turf it is like 21 or 20 seconds easily,” he said.