Brett Prebble has had a racing year to remember with many big wins, but he came up short in his biggest race - to win his first Hong Kong jockeys' premiership. He finished second, 100-99, to the champion Douglas Whyte, also missing his other goal of riding 100 winners.

Prebble won three Group 1 races on Sacred Kingdom, Hong Kong's racehorse of the year for the season that ended on July 14. He became the first jockey to ride six winners at a Hong Kong meeting. He flew to Sydney and won the Group 1 Golden Slipper Stakes on Victorian filly Crystal Lily. And his mounts earned more than $HK82 million (about $A12million), for which he pockets more than $A1million, as he had his most productive Hong Kong season.

But the Victorian, poised to unseat perennial champ Whyte after a six-win haul on June 20 put him nine wins clear of the South African with six meetings left, faltered late.

Whyte had a five-win haul of his own and, as Prebble's run stalled, got his nose back in front and showed his champion qualities to win his 10th premiership on end.

Prebble, 32, easily topped his previous best of 85 wins when runner-up two years ago, but Whyte, 38, wasn't ready to step aside. After beating Prebble 96-79 last season, Whyte had his worst start to a season and Prebble his best this time around, but with the help of Australian trainer John Size, with whom he forms the "Dream Team", Whyte proved to be the better stayer.

"It's been a very satisfying win, definitely the best of my 10 championships," Whyte told the South China Morning Post. "I think Brett and I really stretched each other, really put it out there, and it doesn't get old winning these - it's always a thrill."

Prebble, champion Victorian jockey in 1999-2000 and 2000-01 - he also won the Scobie Breasley Medal in 1999-2000 - will be back for another crack at Whyte next season.

"I really like it in Hong Kong," he said. "My family is settled here, life is pretty good for a jockey."

Another Australian, Zac Purton, was a distant third with 48 wins. He finished in the same spot last year with 43.

While Australia has to wait for another jockeys' crown - Gary Moore won seven titles between 1974-85 and Noel Barker won in 1991 - it has the trainers' title. Size (75 wins) collected his sixth premiership from nine seasons in Hong Kong.