It is a measure of John Size’s enduring excellence that, over the past 20 seasons, only a handful of fellow trainers have beaten the 11-time champion horseman for the Hong Kong trainers’ championship.
Caspar Fownes (four times), John Moore (twice), Tony Cruz (once), Dennis Yip (once) and Ricky Yiu (once) are part of an exclusive band of handlers to interrupt Size’s remarkable winning streak which started in his first season in 2001/02.
With 14 meetings to go until the end of the 2021/22 season, Frankie Lor – John’s former protégé – is mounting an increasingly powerful push to join that elite group after his treble on Wednesday night (25 May) at Happy Valley left him with 77 wins, three more than John.
Frankie’s achievement to immediately rise to upper echelons of the trainers’ division in his first season in 2017/18 would not have surprised John in the least – nor would Frankie’s effort to already set a personal-best number of winners this season.
But John is no stranger to late-season drama when it comes to the trainers’ championship as this season’s joust threatens to go down to the wire.
In 2013/14, John saddled the same number of winners – 62 – as Caspar but lost the title race on a countback on the number of seconds, 59-58. In 2018/19, John clinched another cliff-hanger on the final day of the season with a 78-75 victory over John Moore.
Just how this season’s battle ultimately pans out is likely to take a few more twists and turns based on what has already unfolded – including the fact Frankie and John have already swapped the lead six times this season with neither man – so far – being able to shake off the other.
Momentum and luck will a big role as we approach the season finale and I wish both Frankie and John all the best.
On Sunday at Sha Tin, the G3 Lion Rock Trophy will be run over a mile as the seventh of ten races under handicap conditions. Healthy Happy will roll forward to make the running with token pressure from Mighty Giant and Silver Express. The pace will be good with each section likely to be faster than the previous.
Excellent Proposal will benefit from class relief and he is working very well. He will go back in the run under regular rider Joao Moreira and is a win and place chance.
Champion’s Way will settle midfield and his current form has been respectable in top tier races. This is an open race and I make Champion’s Way a place chance with the class relief under Antoine Hamelin.
Beauty Joy is a last start winner and has since trialled well to maintain his sharpness. He looks like a progressive type and is proven over the course and distance. Zac Purton will have him close to the pace and he is a place chance along with Savvy Nine with Matthew Chadwick.
The Sunday race meeting also features the simulcast of the Grade 1 Japanese Derby for three-year-olds over 2400 metres, which will be run at a good tempo and will be a true test for the best young horses in Japan.
Equinox is second-up after a solid effort when second in the Grade 1 Satsuki Sho last month and he has once again drawn the outside barrier with regular rider Christophe Lemaire. He will cross from the wide gate to reach a contending position behind the leaders and is a place chance.
Do Deuce finished strongly in the Satsuki Sho and will appreciate the added distance as well as the long straight at Tokyo Racecourse as compared to the short straight at Nakayama. He will do his running from the back and is a win and place chance for legendary jockey Yutaka Take and two-time Derby winning trainer Yasuo Tomomichi.
Geoglyph was impressive winning the Satsuki Sho in his last start and jockey Yuichi Fukunaga is bidding to become the first jockey in history to win the Derby for a third consecutive year. He is by young sire Drefong, who was a sprint sensation in America on the dirt, but Fukunaga has reported that his trackwork has improved after winning the Satsuki Sho and the distance is within his range. I make him a place chance along with outsider Onyankopon with jockey Akira Sugawara.
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