One of horse racing’s greatest and most enduring strengths is international competition.
Whether it is Sha Tin, ParisLongchamp, Flemington, Epsom Downs, Tokyo, Dubai, Arlington or Royal Ascot, there is a clear appetite among customers all around the world to watch the best of the best compete for the sport’s most prestigious races.
Royal Ascot delivered precisely that last week as two characters very familiar to Hong Kong racing purists – Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore – again dominated by winning the top trainer and jockey awards, respectively.
Aidan has won the trainers’ award 11 times and with 81 winners overall trails only Sir Michael Stoute by just one; Ryan was acclaimed top jockey for the ninth time at the Royal meeting, also posting his 70th Royal victory, as we celebrated the deeds of Baaeed, Inspiral, Nature Strip, State Of Rest, Perfect Power, Coroebus, Kyprios and Naval Crown and many others across 35 races.
Unsurprisingly, the performance of the World Pool on Royal Ascot was amazing with a string of records being set and overall turnover increasing by 13 percent from HK$1555.7 million last year to HK$1764.5 million this season across the five days.
The five highest turnover figures in World Pool history have now been achieved at Royal Ascot over the past two years – 2022 Commonwealth Cup meeting (HK$383.6 million), 2022 Platinum Jubilee Stakes meeting (HK$370.5 million), 2022 Gold Cup meeting (HK$340.5 million), 2021 King’s Stand Stakes meeting (HK$340.4 million) and 2022 Prince Of Wales’s Stakes meeting (HK$339.2m).
The World Pool, which is operated by the Hong Kong Jockey Club in partnership with our partners in Australia, Singapore, France, UK and US, provides our customers with better return on investment and greater certainty of odds because of the size of the pool.
Returning to Hong Kong, our meeting at Sha Tin last Sunday featured one of the more extraordinary performances when Beauty Joy won the G3 Premier Cup Handicap (1400m) for Tony Cruz and Zac Purton after conceding his rivals a huge start before clocking consecutive 400m sectionals of 22.42s, 22.46s and 21.83s to win by a length.
Zac said Beauty Joy was bumped at the start and got onto his wrong leg before eventually finding his rhythm in what was certainly an eye-catching and highly unusual display. With a possible tilt at the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile awaiting in December, Tony will be keen to iron out any kinks in this highly talented galloper before next season.
With eight meetings left in the season, Zac could not have better timed his charge on Sunday with a four-timer to cut Joao Moreira’s lead to 127-125, setting the stage for a dramatic finale between these two champion jockeys.
The battle will continue at Happy Valley on Wednesday night when the Class 2 Staunton Handicap is the finale and will be run over 1200 metres at a good pace. There is no clear leader in the race but a number of horses with similar running styles and excellent form that will push forward to secure prominent positions.
Rewarding Together will use his natural speed to go forward with regular rider Matthew Chadwick as he once again travels down from Conghua in excellent form. He has enjoyed a banner season and is a four-time Happy Valley course and distance winner. I make him a win and place chance.
Last start winner Lucky Sweynesse has also enjoyed outstanding success having won four of five starts in his three-year-old season. Much like Rewarding Together, he is a horse that has made his mark at Happy Valley and most recently showed his versatility with a big performance at Sha Tin. Jockey Matthew Poon will have him just behind the leaders from his good draw. I make him a place chance.
Keep You Warm is a last start winner in this grade over the course and distance. He won convincingly and will now have to carry top weight with Zac Purton but remains a place chance in his current form along with Seizing The Moment, who will do his running from far back under Alexis Badel.
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