After months of careful preparation and planning, the stage is set for the start of the 2022/2023 racing season at Sha Tin on Sunday (11 September) with a meeting which shapes to showcase the skills of established performers, the return of a world-class jockey and the arrival of fresh, young talent.
Frankie Lor and Zac Purton, last season’s champion trainer and jockey, respectively, will aim to continue where they left off from last season, while Ricky Yiu (899 wins), Francis Lui (798), Dennis Yip (797), Me Tsui (597) and Derek Leung (399) could all soon achieve important career milestones.
Underlining the unrelenting competitiveness and world-class quality of Hong Kong racing, those ambitions will be tested by outstanding horsemen including John Size, Tony Cruz, Caspar Fownes, Danny Shum, Douglas Whyte, David Hayes and Karis Teetan, Alexis Badel and Vincent Ho – among others.
Factor in the return of Brazilian Silvestre de Sousa, a three-time British champion jockey and winner of the LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship, the debuts of trainer Pierre Ng and apprentice jockey Angus Chung and the first of 88 meetings of the season has all the ingredients to kick-start the term in spectacular style.
I am excited by the imminent return of our great champion Golden Sixty along with the stars of last season, including Wellington, Romantic Warrior and Russian Emperor, and there is always hope, especially at the start of a new season, that we will soon witness the emergence of other outstanding gallopers.
The Club remains committed to maintaining world-class standards and we believe the provision of record prize money of HK$1.62 billion across the 2022/23 season demonstrates our determination to achieve long-term strategies and reward owners who have invested in high-quality horses as the foundation of our racing.
While it some months away, December’s LONGINES Hong Kong International Races already looms large on the horizon with HK$110 million spread across the four iconic G1 features and I hope some of the horses which have featured in our simulcast meetings over the summer might compete in Hong Kong.
On the eve of our season-opening at Sha Tin, we will offer up an eight-race simulcast night from Leopardstown in Ireland beginning at 8:30pm with the featured G1 Irish Champion Stakes as the fifth race at 10:45pm. The Irish Champion Stakes is run over 2009m and features a strong field of seven runners, four of which are three-year-olds.
The pace of the race will be genuine with Alenquer going forward under Tom Marquand along with Broome and jockey Wayne Lordan. Both horses are G1 winners but are not going well enough at the moment to earn a recommendation. Stone Age is another that will help make the pace with Seamie Heffernan but appears to lack the class to compete at this level.
Luxembourg is a well-regarded three-year-old making his third start of the season and looks to be ready for his best effort with Ryan Moore riding. He has won four of five races in his young career and will do his running from just behind the leaders. I make him a place chance and believe this might be a horse that will improve with more experience.
Vadeni comes into the race with three consecutive victories, including a narrow win over Mishriff when getting ten pounds in the G1 Eclipse in early July. He has been freshened for this and will now receive six pounds in the weight-for-age conditions with regular rider Christophe Soumillon. I make him a win and place chance from a ground saving, stalking position as this is his best trip and he has developed into a top horse.
Mishriff has yet to win this season but is still a highly respected runner with Colin Keane taking the ride for the first time. He was no match for Baaeed in the G1 International Stakes at York but he was best of the rest and Baaeed is in a different class. Mishriff is a place chance.
On Sunday, the Class 1 HKSAR Chief Executive’s Cup is our traditional season-opening feature and is carded as the fourth of ten races. The 1200 metre test showcases many of our upper tier sprinters with Sky Field, rated 120, at the top of the list and Champion Griffin Lucky Sweynesse among three horses rated 98 at the bottom weights.
The pace will be good with Harmony And Rich going forward with Lyle Hewitson along with Campione and Matthew Poon. A number of horses will be in close pursuit, most notably the lightly weighted Lucky Sweynesse and Trillion Win.
Jockey Silvestre de Sousa makes his return to Hong Kong and picks up the ride on Lucky Sweynesse, a horse that is perfect in his two starts at Sha Tin as part of an impressive freshman season. Lucky Sweynesse has tactical speed and can lead or sit just behind the leaders. He is a win and place chance at the weights as 15 of the past 25 winners have carried 119 pounds or less.
Duke Wai makes his first start for new trainer Pierre Ng and looked good winning a recent trial. He is showing more speed from the gate and will be closer than usual. I expect him to settle better than midfield and make him a place chance with Jerry Chau.
Super Wealthy has had a couple of easy trials but many will remember that he performed extremely well at the start of last season and is a horse that runs well fresh. He is a place chance with Luke Currie riding.
Sky Field will go back from his wide draw with Karis Teetan and won his trial as his major prep leading into this race. He will be closing late and he is a place chance despite carrying top weight of 135lb.
With so much to look forward to, I hope all of our participants – particularly the trainers and jockeys – have a safe and successful season, while I would like to wish our owners, Club members and customers a prosperous and successful 2022/23.
I would also like to express my condolences that with the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, racing has lost one of its most passionate and prominent racing enthusiasts. Her Majesty was a successful owner and breeder and a wonderful supporter of racing for many decades and also attended the races in Hong Kong.
Her Majesty’s state visit to Hong Kong in 1975 coincided with the first running of the QEII Cup at Happy Valley and The Queen was again in attendance for the 1986 QEII Cup at Sha Tin. Fittingly, the FWD QEII Cup is now one of the world’s premier G1 2000m weight-for-age contests.
The G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) also honours Queen Elizabeth II.
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