And so, after what has been an incredible start to the 2022/23 season, we reach the official halfway point with the 44th meeting of the campaign – with the promise of more highlights to come over the next five months.
By any measure, this has been a fantastic season with a formidable list of outstanding equine and human achievements with the restoration of Hong Kong’s famed racing vibrancy with the gradual easing of COVID-19 restrictions.
For me, the 2022 LONGINES Hong Kong International Races (HKIR) in December was absolutely exceptional from a sporting perspective with the performances of Win Marilyn, Wellington, California Spangle and Romantic Warrior, while the support of local and international owners, trainers and jockeys was critical to the success of the meeting.
The entire week, which also included the LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship and a string of important racing meetings, marked the high point of 2022 along with the return of many of our dedicated and valued fans to the race-track.
The opening to 2023 has also been highly successful with a truly wonderful Chinese New Year meeting before Golden Sixty proved his class and quality with an unforgettable win in the G1 Stewards’ Cup (1600m) over Romantic Warrior and California Spangle in January.
As the Four-Year-Old Classic Series builds towards next month’s BMW Hong Kong Derby with the upcoming Hong Kong Classic Cup, I look forward to the future exploits of Hong Kong’s “Trio of Titans”, while Wellington and Lucky Sweynesse continue their tussle for Hong Kong’s sprinting crown.
On Sunday at Sha Tin, an excellent card concludes with the Des Voeux Handicap as Race 10 over 1400m for Class 3 horses with prizemoney of $1,725,000. The race has a number of promising four-year-olds on the path to once in a life time glory in the BMW Hong Kong Derby on 19 March and who are using this race as a springboard to second leg of the Four-Year-Old Classic Series, the Hong Kong Classic Cup over 1800m in two weeks.
There are two horses making their Hong Kong debut – Alacrity, a G1 winner in Chile, and Chiu Chow Spirit, a G3 winner in Australia. Both have performed well in recent trials and it will be an interesting aspect of the race to see how they perform under race conditions.
The pace in the race should be good with Marado the likely leader from gate two. Both Majestic Colour and Chiu Chow Spirit can take up forward positions from their respective draws, with Beauty Eternal on the leaders’ back from his inside gate.
Beauty Eternal is one of the four-year-olds on a potential Derby path. He drew wide at his last start, was caught three-wide through the first half of the race, before slotting in to a good position. He cruised into the race at the top of the straight and won easily from Youthful Deal over 1200m. Zac Purton will have him in a commanding position from gate one and as long as he gets clear running early enough in the straight, he is a win and place chance.
Majestic Colour won his last four starts in Australia including a Group 3 race over 1600m. He was very impressive when trapped wide from an outside gate and sprinting quickly to beat Red Lion over 1400m on 24 January at this third run here. It was a most impressive win and Majestic Colour is another four-year-old chasing a potential Derby start. He has drawn wide again and has top weight, but is a place chance for Derek Leung.
Marado posted a hat-trick of wins over this course and distance before sitting on the speed and taking the lead early in the straight but fading to sixth in the race won by Majestic Colour. Marado should get an untroubled lead from gate two and I make him a place chance.
Both newcomers Alacrity and Chiu Chow Spirit are interesting horses to watch. Alacrity has drawn wide and Karis Teetan may elect to go back from the gate and try and work into the race late. Chiu Chow Spirit has looked good in both his trials, the most recent at Happy Valley on 28 January. Hugh Bowman takes the ride and I make him a place chance.
Following the races on Sunday, I leave for Melbourne to attend the Asian Racing Conference (ARC), which was originally scheduled for February 2022, but deferred because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The ARC represents an invaluable opportunity for Asian Racing Federation members and stakeholders to gather in person for the first time in this forum since Cape Town in 2020 to exchange ideas and strengthen racing for the betterment of our sport.
We face an extremely important time as we deal with unprecedented challenges – but also have the chance to welcome fresh and exciting opportunities.
Bearing this in mind, the theme of the 39th ARC is “Breaking Barriers” and, along with key figures from racing and other sports, we will canvass the most critical current issues, look at the future of racing through the prism of technological advance, innovation and collaboration and identify obstacles to racing making the desired progress.
I look forward to a highly interactive three-day business programme and I am excited what will unfold in Melbourne.
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