Spanning more than 150 years since it was first run, the BMW Hong Kong Derby retains a special place among Hong Kong’s racing community.
Steeped in history from its first running at Happy Valley in 1873, the BMW Hong Kong Derby has been run over a variety of distances, ranging from 1800m to 2400m, before it was switched to its current distance of 2000m since 2000.
Regardless of the venue or the distance, the BMW Hong Kong Derby is the race on the world-class Hong Kong racing calendar that every owner in this city wants to win. For many, it is the ultimate racing achievement and with HK$24 million in prize money it is also a highly-lucrative race.
Long renowned for its high quality, style and extensive history of excellence, BMW is a perfect match for the Hong Kong Derby as race of prestige and undisputed appeal and we are proud of our association with such an outstanding brand.
On Friday night, we gathered to celebrate the BMW Hong Kong Derby with a Gala Party at Happy Valley, where our BMW Hong Kong Derby ambassador Donnie Yen attended with owners, jockeys, trainers and guests ahead of Sunday’s race.
It was a fabulous evening with a wonderful party atmosphere as we approach the moment of reckoning – and “Once In A Lifetime Glory” – for the 14 horses selected to contest the BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) at Sha Tin tomorrow.
As has often proved the case, Hong Kong’s blue riband Classic is not only a coveted and treasured race to win, but it also is a strong indicator of future glories for both winners and place-getters.
Last season’s Derby champion Romantic Warrior is the most recent outstanding four-year-old to subsequently advance to Group 1 glory, twice prevailing at elite level with victories in the G1 FWD QEII Cup and the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup since his Classic coup.
The horse he downed by a head in the 2022 BMW Hong Kong Derby – California Spangle – has also been anointed a Group 1 victor with a famous win in the LONGINES Hong Kong Mile last December, when he defeated 2020 Derby winner Golden Sixty.
Nothing, of course, is guaranteed in racing, but the link between BMW Hong Kong Derby achievement and impending G1 success is further confirmed by the celebrated feats of Vengeance Of Rain, Viva Pataca, Ambitious Dragon, Designs On Rome, Akeed Mofeed and Werther, who all advanced to the highest level after savouring Derby glory.
Given that rich and alluring history, we can only ponder what awaits the class of 2022/23.
As fate would have it, California Spangle chases his second Group 1 victory in the G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup over 1400m, which is carded as race seven at 4pm at Sha Tin tomorrow in a race which features five of the world’s top jockeys – Zac Purton (California Spangle), Ryan Moore (Wellington), James McDonald (Lucky Sweynesse), Damian Lane (Waikuku) and Blake Shinn (Courier Wonder).
The pace will be set by California Spangle and will go a large way to determining the outcome of the race. It is likely Wellington will cross to the fence behind the leader from gate three, with Lucky Sweynesse sitting on his outside in a forward position.
California Spangle was brilliant in winning the LONGINES Hong Kong Mile in December from a world-class field. At his only run since, he set moderate early sectionals before being gunned down by Golden Sixty and then Romantic Warrior on the line in the G1 Stewards’ Cup on 29 January. Back to the 1400m here with a strong tempo throughout that diminishes the capacity of his rivals to sprint over the top of him, I make California Spangle my win selection.
Lucky Sweynesse looms as perhaps the biggest threat after his breakthrough G1 win in the Centenary Sprint Cup on 5 February. He had to work early in that race to take up a forward position and still posted a dominant win over Wellington and James McDonald takes the ride for Manfred Man.
Wellington won this race last year and is racing in great form and his chances should not be undersold with Ryan Moore aboard. Waikuku has a great record over this course and distance, with four wins and two thirds from six starts, and won the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup in 2021. Courier Wonder rounds out the star-studded field.
The BMW Hong Kong Derby is carded as Race 8 at 4:40pm over 2000m with prizemoney of HK$24 million.
The Derby was first run in 1872 and this year’s race brings together an impressive field of quality four-year-olds and some of the best international riders in world racing with James McDonald, Ryan Moore, Damian Lane and Blake Shinn flying in to join our world-class riders for this year’s edition.
The pace will be strong early as riders attempt to find their positions in the field. In the lead-up to the race trainer Ricky Yiu declared he would prefer not to lead with Voyage Bubble. Now that Voyage Bubble has drawn the outside gate, it is likely Alex Badel will go forward, but whether he sets the pace or not will be an interesting dimension to the first half of the race.
Tuchel, Sweet Encounter and Keefy have inside gates and will push forward, with Beauty Eternal, Sword Point and Encountered also likely to be near the leading division.
Beauty Eternal is on class the horse to beat and in my view has huge potential. Having said that, he has progressed very quickly and won most impressively in Class 2 over 1600m but whether he stays the Derby Distance of 2000m is a question mark. I still make him first choice for win and place and he is trained by a master trainer in John Size and ridden by an outstanding jockey Zac Purton.
One should not underestimate Super Sunny Sing who won most impressively the Hong Kong Classic Cup over 1800m with a strong finish and he will likely to apply the same tactics by coming from the back with a late run under Vincent Ho and Chris So has prepared him for this assignment. He is win and place chance, too, despite concerns his pedigree doesn’t’ indicate strong middle-distance potential.
My next choice is Sword Point, who is working well under the guidance of Frankie Lor and is ridden by one of the world’s best jockeys in Hugh Bowman. His pedigree has a strong middle-distance appeal and is a place chance at least.
Straight Aaron has shown his potential with Caspar Fownes turning his from around, he has Blake Shinn as his rider and with good 2000m form in Australia, he is an interesting candidate for a place.
Last not least, the dark horse is Atullibigeal who won impressively over 1600m two starts ago. He is in great form and won as two-year-old a Listed 1400m in New Zealand and is a very interesting horse to follow at least for a place.
There are a number of other horses in the race who have place chances and I wish all the owners, jockeys and trainers with runners in this year’s BMW Hong Kong Derby the very best of luck.
I would like to congratulate Luke Currie for his win on Mr Brightside in the All-Star Mile at Moonee Valley today. It hasn’t been easy in Hong Kong for Luke after his injury in a trial but his resilience has been impressive. I think he is a very good jockey but, unfortunately, he has not had the opportunities he deserves in Hong Kong. I’m really happy that he could win on a horse we might see at the 2023 LONGINES Hong Kong International Races.
Similarly, I congratulate Ryan Moore for his effort to post a Group 1 double on Shinzo in the Golden Slipper Stakes and Dubai Honour in the Ranvet Stakes on his whirlwind visit to Sydney and also James McDonald for his win on Anamoe in the G1 George Ryder Stakes at Rosehill Racecourse today and I look forward to seeing these world-class riders in action at Sha Tin tomorrow.
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