Planning for the future is one of the Club’s abiding hallmarks and the Licensing Committee’s decision to appoint David Eustace as a new trainer for the start of the 2024/25 season, while also updating the retirement age of existing trainers from 65 to 66 are examples of our approach.
At the age of 32, David will join the Club’s world-class training cohort as the city’s youngest trainer, but he will arrive next year equipped with extensive international experience in both the northern and southern hemisphere, an understanding of sports science and a proven record of excellence after training more than 1,500 winners, including 30 Group 1s, in tandem with Ciaron Maher in Australia.
Having been raised in Newmarket, in the heart of British horse racing, David has a great knowledge and understanding of UK racing and the Club is confident David is well placed to leverage his strong connections in England, Europe and Australia to source quality horses which will complement Hong Kong’s world-class racing.
In lifting the retirement age of trainers to 66, the Licensing Committee has also approved the extension of Manfred Man’s trainer’s licence beyond the end of this season, and subject to meeting specified performance criteria, Manfred is eligible to continue training until 2028/29.
This is a recognition of both Manfred’s outstanding results in taking Lucky Sweynesse from an unheralded PPG in 2022 to standing as the world’s top-ranked sprinter with four Group 1 wins and prizemoney of more than HK$70 million and also Manfred’s efforts last season to achieve a career-best tally of 44 wins from his stable.
While David’s appointment represents the Club’s desire to attract the finest fresh talent to Hong Kong, Manfred’s extension is a reward for his wonderful ongoing efforts and invaluable experience. It also provides Manfred and his owners with certainty around planning. Together, these two Licensing Committee decisions underline the diversity we want to foster in our training ranks.
I would like to wish both David and Manfred all the best.
Hong Kong’s busy festive season racing continues at Sha Tin on Saturday (23 December), when the feature race is the Yan Chai Trophy which is carded as Race 7 at 4.05pm for Class 2 horses over 2000m with prizemoney of HK$3,120,000. The race is an interesting clash featuring BMW Hong Kong Derby contenders AWESOME FLUKE and ENSUED, who are taking on established middle-distance horses.
The pace in the race may only be moderate with no established leader in the field. BOURBONAIRE may find the front with LOOKING GREAT and WOODFIRE BRO settling in the leading group, with TOURBILLON DIAMOND who has drawn the rails also prominent.
At his last two starts in Australia, AWESOME FLUKE was placed in the Tulloch Stakes (2000m) and then won the WA Derby (2400m). He impressed first-up when third to Pins Prince over 1400m on debut in Hong Kong and then loomed up at the 300m and stayed on when fourth to C P BRAVE over 1800m on 10 December. AWESOME FLUKE has drawn the widest but with his light weight is my win and place selection with Andrea Atzeni riding for the first time.
ENSUED was impressive in winning his first two starts here, including a victory over Packing Hurricane over this course and distance on 19 November. At his last start, ENSUED was unable to gain clear running in the first half of the straight when unplaced behind C P BRAVE. Karis Teetan takes the ride and, from his draw, should ensure ENSUED settles off the fence and he is a place chance.
FIVE G PATCH raced handy to the speed and stayed on well when seventh to STRAIGHT ARRON in the Group Two Jockey Club Cup on 19 November. In the LONGINES Hong Kong Vase, FIVE G PATCH travelled three-wide throughout on a slow pace and was urged along from the 800m before finishing sixth to JUNKO. FIVE G PATCH comes back in distance and grade and is a place chance with Zac Purton riding for the first time.
TOURBILLON DIAMOND stayed on well when runner-up to CHAMPION DRAGON over 1800m on 19 November and then was having his first run at Happy Valley when safely held in fifth place to HELENE FEELING on 6 December. TOURBILLON DIAMOND has run well at the highest level over this trip in the past and is a place chance.
RISE BRETHREN was placed at his first two runs this season and had excuses when unplaced behind CHAMPION DRAGON at Sha Tin when he had no clear run in the straight and WOODFIRE BRO ran well first up for a new stable when second to CHANCHENG PRINCE over 1600m and both can run well here in a competitive race.
On Sunday, our focus turns to the G1 Arima Kinen from Nakayama Racecourse in Japan. Carded as S1-6, the Arima Kinen is run over 2500m at 2.40pm.
The speed in the race will be good with a number of runners engaged who either lead or race on pace ensuring a strong tempo throughout.
With last year’s winner EQUINOX retiring after his magnificent Japan Cup win, the race provides a winning opportunity for those who finished behind him in that and other feature races during the year.
STARS ON EARTH was third in the Japan Cup when she was racing over 2400m for the first time since winning the 2022 Japanese Oaks. Christophe Lemaire, the regular rider of EQUINOX goes back aboard STARS ON EARTH, and she is a place chance. DO DEUCE and TITLEHOLDER were fourth and fifth, respectively, behind EQUINOX in the Japan Cup and also have place claims.
THROUGH SEVEN SEAS was second to EQUINOX in the Takarazuka Kinen over 2200m in June and then ran well when fourth to ACE IMPACT in the Arc in early October at her last start.
Three of the past five winners of this race have been three-year-olds and this year’s Japanese Derby hero TASTIERA is a place chance with 2023 LONGINES World’s Best Jockey Award winner Ryan Moore taking the ride.
JUSTIN PALACE won the G1 Tenno Sho Spring (3200m) in April and comes to this race fresh having not raced since his runner-up effort to EQUINOX in the Tenno Sho Autumn (2000m) on 29 October. JUSTIN PALACE will be strong at the end of a fast-run 2500m and his rider Takeshi Yokoyama won this race on EFFORIA in 2021. JUSTIN PALACE is my win and place selection in a very deep race that has many winning chances.
Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to wish all Hong Kong racing fans, participants and Club staff the very best for Christmas. I hope you have a safe and joyous holiday period and I look forward to seeing you at Sha Tin and Happy Valley in the near future.
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