And so, with 2024 almost upon us, Hong Kong racing prepares to forge into a new year as we salute our established stars and also wait – with excitement – for the emergence of this season’s Classic generation.
The close of 2023 and the arrival of 2024 is the perfect time to acknowledge the fantastic feats of our racing stars over the past 12 months and I am delighted that we are able to fete Hong Kong’s three elite horses – GOLDEN SIXTY, ROMANTIC WARRIOR and LUCKY SWEYNESSE – in the parade ring from 12.20pm before the first race at Sha Tin on Monday (1 January).
To celebrate the amazing accomplishments of GOLDEN SIXTY, ROMANTIC WARRIOR and LUCKY SWEYNESSE at the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races (HKIR) on 10 December, the Club will present to the connections of each champion three commemorative saddle clothes to mark their international Group 1 victories in the Mile, Cup and Sprint, respectively.
This ceremony not only represents deserved recognition of our champion horses and their owners, trainers and jockeys, but is also a wonderful opportunity for our passionate racing fans to pay homage to our stars.
It is an outstanding achievement to have three out of the top 10 highest-rated horses in the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings and I would like to thank our owners for their investment to make this possible and all our horsemen from trainers, jockeys and stable staff for their dedication to make this possible.
GOLDEN SIXTY’s colossal performance after a 224-day break from racing in the LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (1600m) will linger long in the memories of the 65,000 people on course – and also those who watched his outstanding win that day around the world – and it is unfortunate Hong Kong’s equine hero has recently suffered a setback with a minor leg issue.
Time will tell how GOLDEN SIXTY eventually recovers but we can be supremely confident that Francis Lui, Stanley Chan and Vincent Ho will continue to put this phenomenal horse’s welfare first. As a team, Francis, Stanley and Vincent have managed GOLDEN SIXTY magnificently and, with 26 wins from 30 starts, including a record 10 international Group 1s in Hong Kong and more than HK$165 million in earnings, GOLDEN SIXTY has nothing more to prove.
The New Year’s Day meeting at Sha Tin is always an auspicious occasion and our “Lucky Start 2024 Raceday” has something for everyone – on and off the track.
Our entertainment starts at 12pm in the Parade ring with a performance of the popular girl group COLLAR and also performances throughout the day in the Public Betting Hall by cinematic rock group, Nowhere Boys, while there are also prizes for attendees while stocks last.
From a sporting perspective, we have seen the emergence of a string of quality Four-Year-Old Classic Series contenders across the past month with the performances of ENSUED, CHILL CHIBI, HELENE FEELING, FALLON and HELIOS EXPRESS among others.
With the HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m) looming on 4 February ahead of the HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) on 3 March and the HK$26 million BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) on 24 March, this is an exciting time for owners, trainers and jockeys and I have no doubt several other Four-Year-Old Classic Series aspirants will soon join the fray.
A total of HK$52 million in prizemoney across the three-race series is an incentive for owners to bring the best available horses to Hong Kong to ensure we stay competitive in having world-class racing in Hong Kong.
At Sha Tin on Monday on New Year’s Day, the feature race is the G3 Chinese Club Challenge Cup Handicap, which is carded as race 7 and is run over 1600m at 4.05pm and highlights an outstanding race card to commence the New Year.
CALIFORNIA SPANGLE with his high handicap rating of 130 pushes all other horses out of the handicap by some amount except for BEAUTY JOY and HEALTHY HAPPY.
The speed of the race will be key with CALIFORNIA SPANGLE, drawn the inside and with Hugh Bowman on board, likely trying to dictate the pace by leading with HEALTHY HAPPY with Alexis Badel, drawn the widest, trying to join him and trying to get to the front. He needs a slowly run race to perform to his best but with both horses seeking the lead, the pace should be at least good to slow.
RED LION with Karis Teetan should settle close to the speed, with REWARDING TOGETHER with Matthew Chadwick and TAJ DRAGON with Andrea Atzeni on board are likely just behind the leading group.
Hugh Bowman has ridden CALIFORNIA SPANGLE once, when he led throughout with top weight to hold off Encountered and Beauty Eternal in the run to line in the G2 Sha Tin Trophy over 1600m on 15 October. At his latest run in the LONGINES Hong Kong Mile, CALIFORNIA SPANGLE jumped well but then took a sit behind the leaders and, although held up early in the straight, failed to finish off behind GOLDEN SIXTY. CALIFORNIA SPANGLE has drawn the rails here and if he holds the lead and Hugh can dictate the pace, he is a place chance.
RED LION has won four times over the course and distance and should run well to be a chance for a place.
HEALTHY HAPPY won this race in 2022 when leading throughout and last year was runner-up to superstar LUCKY SWEYNESSE when he led and fought on well. HEALTHY HAPPY resumed this season winning the Celebration Cup over this course and distance before finishing last of five runners in the G2 BOCHK Private Wealth Jockey Club Mile at his last start. HEALTHY HAPPY has been at Conghua since that run on 19 November and is a place chance for Alexis Badel.
BEAUTY JOY has been consistent over the past two seasons without winning. He was narrowly beaten by BEAUTY ETERNAL in the G2 BOCHK Private Wealth Jockey Club Mile two starts ago when the first two came right away from the rest of the field. BEAUTY JOY followed that with an outstanding run in the LONGINES Hong Kong Mile, when he settled at the back of the field, came widest in the straight and ran home to be fifth. James McDonald rides BEAUTY JOY for the first time and he is a win and place chance.
ATULLIBIGEAL, with Keagan De Melo, was blocked at the 150 metres at his last start and should run well as should TAJ DRAGON but both are 20 pounds out of the handicap.
As we celebrate the start of the New Year, I would like to wish you all the very best for 2024.
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