The BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) is not only the race every owner, trainer and jockey in this city dreams of winning, but it also represents the rarest opportunity – pinnacle equine achievement among Hong Kong’s four-year-old generation.
The Derby, stretching back to 1873, pre-dates the creation of the Hong Kong Jockey Club and its storied history reflects the Classic’s immense significance to Hong Kong – a sentiment which has endured from the race’s formation to today.
It is against such a celebrated and decorated backdrop that we prepare to stage the 147th BMW Hong Kong Derby and, as seems only fitting, there is the chance of more history being made at Sha Tin on Sunday (24 March).
HELIOS EXPRESS, despite a mild infection in his right fore foot, is bidding to join RAPPER DRAGON (2017) and GOLDEN SIXTY (2020) as the winner of all three legs of the Four-Year-Old Classic Series – the HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m), HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) and the HK$26 million BMW Hong Kong Derby.
Trained by master horseman John Size, HELIOS EXPRESS faces 13 quality rivals on Sunday, not least GALAXY PATCH who, as the top-rated runner (103) in the field, will attempt to defy convention by jumping from 1000m to 1400m to 2000m in the space of three runs for Pierre Ng.
To succeed, GALAXY PATCH – who was most unlucky when second in the G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) behind 2022 Derby runner-up CALIFORNIA SPANGLE – will have defy a string of opponents bred to appreciate 2000m.
With only four days until the BMW Hong Kong Derby, the anticipation and excitement levels are peaking. The barrier draw on Thursday (21 March) will be important because, even though VOYAGE BUBBLE was able to win last year from gate 14, the ability to conserve energy from a good position can often be decided in the short run to the turn out of the home straight.
The importance of the Derby is clear not only to Hong Kong owners, trainers and jockeys, but foreign-based riders also covet Classic success.
Ryan Moore famously struck for John Size aboard PING HAI STAR in 2018 when on a flying visit and the four-time winner of the LONGINES World’s Best Jockey award returns this weekend to partner ENSUED.
He will be joined at Sha Tin by Hong Kong’s finest along with fellow visiting jockeys Blake Shinn, who rides GALAXY PATCH, James McDonald, who partners HELENE FEELING, and William Buick, who takes the mount on CHANCHENG GLORY.
I would like to take this opportunity to again congratulate the connections of the 14 selected BMW Hong Kong Derby horses and wish them all the very best of luck as they bid to secure the race of “one in a lifetime glory.”
I am hopeful this season’s Derby crop will continue to progress through the classes beyond Sunday’s race as many others have over the years, including GOLDEN SIXTY, ROMANTIC WARRIOR and VOYAGE BUBBLE, to name just a few.
Not every horse is suitable or ready to run in the BMW Hong Kong Derby and yet can still advance to an elite career.
YOUNG CHAMPION was assured of a Derby start because of his rating but John Size, drawing on years of experience and expertise, was convinced the best path to take with the horse was to keep him at shorter distances, especially in his first Hong Kong campaign.
The fruits of John’s wisdom were apparent last Saturday (16 March) when YOUNG CHAMPION posted a highly-impressive win over 1400m at his first attempt in Class 2, clocking 22.57s for the final 400m sectional despite being eased down by Karis Teetan.
The authority of the win against more experienced and older horses stamped YOUNG CHAMPION as a genuine talent and the excitement his victory generated among his owners, The Hong Kong Jockey Club Racing Club Limited, was wonderful to see.
Having arrived from Ireland on a rating of 73, YOUNG CHAMPION is now on a mark of 88 and has already amassed more than $6 million in prize money with two wins and a second from only three starts.
At Happy Valley on Wednesday night, the Class 3 Russell Handicap is carded as Race 8 at 10:15pm with prizemoney of HK$2,050,000.
The pace in the race will be good with AMAZING DUCK having enough early speed to lead from gate three for Matthew Poon. LOVERO has drawn the outside gate, but Angus Chung will cross to be in the leading division, with EIGHTEEN PALMS (Alexis Badel) also racing on speed. GRATEFUL HEART has drawn the rails and Lyle Hewitson will try and hold a forward position from that draw.
LOVERO is one of the few PPs we have sourced from Japan and he has the famous LORD KANALOA as his sire. LORD KANALOA was one of the most impressive LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) winners and he has since become a champion sire in Japan.
LOVERO has shown dramatic improvement since switching to turf racing here at Happy Valley and followed his breakthrough win over STURDY RUBY on 7 February with a narrow second to WINNING DRAGON two weeks later. In both those races, Angus had LOVERO on the pace from good gates. LOVERO will have benefitted from time at Conghua since his last run. He has drawn the outside barrier and may have to be used early to get a forward position and is a place chance.
JUNE PLANET has won three times over this course and distance this season. At his latest run, JUNE PLANET settled fifth on the rails on the back of a strong tempo, before coming through on the rails to just beat OUTGATE on 28 February. OUTGATE enhanced that form by winning impressively at Sha Tin on Saturday. Karis Teetan takes the ride again and JUNE PLANET is a place chance.
EIGHTEEN PALMS settled on the pace before coming away for an impressive win over TOURBILLON PRINCE two starts ago and then raced in a forward position, one off the fence, but failed to finish off when staying on for fourth behind JUNE PLANET on 28 February. EIGHTEEN PALMS is a place chance.
SAMARKAND has won three of his past four starts at Happy Valley and was placed at the other. At the most recent run, he settled third on the fence behind the leader, before sprinting quickly once he got clear running to beat STURDY RUBY on 28 February, appearing to win with something in hand. SAMARKAND rises in class here, but will have benefitted from time at Conghua since his last run and is a win and place chance for Jerry Chau.
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