While CALIFORNIA SPANGLE’s magnificent victory in the G1 Al Quoz Sprint (1200m) in record-breaking time for Tony Cruz and Brenton Avdulla produced Hong Kong’s racing highlight at the Dubai World Cup meeting on Saturday night (30 March), we were pleased with our World Pool operation.
In combination, the Australian Cup meeting from Flemington in Melbourne, the Tancred Stakes meeting from Rosehill in Sydney and the Dubai World Cup meeting generated record World Pool turnover of HK$437.4 million, across 12 races.
This marks the first time World Pool turnover had eclipsed HK$400m on a single simulcast day, bettering the HK$394.1m from nine races at the 2022 Champions Cup Day from Greyville in South Africa.
It is clear from this encouraging trend that customers globally are increasingly attracted to World Pool, which is an extension of the Club’s commingling operation on local races and accepts bets from overseas partners and local customers to create deep pari-mutuel pools and deliver higher dividends for customers.
I look forward to this Saturday (6 April), when the World Pool will operate on Doncaster Mile Day from Sydney and SA Derby Day from Turffontein in South Africa, while the G1 Oka Sho will be simulcast for betting on Sunday (7 April) from Hanshin in Japan.
The reappearance of GOLDEN SIXTY in a 1200m trial at Sha Tin on Tuesday (2 April) was positive on several fronts as Hong Kong’s champion finished third under Vincent Ho behind CHIU CHOW BROTHER in his most serious hit-out since suffering a left foreleg injury in early January.
GOLDEN SIXTY has not raced since his fantastic G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (1600m) win in December and, with another trial and several gallops planned over the next three weeks, GOLDEN SIXTY is being for the HK$22 million FWD Champions Mile (1600m) – a race he has already won three times – on 28 April.
It was apparent from the conservative manner in which Vincent rode GOLDEN SIXTY, who was taken back to last in yesterday’s trial and then finished wide on the track to finish less than two lengths from the winner, that the main objective was to give GOLDEN SIXTY a comfortable hit-out while building fitness ahead of his planned race return.
As the only Hong Kong horse to win 10 Group 1 races, the city’s highest prizemoney earner (HK$165.85 million) and the only Hong Kong horse to win 26 races, GOLDEN SIXTY occupies a unique place in our racing and it was wonderful to see the eight-year-old back in action with Vincent, who has been sidelined himself with injury since January.
Francis Lui has done a tremendous job managing GOLDEN SIXTY and, should everything go to plan between now and FWD Champions Day, his bid for a record-extending fourth FWD Champions Mile will set the scene for another fantastic meeting, which will also shapes to feature ROMANTIC WARRIOR, CALIFORNIA SPANGLE and LUCKY SWEYNESSE, along with international contenders.
I also look forward to Vincent’s imminent return to race riding.
At Sha Tin on Wednesday night (3 April), the Class 2 Hong Kong Chinese Importers’ and Exporters’ Association 70th Anniversary Cup (1200m) is carded as Race 5 at 9.15pm and carries prizemoney of HK$2,840,000.
The pace in the race will be good with PING HAI GALAXY for Brenton Avdulla looking to lead from gate six. Luke Ferraris on XPONENTIAL will follow PING HAI GALAXY forward from the outside gate to settle on the speed. MAGNIAC has good gate speed and will hold a forward position from his rails draw.
The strong tempo should suit BUNDLE OF CHARM who won a similar race to this over the course and distance back on 4 February, when he finished powerfully to beat GUMMY GUMMY narrowly, with WONDER KIT and MAGNIAC behind them. BUNDLE OF CHARM was a little disappointing at his most recent run behind BEAUTY CHARGE at Happy Valley on 13 March but can improve on that effort and is a place chance.
GUMMY GUMMY has run five times on this surface and distance for two wins and three second placings, most recently when he was runner up to BUNDLE OF CHARM on 4 February. GUMMY GUMMY has run well at two starts since on turf and was beaten less than a length behind BEAUTY CHARGE on 13 March when caught wide early and then sat outside the leader on a fast pace and fought on gamely.
GUMMY GUMMY is effective on this surface and is drawn well in gate four. Zac Purton has a good record on GUMMY GUMMY and takes the ride here and is a win and place chance.
MAGNIAC performs well on this surface and was impressive in winning in Class 3 company three runs back. He then stepped up a class and settled on the speed and fought on well when fourth to BUNDLE OF CHARM. MAGNIAC returns to the All Weather Track after a disappointing run behind BON’S A PEARLER at Happy Valley on 21 February. MAGNIAC has been at Conghua since that run and easily won a barrier trial on the All Weather Track on 21 March. MAGNICAC should get a good run from gate one for Angus Chung and is a place chance.
WONDER KIT was placed behind BUNDLE OF CHARM at his only run on this surface when he raced on the speed and stayed on in the straight. Last start, he drew the rails and ran home well to finish a close third to BEAUTY CHARGE at Happy Valley. WONDER KIT has drawn a little awkwardly in gate seven but is racing well and if Lyle Hewitson can get him into a good position early, is a place chance.
This a competitive contest and horses such as PING HAI GALAXY, SEASONS WIT and XPONENTIAL all have claims on their best form.
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