With less than three weeks until FWD Champions Day, the announcement of the 35 selected runners for our premier spring meeting sets the scene for a fabulous day of racing at Sha Tin on 28 April.
The presence of 10 individual Group 1 winners, headed by Hong Kong’s GOLDEN SIXTY, ROMANTIC WARRIOR and CALIFORNIA SPANGLE, coupled with the imminent influx of 11 overseas contenders – headed by Group 1 winners DUBAI HONOUR, MAD COOL and CHAMPAGNE COLOR – speaks to the world-class quality of FWD Champions Day.
With a record HK$72 million in prize money spread across the HK$28 million G1 FWD QEII Cup (2000m), HK$22 million G1 FWD Champions Mile (1600m) and HK$22 million G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m), FWD Champions Day is not only one of the most lucrative in world racing, but also promises to deliver history-making success.
GOLDEN SIXTY is bidding for a record fourth FWD Champions Mile victory, while ROMANTIC WARRIOR is chasing an unprecedented third straight win in the FWD QEII Cup and CALIFORNIA SPANGLE is attempting to secure a third consecutive Group 1 triumph this season after wins in the G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) and the G1 Al Quoz Sprint (1200m).
To do so, Hong Kong’s trio of equine titans will be at their very best to repel challenges from talents such as VICTOR THE WINNER, VOYAGE BUBBLE, GALAXY PATCH, PROGNOSIS and MASSIVE SOVEREIGN, among many others.
Established as one of the world’s premier sprinters, LUCKY SWEYNESSE won the G2 Sprint Cup (1200m) in impressive fashion last Sunday (7 April) and he was fine after the race but unfortunately went lame on Monday and was diagnosed with a lateral condylar fracture in his left leg. His injury is not career-ending and is amenable to surgery with a recovery time of approximately six months before LUCKY SWEYENESSE could start again. On Tuesday morning he was successfully operated on and has gone back to Manfred Man‘s stable after the surgery.
Tony Cruz will be among the cluster of trainers clamouring for Group 1 success at FWD Champions Day with CALIFORNIA SPANGLE, BEAUTY JOY and FIVE G PATCH after what has already been a memorable season.
Tony has not only restored CALIFORNIA SPANGLE to his very best form, but he claimed the G2 Chairman’s Trophy (1600m) with BEAUTY JOY at Sha Tin last Sunday, when he became only the third trainer to saddle 1,500 winners in Hong Kong after John Moore (1,735) and John Size (1,534).
With 1,501 wins so far, Tony continues to display tremendous horsemanship and it is apparent, at 67, that his hunger for success has not abated at all. I congratulate him on the latest achievement in a phenomenal career.
With a potential 11th Group 1 victory aboard GOLDEN SIXTY impending in the FWD Champions Mile – a race he has already won four times (SOUTHERN LEGEND in 2020 and on GOLDEN SIXTY in 2021, 2022 & 2023) – it is great to see Vincent Ho returning to race riding at Happy Valley tonight after recovering from injury.
Vincent has again shown great resilience and determination in his recuperation and I wish him all the best with his rides on NOBLE PURSUIT and ATOMIC FORCE this evening as he builds towards FWD Champions Day and a reunion with GOLDEN SIXTY.
The Class 2 Geranium Handicap is carded as Race 3 at 7.40pm at Happy Valley and is run over 1650m with prizemoney of HK$3,120,000.
The pace in the race will be good with front-runner TELECOM FIGHTERS having the gate speed to lead from his rails draw for Lyle Hewitson. OUTGATE will press forward from gate seven and should be able to find a spot outside the leader. MOMENTS IN TIME and MR ASCENDENCY will both push forward from their middle draws to be in the leading group.
MR ASCENDENCY followed TELECOM FIGHTERS forward at the start and sat second on a moderate pace before coming away for a good win over HAPPY TOGETHER on 21 February at this course and distance. Harry Bentley then stalked the speed from his rails draw to narrowly beat TELECOM FIGHTERS on the All Weather Track on 3 March. Harry should have MR ASCENDENCY in a perfect position again from gate four and he is a place selection, chasing a hat trick of wins.
GALAXY WITNESS has been working well since finishing sixth to MR ASCENDENCY on 3 March and finished second over this course and distance behind HAPPY TOGETHER two starts ago. He has drawn well in barrier two for Alexis Badel and is also a place chance.
MOMENTS IN TIME sat behind the leader at his last run over 1800m on 13 March before taking the lead approaching the home turn and coming away for an impressive win over MAJESTIC VICTORY. MOMENTS IN TIME comes back in distance but has been working well since that win and he is a place chance for Zac Purton who takes the ride for the first time.
OUTGATE led and fought on gamely when second to JUNE PLANET over this course and distance on 28 February and then sat just behind the speed and finished strongly to beat SWEET BRIAR over 1400m at Sha Tin on 16 March. OUTGATE goes up in class here but is a place chance for Angus Chung.
TELECOM FIGHTERS is racing well and led and fought on strongly to beat all but MR ASCENDENCY over 1650m on the All Weather Track last start on 3 March. TELECOM FIGHTERS has won seven races at the course and distance and should be able to hold the lead quite comfortably and is a place chance.
KEEFY has been to Conghua since his last run and will have benefitted from his time there and deserves consideration.
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