Intense competition is an abiding hallmark of Hong Kong racing and the 2023/24 trainers’ championship illustrates the depth of quality among our horsemen.
With 15 meetings left in the season, Pierre Ng leads with 59 wins from Francis Lui (56) and Ricky Yiu (47), while five other trainers – John Size (45), Tony Cruz (44 wins), David Hayes (44), Caspar Fownes (44) and Danny Shum (43) – are also pressing for top-three positions.
Pierre has excelled this season, easily surpassing his debut-season tally of 41 wins and he has set a high standard with a winning strike rate of 11.2% and has now posted 100 wins across his first two seasons with TAJ DRAGON’s victory in the Class 1 Racing Heritage Handicap (1400m) at Sha Tin on Sunday (19 May).
At only 40 years of age, Pierre had a wonderful grounding having worked abroad for Chris Waller, Mick Price and David Hayes before furthering his development in Hong Kong with stints as an assistant trainer to Paul O’Sullivan, John Size and Francis Lui.
Pierre first took the lead in this season’s championship on 5 November and built a 16-win buffer by 1 January. His former mentor Francis has since cut the gap to just three, setting the scene for a fascinating run to the season finale on 14 July.
With five winners of the Hong Kong trainers’ championship – Ricky, Tony, John, David and Caspar – as well as Danny vying for the top-three over the next two months, the level of competition will remain extremely high.
The appearance of REBEL’S ROMANCE at Sha Tin trackwork this week is a reminder that Hong Kong’s final Group 1 race of the season – the HK$13 million Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2400m) on 26 May – is now only four days away.
As a four-time international Group 1 winner with an overall record of 12 wins from 18 starts, REBEL’S ROMANCE will attempt to become the first overseas winner of the Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup, a race whose origins date to 1870 when it was inaugurated as the Champion Stakes.
Trained by Charlie Appleby for Godolphin, REBELS’S ROMANCE will face Hong Kong’s best stayers at the weekend as RUSSIAN EMPEROR chases his third win in the race against FIVE G PATCH, LA CITY BLANCHE, STRAIGHT ARRON, SENOR TOBA, MOMENTS IN TIME and BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) winner MASSIVE SOVEREIGN.
At Happy Valley on Wednesday night the Class 2 Wiltshire Handicap is carded as Race 9 at 10.50pm and is run over 1200m with prizemoney of HK$2,840,000.
With the potential of a softer track, the pace is expected to be good to fast with HARMONY N BLESSED from gate one and SUPERB CAPITALIST from gate five likely to contest the early lead. TOMODACHI KOKOROE, MAJESTIC KNIGHT and KURPANY will all look to find forward positions early, with BUNDLE OF CHARM and NORDIC DRAGON at the back of the field.
MAJESTIC KNIGHT was a winner in this class and distance in January and returned to the winner’s list last start when racing on the pace before sprinting away from HARMONY N BLESSED over 1000m on 24 April. MAJESTIC KNIGHT has been in Conghua since and is a place chance with Hugh Bowman taking the ride again.
COLOURFUL EMPEROR has won three of his past four starts over this course and distance and last start beat SOLAR PARTNER on 1 May, when he sat outside the leader and then sprinted brilliantly in the straight to win by three lengths. COLOURFUL EMPEROR rises in class and has drawn the outside gate but is a place chance for Angus Chung.
SUPERB CAPITALIST showed brilliant gate speed last start to lead throughout and win over this course and distance from BEAUTY INFINITY and KYRUS DRAGON on 17 April. SUPERB CAPITALIST has been to Conghua since and has drawn well in gate five and is a place chance for Matthew Chadwick.
TOMODACHI KOKOROE has won four times over this course and distance this season. At his most recent run, TOMODACHI KOKOROE stepped up in class to contest the Group 2 Sprint Cup, finishing at the tail of the field behind LUCKY SWEYNESSE on 7 April. TOMODACHI KOKOROE has also been at Conghua since and was an easy trial winner there on 9 May. Karis Teetan should give TOMODACHI KOKOROE a perfect run from gate two and he is a win and place.
GUMMY GUMMY has run five times this season, finishing in the top-four on each occasion. He has been in Conghua since his last start on 3 April and looked good winning a trial there on 9 May. GUMMY GUMMY has drawn well in gate six and with a proven ability to perform on rain-affected tracks is a win and place chance for Jerry Chau.
HARMONY N BLESSED is racing well and deserves consideration as does BUNDLE OF CHARM.
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