The importance of Conghua Racecourse to Hong Kong racing continues to grow significantly with a clear link between the Club’s world-class facilities at Conghua and sustained performance excellence in Hong Kong.
As we prepare for the 80th meeting of the 2023/24 season at Happy Valley tonight (12 June), Conghua is performing at unprecedented levels with 171 individual horses returning to Hong Kong directly from the Mainland and winning 223 of 741 races so far at a strike rate of 30.09%.
This number compares with 172 wins at the corresponding stage last season, a trend which demonstrates Conghua’s increasing value to Hong Kong’s world-class racing with its magnificent amenities on a pristine 150-hectare site which can comfortably house 660 horses.
These facilities provide our trainers with the option of preparing horses in a wonderful environment in readiness for a competitive return to Hong Kong while also – when required – having access to Conghua’s ultra-modern rehabilitation and veterinary facilities to treat horses.
While Conghua’s capacity to stage trials on turf and all-weather surfaces, it also has allowed the Club to proceed with the refurbishment of the Sha Tin stables with minimal disruption to our horse population and training operations.
There is strong correlation between Conghua and the Hong Kong trainers’ championship.
John Size topped the Conghua tally with 25 winners when he won the 2018/19 trainers’ championship and was joint second with 19 wins out of Conghua when he landed a record 12th title last season.
Frankie Lor saddled a record 32 winners out of Conghua in his championship-winning season in 2021/22, while Caspar Fownes claimed his fourth title with a season-topping 29 Conghua wins in 2020/21.
With this season’s championship race locked on 61 wins each for Pierre Ng and Francis Lui, Conghua has provided 21 victories for Pierre and 18 for Francis. David Hayes, who is the midst of his best campaign since returning to Hong Kong in 2020/21 with 46 wins so far, tops the 2023/24 Conghua standings with 26 from Ricky Yiu (22).
As the 2023/24 season enters its final stages, the seeds of promise for next season and beyond are already starting to shoot with a string of impressive performances by three-year-old horses at Sha Tin last Saturday (8 June).
THE WINNABE clocked the fastest final 400m sectional of the meeting in 21.84s while carrying 135lb under Hugh Bowman to remain unbeaten for John Size after two starts. As well as displaying powerful acceleration, THE WINNABE gave the impression that stepping beyond 1200m will not be an issue as he matures.
FAST NETWORK also made a good debut for Dennis Yip and Zac Purton when winning over 1000m, while fellow youngster ENJOY GOLF showed nice ability in posting his first Hong Kong win for Frankie Lor and Hugh
The parade of emerging talent continued with LO PAN SPIRIT’s win for Jimmy Ting and Harry Bentley, while STUNNING PEACH showed he could be a Four-Year-Old Classic Series contender with his strong win over 1800m under 135lb for Tony Cruz and Zac Purton.
Before arriving in Hong Kong, STUNNING PEACH was twice a Group 1 runner-up in Ireland and France – as well as being a winner of two races up to 1600m – for Joseph O’Brien and was having only his third start in Hong Kong at the weekend. Based on the strength of his Group 1 form overseas up to 2000m and his win at Sha Tin on Sunday, he would be an ante-post favourite for next year’s BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m).
COPARTNER PRANCE crowned a strong season when the four-year-old triumphed at Class 2 level under Zac for Francis Lui and posting his fifth consecutive win. COPARTNER PRANCE has made great progress this season in rising from 52 to 89 in the handicap with his latest success earning a PPG Bonus of HK$1 million.
At Happy Valley tonight, the Class 2 EWO Challenge Trophy Handicap is carded as race 5 and will be run over 1650m at 8.40pm.
The speed will be good to fast with several horses, including TELECOM FIGHTERS, FLAMING RABBIT, MOMENTS IN TIME, SPLENDID LIVING, OUTGATE, YELLOWFIN and MONEY CATCHER pressing forward. TELECOM FIGHTERS and FLAMING RABBIT should have the gate speed to form the front pair ahead of OUTGATE, YELLOWFIN and MOMENTS IN TIME, who has drawn barrier eight.
YELLOWFIN led throughout over this course and distance on 1 May and followed up with a good second on Sha Tin’s All Weather over 1650m on 29 May. YELLOWFIN is racing well and is a place chance with Lyle Hewitson aboard.
FLAMING RABBIT likes to race on the speed and led throughout at Sha Tin over 1600m three runs back. He again led at his most recent run when a fading seventh behind CHANCHENG GLORY. FLAMING RABBIT is having his first start at Happy Valley and will be ridden for the first time by Hugh Bowman. He is a place chance.
CHILL CHIBI has won four of his six starts at this course. He was fourth in the BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) to MASSIVE SOVEREIGN before racing wide without cover and staying on well for fourth to C P BRAVE over 1800m on 20 April. CHILL CHIBI has had a minor setback since but returns to his favourite course and distance here and is a win and place chance on his best form for Jerry Chau.
MOMENTS IN TIME and OUTGATE fought out a close finish over this course and distance on 10 April. Since then, MOMENTS IN TIME has run fourth in both the G3 Queen Mother Memorial Cup and the G1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup over 2400m. In both races, he led and fought on strongly. He switches back in distance and is a place chance for Zac Purton.
At his last start, OUTGATE sat outside FLAMING RABBIT in second place over 1600m on 11 May. He hit the front in the straight before being headed by CHANCHENG GLORY. OUTGATE is racing well and is a place chance for Angus Chung.
SPLENDID LIVING returns from a break and TELECOM FIGHTERS is also racing well. Both have claims.
Comment
