With only four meetings left in the 2023/24 season, history is poised to repeat itself in the battle for the Hong Kong trainers’ championship with Pierre Ng holding a narrow lead over Francis Lui – 67 to 65.
With 39 races scheduled between now and the end of the season on 14 July, Pierre and Francis are locked in the tightest rivalry for the trainers’ championship since 2019/20 when three trainers – the eventual champion Ricky Yiu, Tony Cruz and Francis – were separated by only four winners heading into the last meeting.
There were even closer tussles in 2012/13 when Dennis Yip and Tony were both in a position to win the title going into the very last race of the season with Dennis emerging victorious. A similar scenario unfolded in 2013/14 when Caspar Fownes was declared champion after jousting with John Size until the final race of the campaign.
I am not sure Pierre or Francis will relish the idea of having to wait until the 832nd and last race of the season to learn their fates, but their battle is certainly providing great excitement across the closing stages of the season.
On Tuesday (2 July), I was deeply humbled and honoured to receive The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon as recognition of my contributions to the Japanese racing and breeding industry as well as the strengthening of the relationship between Japan and Hong Kong.
I would like to thank the Emperor of Japan and the Japanese Government for bestowing me with this honour and it was fantastic that I could share this wonderful honour with my wife, friends and colleagues from the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC). I also very much appreciate that Goto-San, who is my Vice Chairman in the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities and the Asian Racing Federation, made the effort to come from Japan to join me at the ceremony.
I am extremely passionate about international horse racing and to be recognised by Japan – a nation synonymous with equine racing and breeding excellence – for contributing to the global development of Japanese horse racing and the promotion of the Japanese breeding industry is very humbling.
The strategic relationship between the Japan Racing Association and HKJC has been of great importance for the development of racing in the region, and globally, and the participation of world-class Japanese horses in our international races has enhanced the status of our races too, which demonstrates this collaboration has not only benefited Japan, but us, too.
I am grateful for the wonderful support I continue to receive from the HKJC, the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities and the Asian Racing Federation, who are all regarded as world leaders in our sport with a shared vision to shape the future of industry for the betterment of all.
I have been extremely fortunate and privileged to work for many years alongside my highly-respected industry peers in Japan – and those from other parts of the world – and I look forward to continuing this meaningful and productive collaboration into the future.
Last Monday’s (1 July) Hong Kong Reunification Raceday not only marked the 27th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region but also produced excellent racing and attracted attendance of 19,926, including from almost 4,600 Mainland.
Our guests from the Mainland appreciated the various live performances by singers from TV show “Midlife, Sing and Shine!” as well as the world-class racing on display throughout the meeting.
The extension of the Memorandum of Understanding on the Guangdong-Hong Kong Cup (MOU) between the Club and the Guangdong Provincial Sports Federation (GDSF) marks the strengthening of the sports and cultural exchanges between Hong Kong and Guangdong.
The Guangdong-Hong Kong Cup has been run on Reunification Raceday as a feature race since 2014, signifying the joint commitment of Guangdong and Hong Kong. Under the renewed MOU, apart from continuing to host the Guangdong-Hong Kong Cup, the Club plans to stage the Cup at Conghua Racecourse from 2026, which will further promote equine industry development in the Greater Bay Area.
There were several outstanding performances at Sha Tin on Monday, including CHIU CHOW SPIRIT’S win in the Class 2 Hong Kong Reunification Cup (1400m) with Manfred Man’s talented four-year-old clocking 1m 20.71s, which is the fastest time clocked over the distance this season.
With two wins and six placings from 14 starts, CHIU CHOW SPIRIT handled the rise to Class 2 for the first time with aplomb and he looks an exciting prospect, especially at 1400m.
Frankie Lor’s BOTTOMUPTOGETHER continues to make a strong impression with another brilliant performance to lead all the way over 1200m in his first appearance in Class 3. There is no doubt this quality three-year-old could have won by more than the official margin of two-and-three-quarter lengths had Zac Purton not eased the gelding down.
Frankie makes no secret of his belief BOTTOMUPTOGETHER will develop into a Four-Year-Old Classic contender next season after stringing together three wins from as many starts with a combined margin of five-and-a-half lengths.
Ricky Yiu’s MIGHTY STRENGTH, another three-year-old having only his third start, and Dennis Yip’s debutante AMAZING FUN also added underlined their promise with good wins.
At Happy Valley tonight, the Class 3 Cheong Ming Handicap is carded as Race 8 at 10.15 pm and is run over 1650m for prizemoney of HK$2,050,000.
The speed will be good to slow with no natural leader in the field. RED HARE KING will go forward from his wide gate and may land on the speed. CAPITAL LEGEND is another drawn wide who will push forward. AESTHETICISM will settle closer to the speed from his good draw and WRITTEN CASA and JOLLY RULER should be just behind the leading group.
RED HARE KING has finished in the top three at his last 10 starts, all over this course and distance. At his most recent start, RED HARE KING raced in a perfect spot, fourth, one off the fence. Hugh Bowman brought him three-wide before the home turn and he ran on strongly down the middle of the track to beat AESTHETICISM on 12 June. Hugh has a wide gate to contend with here but RED HARE KING is racing in great form and he is a win and place chance.
AESTHETICISM settled near the tail of the field after crossing to the rail at the start from an outside gate and was storming home at the finish to be beaten a neck by RED HARE KING. Lyle Hewitson, who is coming off a winning treble at Sha Tin on Monday (1 July), retains the ride on AESTHETICISM and, from his good draw in gate four, is a place chance.
STAR CONTACT (Karis Teetan) made good ground late last start to finish a close third and JUMBO LEGEND (Alexis Badel) was within a length of RED HARE KING after being held up early in the straight. STAR CONTACT and JUMBO LEGEND made their runs together and were closing quickly in the closing stages and are place chances again in this race.
ZOOM BOOM easily beat RED HARE KING over this course and trip three runs back on 17 April. At his latest run, ZOOM BOOM was slowly away and had to muster speed to settle fourth last, one off the fence when second to HELENE WARRIOR on 5 June. ZOOM BOOM chased hard in the straight and from his good gate can settle closer to the front and is a place chance for Harry Bentley.
FORTUNATE SON is an interesting runner for Douglas Whyte, making his Hong Kong debut. He won two of his three runs in New Zealand, including a last-start victory at Ellerslie over 1500m in January. FORTUNATE SON has indicated in two trials he is searching for ground and Douglas has chosen to run him over 1650m on debut and has engaged Brenton Avdulla to ride. It will be interesting to see how he performs on debut.
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