The feats of Hong Kong’s horses, trainers and jockeys have been a tremendous source of pride and excitement for the city’s passionate racing fans in 2023/24 and Friday night’s (12 July) Hong Kong Champion Awards was a wonderful celebration of an extraordinary season.
The combined accomplishments of ROMANTIC WARRIOR and CALIFORNIA SPANGLE formed the basis of an incredible chapter in which Hong Kong horses won 13 of the world’s most important Group 1 races in four different countries and regions – Hong Kong, Australia, Dubai and Japan.
None of these achievements is possible without the ongoing commitment and passion of our owners, who continue to invest significantly to secure the best available horses to race in Hong Kong and, for this, I am very grateful.
With a horse population of only 1,200, Hong Kong has authentic stars across a variety of distances – CALIFORNIA SPANGLE, GOLDEN SIXTY and ROMANTIC WARRIOR – while the emergence of richly-talented youngsters such as KA YING RISING and quality four-year-olds GALAXY PATCH and MASSIVE SOVEREIGN has been exciting.
ROMANTIC WARRIOR’s effort to win Hong Kong Horse of the Year for a first time as well as Champion Middle Distance Horse amply reflects a truly stunning season in which he won a Hong Kong record five Group 1 races.
His globe-trotting feats for trainer Danny Shum, jockey James McDonald and owner Mr Peter Lau were acclaimed globally and on Friday night, Hong Kong again celebrated the deeds of this magnificent horse.
GOLDEN SIXTY’s performance to win the Hong Kong Champion Miler for a record fourth time underlines the sheer quality and longevity of a truly marvellous horse. GOLDEN SIXTY’s win in the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (1600m) last December, when he obliterated a world-class field, will be long remembered by those privileged to witness it.
CALIFORNIA SPANGLE’s record-breaking victory in the G1 Al Quoz Sprint (1200m) in Dubai as well as his G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) triumph saw him feted as Champion Sprinter, while his Tony Cruz stablemate FIVE G PATCH was recognised as Champion Stayer.
KA YING RISING was acclaimed as Hong Kong Champion Griffin and Most Improved Horse for David Hayes, while Pierre Ng’s GALAXY PATCH won the Hong Kong Champion Four-Year-Old.
The Champion Awards function on Friday was a magnificent success and I would like to congratulate not only all the winners but also the other finalists. I look forward to following the progress of the champions and finalists into next season and beyond.
Several other awards – including this season’s Champion Trainer, Champion Jockey, Tony Cruz Award, Most Popular Jockey and Most Popular Horse – will be announced after Sunday’s (14 July) season finale at Sha Tin.
The presentation of these awards is part of an exciting entertainment programme to mark the close of a spectacular 2023/24 season, including a live performance by popular singer Raymond Lam in the Parade Ring.
There will also be a jockeys’ parade and a giveaway of mini-horse plushies featuring the silks of our champion horses. Our Hong Kong-based jockeys will be joined in the festivities by star jockey James McDonald, who travelled to Hong Kong for the Champion Awards on Friday might.
As well as the world-class racing on the track, the season finale offers a great selection of entertainment between races, including appearances by popular local bands Zpecial, Pandora and Nowhere Boys’, who will perform live in the area underneath Mezza One. There is also a Season Finale Photo Exhibition and Sha Tin Racecourse Delights quiz with the chance to win prizes and a variety of delicacies, making for a wonderful day of entertainment.
While Zac Purton is assured of a seventh Hong Kong jockeys’ championship, the fate of the Hong Kong trainers’ championship remains undecided with Pierre leading Francis 67-66 with only 11 races left in the season.
Pierre has nine runners entered across seven races, while Francis has 10 runners in nine races at the season finale.
Pierre’s best chances appear to be FIGHTING MACHINE, DUKE WAI and I CAN, while Francis has strong arsenal of runners led by CALL ME GLORIOUS, CHANCHENG GLORY, PACKING HERMOD and PATCH OF THETA.
I wish both Pierre and Francis the very best of luck on Sunday at Sha Tin where the feature race is the Class 1 Hong Kong Racehorse Owners Association Trophy Handicap (1600m), which is carded as Race 8 at 7.35pm and carries prizemoney of HK$4,075,000.
The pace will be good with TELECOM FIGHTERS finding the front for Ben Thompson from gate three. ALL FOR ST PAUL’S will be prominent from his middle draw and Matthew Poon will have him in the leading division. CHANCHENG GLORY has drawn near the rails and will settle behind the leader. MOMENTS IN TIME also likes to race on the speed and will go forward and SWORD POINT also may go forward under Brenton Avdulla from the outside gate.
CHANCHENG GLORY has had an outstanding season, winning five races and finishing second in both the Hong Kong Classic Cup and Lion Rock Trophy. At his most recent run, CHANCHENG GLORY finished fourth to Galaxy Patch in the Premier Plate (1800m). Zac will ride CHANCHENG GLORY for the first time and he should get a perfect run from his inside draw, just behind the speed. He is my win and place selection and he will be an important runner for Francis in the battle for the trainer’s title.
MOMENTS IN TIME won two races before extending to 2400m and finishing fourth in both the Queen Mother Memorial and the Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup. At his last run over 1650m at Happy Valley, MOMENTS IN TIME made a mid-race move to take the lead down the back and fought on strongly to finish a close third to Outgate. MOMENTS IN TIME is racing well and with Hugh Bowman taking the ride for the first time is a place chance.
CP BRAVE was impressive winning over 1800m on 20 April beating Natural Storm and then stepped up to Group company when fifth to Galaxy Patch in the Premier Plate on 23 June. Alexis Badel goes back aboard CP BRAVE and if he gets clear running early enough in the straight from gate one, he is a place chance.
ATULLIBIGEAL is racing well and has won over the course and distance. TELECOM FIGHTERS is also in good form but all his seven wins have come at Happy Valley. THE GOLDEN SCENERY and All FOR ST PAUL’s have both been at Conghua since their last run and are capable of running well over this distance.
The last race of the season is the Class 3 All You Wish Handicap (1400m) and will be run at 9.20pm for prizemoney of HK$1,860,000.
Francis has PATCH OF THETA in the race and he is my win and place selection from gate six with Hugh Bowman to ride. He is an outstanding graduate of last year’s Hong Kong International Sale, winning three races in his debut season and finishing in the top three in all his nine runs.
Pierre has two runners. PRESTIGE ALWAYS has drawn barrier 14 for Karis Teetan, while ROMAN CROWN has drawn well in gate two for Matthew Poon. Both runners would need to improve on their last runs to deliver another winner for Pierre.
The hardest for PATCH OF THETA to beat will be BEAUTY FIT, who has drawn well in gate three for Brenton Avdulla and he won over this course and distance last week. BEAUTY CRESCENT is racing well but is still searching for his first win in Hong Kong. He comes off a narrow second to RUBYLOT on 23 June over this course and distance and is a place chance for Zac.
There are many other runners with chances including LOST CHILD, CALIFORNIA DEEPLY, SETANTA and GIDDY UP who caught the eye with his last start fourth to KING MILES.
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