Achievement in the international sporting arena is the ultimate for athletes from all disciplines and it is even more so with the Olympic Games, which is widely regarded as the pinnacle.
At Sha Tin on Sunday (13 October), we acknowledge the amazing, history-making achievements of Hong Kong, China’s Paris 2024 Olympic Team, which covered itself in glory with a record four medals, including two gold and two bronze medals.
To show our appreciation and admiration for these truly remarkable accomplishments, the Club will host a Celebration Raceday, which will feature the appearances of gold medal-winning fencers Vivian Kong and Edgar Cheung, along with champion swimmer Siobhan Haughey, who won two bronze medals in Paris.
The Club is a long-standing supporter of our athletes and on Sunday we honour those competitors who brought so much credit on our city by naming races after the sports in which Hong Kong, China was represented in Paris – swimming, badminton, judo, cycling, sailing, fencing, athletics, rowing, table tennis, taekwondo, artistic gymnastics and triathlon.
The Club last year launched the three-year Jockey Club Athlete Incentive Awards Scheme (JCAIAS) to provide cash awards to Hong Kong, China athletes and before the Paris Olympic Games these cash incentives were increased by 20% for both individual and team awards compared to the Tokyo Olympics.
Athletes who placed from first to eighth in Paris were recognised with substantial cash rewards, with HK$6 million for individual gold medallists down to HK$375,000 for eighth place.
As a result, a total of HK$17,625,000 will be distributed through the JCAIAS as part of the Club’s commitment to helping our athletes follow their dreams and compete at the highest possible level.
This support demonstrates the Club’s understanding of how important sport is for our society, with its multiple benefits for the entire community. Sport is not only about elite competition, but also at community level where people of all ages can improve fitness and mental strength through a variety of activities.
I would encourage all passionate sports followers to join us at Sha Tin tomorrow to show our gratitude for all the athletes who represented Hong Kong, China so brilliantly in Paris, while enjoying outstanding racing highlighted by the return of Group 1-winning equine stars VOYAGE BUBBLE and BEAUTY ETERNAL.
At Sha Tin on Sunday, the Group 2 Sha Tin Trophy is carded as Race 7 and will be run at 4.10pm for prizemoney of HK$5.35pm. Although this race is “only” a Group 2, the high-quality horses contesting this race are likely to those who will try to beat global competition in the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races, which are regarded as the ‘Turf World Championship Races’ in December.
The pace will be good with CHANCHENG GLORY likely to lead with BEAUTY ETERNAL, VOYAGE BUBBLE, RED LION all sitting near the speed.
GALAXY PATCH had a busy four-year-old season, displaying brilliant ability from sprints through to 2000m where he was runner-up in the BMW Hong Kong Derby. In my view, he is a horse with great potential and very seldom have I seen a horse so effective from 1200m to 2000m but I believe 1600m could be his best distance. GALAXY PATCH ran fifth to BEAUTY ETERNAL in the FWD Champions Mile before winning twice at Group 3 level in the Lion Rock Trophy and then producing a devastating finish to beat BEAUTY JOY in the Premier Plate (1800m) on 23 June. GALAXY PATCH has the ability to run sectional times over the last 400m in under 22 seconds, which is impressive, and I make him my first choice as a win and place chance for Vincent Ho.
BEAUTY ETERNAL was third to CALIFORNIA SPANGLE in this race last year as an odds-on favourite and will look to atone. After that defeat, BEAUTY ETERNAL went on to win the G2 BOCHK Private Wealth Jockey Club Mile and finished the season with his first win at Group 1 level, with a stunning victory in the FWD Champions Mile on 28 April on a yielding track in conditions he handles well.
John Size horses normally need a run before showing their full potential and, while BEAUTY ETERNAL has looked good in two easy trials leading to this race for Zac, he is a place chance.
VOYAGE BUBBLE beat BEAUTY ETERNAL and BEAUTY JOY in the G1 Stewards’ Cup in January and then pressed ROMANTIC WARRIOR when second in the G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup (2000m). VOYAGE BUBBLE had two disappointing runs in Dubai and Japan and has had two easy trials since an extended break from racing. VOYAGE BUBBLE has to give away 4lb in weight to BEAUTY ETERNAL, 6lb to GALAXY PATCH and 20lb to CHANCHENG GLORY but is a world-class miler at his top and is a place chance with Andrea Atzeni taking the ride for first time.
RED LION will run well for Hugh Bowman and is a place chance along with CHANCHENG GLORY (Lyle Hewitson), who won six races over this course and distance last season and one should not underestimate CHANCHENG GLORY, who has the weight advantage and is working well.
STRAIGHT ARRON, BEAUTY JOY and LA CITY BLANCHE are also high-quality group of horses resuming today, underlining the strength and depth of this field as we start the build up to LONGINES Hong Kong International Races in December.
The Class 2 Artistic Gymnastics and Triathlon Handicap is carded as Race 10 and run at 5.55pm and features an outstanding field of emerging sprinters in a race which showcases our upcoming stars with the four-year-olds WUNDERBAR, CALL ME GLORIOUS, GORGEOUS WIN and BOTTOMUPTOGETHER.
WUNDERBAR made a winning return on 22 September, beating LUCY IN THE SKY. That was WUNDERBAR’s fifth win from six career starts and he will again be a winning chance for Zac Purton from his inside draw.
BOTTOMUPTOGETHER was runner-up when resuming on 28 September behind RUBYLOT and will run well for new rider Matthew Chadwick despite drawing a wide gate. CALL ME GLORIOUS, GORGEOUS WIN, LUCKY ENCOUNTER and SUPERB CAPITALIST are also place chances.
Our simulcast programme continues from Japan on Sunday, when the G1 Shuka Sho (2000m) is carded as S1-1 and will be run at 2.40pm at Kyoto Racecourse.
The pace will be good with CHRISTMAS PARADE and SEKITOBA EAST, who are both drawn wide, working across to take up their usual positions on the speed. LANCE OF QUEEN and TAGANO ELPIDA should also race in forward positions.
STELLENBOSCH has started twice this season, producing a storming finish to win the Japanese Thousand Guineas (1600m) and then, with Keita Tosaki riding for the first time, flashed home to be a close second to CERVINIA in the Oaks (2400m) on 19 May.
STELLENBOSCH’s wide gate should not impact her chances with her racing style and she is my win and place selection.
CERVINIA was disappointing on face value in the Thousand Guineas when 13th to STELLENBOSCH but rebounded brilliantly in the Oaks to defeat STELLENBOSCH with those two fillies coming clear of the rest of the field. CERVINIA will be hard to beat again with Christophe Lemaire riding.
QUEEN’S WALK raced close to the speed and fought on well for fourth in the Oaks and at her only run since won the G2 Rose Stakes, where she beat CELESTA and SEKITOBA EAST. QUEEN’S WALK has a perfect draw and will get a good run under regular rider Yuga Kawada. She is a place chance.
CHRISTMAS PARADE (Yukito Ishikawa), BOND GIRL (Yutaka Take) and LANCE OF QUEEN (Kohei Matsuyama) are place chances.
The 2024/25 Hong Kong season continues to unfold at a typically frenetic pace and it was wonderful to see David Eustace saddle his first winner at Happy Valley on 9 October with the victory of SWIFT ASCEND.
David has made a deliberately measured start to his first season in Hong Kong with a targeted approach. So far, he has had only six starters for a win and three seconds, but he has made a good early impression.
I congratulate him on the win and wish him continued success.
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