Sha Tin hosts one of the most anticipated meetings of the season with Sa Sa Ladies’ Purse Day on Sunday (3 November) with a blend of glamour, fashion and world-class horseracing.
For many in Hong Kong, Sa Sa Ladies’ Purse Day is the pinnacle of haute couture as racegoers don their finest outfits at one of the most stylish occasions on the fashion calendar.
Sa Sa ambassador Charlene Choi will lead the festivities as we celebrate the 20th anniversary of Sa Sa Ladies’ Purse Raceday. Racegoers can vie for the “Best Dressed Award”, enjoy themed food and drinks and explore the Sa Sa Beauty Bazaar.
The G3 Sa Sa Ladies’ Purse – formerly the Ladies’ Purse – is one of Hong Kong’s oldest races, having been first run in 1846. We are grateful for the ongoing support of the Kwok family, who are one of the most successful and passionate racing families in Hong Kong and have a runner BEAUTY JOY in the feature race on Sunday as well BEAUTY LIVE in Race 9 and BEAUTY CRESCENT in Race 10.
The G3 Sa Sa Ladies’ Purse (1800m) is carded as Race 7 at 4.05pm and carries prizemoney of HK$4,200,000.
The pace will be good with FLAMING RABBIT and ALL FOR ST PAUL’S racing at the head of the field and setting a solid tempo. SWORD POINT will be close to the leaders and MOMENTS IN TIME going forward from his wide gate.
Tony Cruz has won this race six times in the past and this year has three runners, BEAUTY JOY, FIVE G PATCH and LA CITY BLANCHE, with the latter third in the race last season behind ENCOUNTERED.
BEAUTY JOY is probably Tony’s leading chance and always races to a consistently high standard and won the G2 Chairman’s Trophy over 1600m in April. BEAUTY JOY resumed with fifth to GALAXY PATCH in the Sha Tin Trophy on 13 October and, with Hugh Bowman riding again, is a place chance.
MASSIVE SOVEREIGN created a massive impression taking the Hong Kong Derby in March with a storming finish to beat GALAXY PATCH in record time. He was unplaced in two subsequent runs at Group 1 level over 2000m and 2400m. MASSIVE SOVEREIGN has been impressive in two trials leading to his reappearance here for Zac Purton and is my win and place selection.
CHANCHENG GLORY had an outstanding four-year-old season and resumed in good form when racing on the speed and holding on well for third behind GALAXY PATCH and VOYAGE BUBBLE in the Sha Tin Trophy. CHANCHENG GLORY has good tactical speed and Vincent Ho should have him in a good position from his middle draw. He is a place chance.
SWORD POINT raced below his best form last season but bounced back with vengeance when resuming on the All Weather Track over 1650m on 6 October when dominating the opposition and winning by an extended margin. Derek Leung retains the ride and SWORD POINT is a place chance.
Of the horses on the limit weight, KARMA is stepping up dramatically in class but possesses a good turn of foot and used it to good effect when beating HELENE FEELING last start and ENSUED, while out of the handicap, was third in the Hong Kong Classic Cup over this trip in March and has enough talent to run well.
With only a few weeks until his return to Hong Kong for a short riding stint, it was great to see James McDonald showcase his world-class skills with a treble on the opening day of the Melbourne Cup carnival at Flemington on Saturday (2 November).
Due to reunite with champion stayer ROMANTIC WARRIOR in the G2 BOCHK Jockey Club Cup (2000m) at Sha Tin on 17 November, James rode three winners at Flemington on Saturday with two of those victories coming at the highest level – the G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) on SWITZERLAND and the G1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) on ATISHU. His other winner was AELIANA in the G3 Carbine Club Stakes (1600m) for Chris Waller.
Along with talented young Frenchman Alexix Pouchin, it will be great to have James riding in Hong Kong soon and I look forward to following his progress throughout the remainder of the Melbourne Cup carnival over the next week.
Early this morning, REBEL’S ROMANCE – who is entered in the LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m) in December – continued his fantastic form for Charlie Appleby and William Buick with a second victory in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Turf (2400m) at Del Mar. The ultimate globetrotter, REBEL’S ROMANCE has won seven Group 1s in four different countries and regions, including Hong Kong with the G1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2400m) last May.
It is another remarkable achievement by REBEL’S ROMANCE for Charlie, William and Godolphin and I hope they can return to Hong Kong for our flagship meeting on 8 December along with fellow LONGINES Hong Kong International Races entrants GOLD PHOENIX (fourth) and LUXEMBOURG (sixth), who also ran well.
The G1 Breeders’ Cup Classic (2000m) ended in disappointment for CITY OF TROY, who missed the start and did not handle the kickback before finishing eighth to SIERRA LEONE, who triumphed for trainer Chad Fletcher and Flavien Prat and the Coolmore ownership.
It was CITY OF TROY’S first start on dirt and it was apparent from the start he was uncomfortable on the surface.
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