The Year of the Dragon will fondly be remembered as one of the most successful in Hong Kong racing history with the towering accomplishments of our champion horses, jockeys and trainers and, as we usher in the Year of the Snake, we look to the next 12 months with optimism and excitement.
The Year of the Dragon is synonymous with the incredible globe-trotting feats of ROMANTIC WARRIOR and CALIFORNIA SPANGLE, the stunning emergence of record-breaking KA YING RISING, confirmation of VOYAGE BUBBLE’s status as a world-class miler and the championship successes of Francis Lui and Zac Purton, who last week created more history for the most wins by a jockey in Hong Kong.
Underscoring the global pre-eminence of Hong Kong horses, the Thoroughbred Racing Commentary (TRC) Global Rankings this week again recognised ROMANTIC WARRIOR as the top-ranked horse in the world with 2,213 points, followed by KA YING RISING (1,994) in second place, champion Irish stayer KYPRIOS (1,957), VIA SISTINA (1,902), THORPEDO ANNA (1,885), FIERCENESS (1,863), CITY OF TROY (1,843) and VOYAGE BUBBLE (1,840) in eighth position.
ROMANTIC WARRIOR has spent 28 weeks at the top of the influential and respected TRC Global Global Rankings, which are adjusted on a weekly basis to assess performances around the world with the objective of recognising a body of work over a rolling three-year period rather than a one-off performance.
The presence of three Hong Kong horses in the TRC Global Rankings’ top eight from a horse population of only 1,300 is a wonderful acknowledgement of our world-class racing.
ROMANTIC WARRIOR’s effort to win Group 1 races in four different jurisdictions elevates this amazing middle-distance champion into the rarest company as a global champion and his outstanding G1 Jebel Hatta (1800m) victory in Dubai on Friday (24 January) was arguably the finest of his career and shows that, even at seven years of age, he continues to peak.
There has rarely been a horse on the international stage who has been as successful in four different jurisdictions – running both left-handed and right-handed on unfamiliar courses – and remaining unbeaten against top-class opposition in eight successive races across a 13-month period.
ROMANTIC WARRIOR is a credit to owner Mr Peter Lau, trainer Danny Shum and jockey James McDonald and epitomises Hong Kong’s ‘can-do spirit’ with his enormous determination and class.
The emergence of KA YING RISING and VOYAGE BUBBLE’s continued progress also fills us with great pride, along with the world-class feats of our jockeys and trainers who relentlessly pursue excellence for our owners and fans.
From a sporting perspective, it was a vintage year with the successful stagings of our flagship meetings – LONGINES Hong Kong International Races, FWD Champion’s Day and BMW Hong Kong Derby Day – and I would like to thank all participants and the many Club teams who worked tirelessly to ensure the success of these major race days.
These elite sporting events, which promote Hong Kong as an international tourist destination, are at the core of the Club’s unique integrated business model which generates economic and social value through racing, racecourse entertainment, sports wagering and lottery with surplus revenues channelled to the Club’s Charities Trust for the betterment of our society.
On Friday, we celebrate Chinese New Year Raceday – one of the most auspicious days on the Hong Kong racing calendar – at Sha Tin. The opening race is the Class 5 Kung Hei Handicap (1200m) at 12.30pm and it is traditionally a race that every owner, trainer and jockey want to win to make a successful start to the Year of the Snake, while all our customers and fans are eager to make a winning start.
Adding even more quality to our world-class jockey roster today are top visiting jockeys Mickael Barzalona, Jamie Melham, Blake Shinn and Christophe Soumillon.
The G3 Centenary Vase is carded as Race 4 at 2pm and run over 1800m with prizemoney of HK$4.2 million.
The pace will be good with SWORD POINT (Derek Leung) likely to lead with ENCOUNTERED (Karis Teetan) also prominent from barrier two, along with WINNING DRAGON (Harry Bentley) and ENSUED (Zac Purton).
ENSUED won the G3 Sa Sa Ladies’ Purse over this course and distance in November and finished fourth last start in the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m) on 8 December. ENSUED resumes here and is a win and place chance.
STRAIGHT ARRON (Vincent Ho) ran third in this race last year and finished fifth to ROMANTIC WARRIOR in the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m) on 8 December. STRAIGHT ARRON concedes weight to all his rivals from barrier 11, but is a place chance.
HAPPY TOGETHER (Alexis Badel) ran fifth to VOYAGE BUBBLE in the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile before finishing second to HELENE FEELING in the G3 January Cup (1800m) and he is also a place chance.
NIMBLE NIMBUS (Andrea Atzeni) won this race last year, CHANCHENG GLORY (Hugh Bowman) is racing consistently and STUNNING PEACH (Matthew Chadwick) is an interesting runner as a high quality four-year-old on a path to the BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) in March. All have place chances, while with LA CITY BLANCHE (Mickael Barzalona) will run well.
The Class 2 Chinese New Year Cup is carded as Race 6 at 3.05pm and run over 1400m for prizemoney of HK$2.84 million.
The pace will be good with DROMBEG BANNER (Britney Wong) going forward from barrier 11 to lead. HEALTHY HAPPY (Ellis Wong) and AURORA LADY (Jamie Melham) will both settle on the speed.
YOUNG CHAMPION (Zac Purton) ran in a strong race over this course and distance on 12 January when he presented to win but couldn’t match RUBYLOT in the closing stages, finishing second. It was nevertheless a good effort against quality opposition and YOUNG CHAMPION is a win and place chance.
GREEN N WHITE (Hugh Bowman) won twice this season over this course and distance before finishing fifth to PATCH OF THETA in the Chevalier Cup when stretching to 1600m for the first time. He finished third to PATCH OF THETA over 1400m on 1 January and he is also a win and place chance from barrier two.
AURORA LADY has a very good record at Happy Valley over 1200m but has also run well at Sha Tin. He will be close to the speed and, if he doesn’t work too hard early to take up a position from barrier eight, he is a place chance with a light weight.
DROMBEG BANNER, CHIU CHOW SPIRIT (Alexis Badel), DANCING CODE (Vincent Ho) and TOURBILLON PRINCE (Lyle Hewitson) are all racing well.
The Hong Kong Classic Mile is carded as Race 8 at 4.10pm and run over 1600m with prizemoney of HK$13 million. This race has drawn a very good field with four Privately Purchased horses competing with nine Privately Purchased Griffins and one Hong Kong International Sale Graduate and the selection of the field was not an easy choice, having good horses on the reserve with SKY TRUST and BUNDLE AWARD.
The speed will be good with GLORY ELITE (Harry Bentley) leading. CALL ME GLORIOUS (Matthew Chadwick) should be prominent along with DIVANO (Blake Shinn) and MY WISH (Luke Ferraris).
With some of the contenders stepping up for the first time to 1600m and entering new territory, others are already proven over 1600m and further.
PACKING HERMOD, who is the choice of Zac Purton and the current favourite, has the same sire as RUBYLOT, both being by RUBICK. RUBICK was a precocious horse and good sprinter but PACKING HERMOD, as well as RUBYLOT, has some stamina on the dam side and should have no issue in a competition with only four-year-olds to stay the 1600m.
PACKING HERMOD is working very well and should be well positioned from his draw in gate six and is the horse to beat especially with his electric turn of foot. RUBYLOT from gate 10 has a tougher task and Brenton Avdulla has to avoid being kept wide but is a place chance in my view.
CAP FERRAT with Vincent Ho was very unlucky and found no room to accelerate from the 400m to the 300m in his only start in Hong Kong over 1600m and was beaten by MICKLEY in December and he is my second choice.
JOHANNES BRAHMS will be ridden by Michael Barzalona and was also very unlucky last start with no room from the 400m to the 200m and is my next place chance. MARKWIN, with Dererk Leung on board, is a Hong Kong International Sales Graduate by the top sire I AM INVINCIBLE and should not be underestimated as well as FAST NETWORK with Christophe Soumillon.
MICKLEY was unlucky not to get clear runs but was a shade disappointing in his last start and didn’t finish strongly. His regular jockey High Bowman stays on board and the application of blinkers may help MICKLEY to focus.
In closing, I would like to wish all our friends, colleagues and customers a peaceful family holiday and every success and good fortune throughout the Year of the Snake – Kung Hei Fat Choi!
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