After a highly productive week of dialogue and discussion on issues crucial to horse racing’s future at the Asian Racing Conference in Riyadh, our attention turns this weekend to the sport’s strongest selling point – our amazing equine heroes and champion jockeys and trainers competing at the highest level around the world.
Flemington, Sha Tin and King Abdulaziz Racecourses share the spotlight this weekend with world-class racing which showcases the very best of our sport on a global stage.
From Melbourne where the cream of Australian sprinters do battle over Flemington’s famed straight, to Sha Tin where an emerging cluster of talented gallopers will attempt to advance their claims in Hong Kong’s lucrative Four-Year-Old Series to Riyadh and the world’s richest race, the G1 Saudi Cup on dirt, this weekend is one to savour for racing purists.
The variety of racing is amazing with a straight-course contest in the Australian summer, a 1600m race on turf which could impact on the BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) on 22 March and the return of the incredible FOREVER YOUNG in search of a second Saudi Cup.
It promises to be amazing weekend of outstanding racing and I am excited to see what unfolds.
The G1 Lightning Stakes is the first of Saturday’s World Pool features. It is carded as S1-1 and will be run over 1000m at Flemington at 1.10pm.
The pace will be good with MILITARY TYCOON likely to lead BEIWACHT, MARHOONA and BARAQIEL with MY GLADIOLA, BENEDETTA and GIGA KICK next while TENTYRIS is expected to settle at the tail of the field.
TENTYRIS, to be ridden by Damian Lane, finished his spring campaign with victory in the G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes over 1200m at Flemington and he has trialled impressively in preparation for this race. He is a win and place selection.
GIGA KICK, who will be partnered by Ethan Brown, who will join the Hong Kong jockey ranks in April, is unbeaten at the course and distance and last start claimed the G1 VRC Champions Sprint (1200m). He is always a threat at this level and is the hardest for TENTYRIS to beat.
In a highly competitive field, BARAQIEL (Ben Allen), BEIWACHT (Ben Melham) and MY GLADIOLA (Jamie Mott), all have strong place chances.
Sha Tin has a 10-race card on Saturday with the main focus being the Class 3 TVB Miss Hong Kong Pageant Handicap, which is carded as Race 10 and will be run over 1600m at 6pm with prize money of HK$2,050,000.
The pace will be good to slow with A TIME FOR US likely to lead from gate 13. LEGEND WINNER and CHILL EASY should be just behind the speed.
A total of 10 of the 14 starters are nominated for the BMW Hong Kong Derby and will seek to improve their ratings today, including GLITTERING LEGEND, SHANWAH, LUCKY SAM GOR and NATURAL NUMBERS, among others.
LUCKY SAM GOR will be ridden by James Orman and from gate three should have a good run throughout on the fence. LUCKY SAM GOR has won four of his past six starts and last start handled the step up to 1600m with victory. He is a win and place chance.
GLITTERING LEGEND, who will be ridden by Hugh Bowman, can improve markedly on his Hong Kong debut of 10th after being Group 3-placed in England.
John Size is represented by ENDUED, who is racing well and will be ridden by Andrea Atzeni, and ENTHUSIUM, a winner over 1800m in the United Kingdom and who makes his Hong Kong debut under Alexis Badel. Both are capable of running well.
Following the Sha Tin meeting, our focus turns to King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia for Saudi Cup Day with the first of seven races to be simulcast from 9.20pm as S2-1.
Hong Kong, China, is represented by SELF IMPROVEMENT in the G2 Riyadh Dirt Sprint, which is carded as S2-3 will be run over 1200m on dirt at 10.40pm.
Manfred Man has been pleased with the gelding since his arrival in Riyadh and SELF IMPROVEMENT has previously shown a capacity to cope with international travel with his victory in the G3 Korea Sprint (1200m) in Seoul.
Jerry Chau has had a remarkable rise to become a top-class jockey and his treble at Happy Valley on Wednesday night (11 February) is more evidence of his continued progress as an elite rider. It is wonderful to see Jerry get these opportunities on the global stage after rising to fourth in the highly competitive Hong Kong jockeys’ championship behind Zac Purton, Hugh Bowman and Andrea Atzeni.
SELF IMPROVEMENT faces a very strong field of dirt-course specialists here and a top-five finish would be a good result. The hardest horse to beat is IMAGINATION, for Flavien Prat, who is a Group 2 winner and Group 1-placed on dirt.
LOVESICK BLUES, who will be ridden by Geovanni Franco, is a strong chance along with AMERICAN STAGE (Ryusei Sakai) and MUQTAHEM (Muhammad Aldaham).
I wish Manfred, Jerry and SELF IMPROVEMENT’s owner, the Wong family, the very best of luck.
The feature race of the evening is the G1 Saudi Cup, which is carded as S2-7 and will be run over 1800m on dirt at 1.40am on Sunday (15 February).
BISHOPS BAY and NYSOS are expected to dispute the lead with FOREVER YOUNG, under Ryusei Sakai, settling in the second pair of runners along with STAR OF WONDER.
FOREVER YOUNG is the world’s best dirt horse and he showed his champion qualities in toppling Hong Kong hero ROMANTIC WARRIOR in record time in this race last year after an unforgettable battle down the home straight.
FOREVER YOUNG has delighted master trainer Yoshito Yahagi in the lead-up to this race and he is a clear win and chance selection.
NYSOS, to be ridden by Flavien Prat, has won seven of eight starts and is a Group 1 winner. He is not to be under-estimated as a danger to FOREVER YOUNG, while BISHOPS BAY, for Junior Alvarado, and NEVADA BEACH, under Irad Ortiz Jr, must be respected.
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