With only eight days until the running of the “race of once-in-a-lifetime glory’, the official BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) field selection sets the scene for what shapes as a truly auspicious staging of Hong Kong’s most coveted race in the Year of the Horse.
The announcement of the 14 selected horses to contest the crowning third and final leg of the lucrative Four-Year-Old Classic Series adds further excitement and anticipation ahead of the 22 March BMW Hong Kong Derby, which has adopted even more significance as we celebrate the Year of the Horse.
I would like to congratulate the respective connections of LITTLE PARADISE (103), NUMBERS (100), STORMY GROVE (98), SAGACIOUS LIFE (97), INVINCIBLE IBIS (94), PATCH OF COSMO (89), BEAUTY BOLT (88), EMBLAZON (88), TOP DRAGON (87), REGAL GEM (85), JUNEAU PRIDE (81), DAZZLING FIT (80), SERAPH GABRIEL (79) and POPE CODY (76) for their BMW Hong Kong Derby selection.
One of the most unique aspects of the BMW Hong Kong Derby is the race’s unmatched cosmopolitan nature with horses, trainers and jockeys from all over the world assembling to vie for glory in the city’s most prestigious race.
Without a breeding industry of our own to sustain Hong Kong’s world-class racing, Hong Kong’s owners invest substantial resources in securing the best available equine talent around the world to race here.
As a measure of their ambition and passion to source the best available talent, the BMW Hong Kong Derby field – including the four standby reserves of WINDLORD (78), CIRCUIT GRAND SLAM (80), AERODYNAMICS (75) and GLITTERING LEGEND (75) – features horses from six different jurisdictions.
Australia leads the way with seven runners from New Zealand (three), Ireland (three), Great Britain (three), Brazil (one) and South Africa (one), making the BMW Hong Kong Derby a truly international derby.
Similarly, it is also interesting to assess the spread of trainers – both homegrown and expatriate – who are represented in the BMW Hong Kong Derby.
Of the 18 selected runners, including standby runners, Frankie Lor and David Eustace each have three horses involved, while Mark Newnham, Manfred Man and Cody Mo have two with Jimmy Ting, Tony Cruz, Pierre Ng, Chris So, John Size and Me Tsui also represented with a runner.
I would like to wish all connections the very best on 22 March for what looms as one of the most intriguing BMW Hong Kong Derbies in memory with so many horses having the chance to secure “once-in-a-lifetime glory” – with the added honour of doing so in the Year of the Horse.
The release of the latest LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings is a wonderful reflection and endorsement of Hong Kong’s world-class racing with global champions KA YING RISING and ROMANTIC WARRIOR occupying first and second places, respectively, based on performances this year.
The world’s premier sprinter, KA YING RISING (128) is No. 1 after breaking Sha Tin’s 1400m course record with a stunning victory in the G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) on 22 February – the same day this remarkable athlete set a new record by a Hong Kong-trained horse with an 18th successive win.
His supreme consistency for the Ka Ying Syndicate reflects tremendously on the management David Hayes and his stable staff, including the expert use of Conghua Racecourse to prepare KA YING RISING, and also the expertise of champion jockey Zac Purton.
ROMANTIC WARRIOR (124) ranks second after a record-extending 13th Group 1 triumph in the G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup (2000m) for Mr Peter Lau, trainer Danny Shum and James McDonald.
With two legs of the Hong Kong Triple Crown already secured, I look forward to ROMANTIC WARRIOR’s performance in the G1 FWD QEII Cup (2000m) at Sha Tin on 26 April before he attempts to complete the Triple Crown sweep with victory in the G1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2400m) on 24 May.
We are indeed fortunate to have these two amazing champions competing in Hong Kong at the same time, while we are also pleased to have two other Hong Kong entries in the top 20 of the March edition of the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings with Manfred Man’s LUCKY SWEYNESSE (118) ranked joint-11th and John Size-trained HELIOS EXPRESS (117) equal 15th.
Hong Kong’s world-class racing continues at Sha Tin today (15 March) with an 11-race card starting at 12.30pm. One of the competitive highlights is the Class 3 Lok Sin Tong Cup Handicap, which is carded as Race 6 and will be run over 1000m at 3pm for prizemoney of HK$1.86 million.
The pace will be good with newcomer TACTICAL ACE (Matthew Chadwick) likely to show good early speed along with YOUTHFUL SPIRITS (Angus Chung) and TURQUOISE VELOCITY. THE UNIQUE STAR will be prominent, with GLOWING PRAISES and LOOKING BRIGHT close to the leading division.
TURQUOISE VELOCITY jumped well and led throughout to beat LOOKING BRIGHT over this course and distance on 14 February and post his second win from just three starts. From barrier nine, and with Keith Yeung riding, TURQUOISE VELOCITY is a win and place chance.
LOOKING BRIGHT, who will be ridden by Matthew Poon, ran well last start when second to TURQUOISE VELOCITY. From gate six, LOOKING BRIGHT is a place chance.
GLOWING PRAISES, who will be partnered by Derek Leung, won on debut over this course and distance on 1 February when he beat TOGETHER WE VALUE and SIGHT HERMOSO. Last start, he finished fifth over 1200m to the talented HOT DELIGHT. He is a place chance.
THE UNIQUE STAR (Karis Teetan), TOGETHER WE VALUE (Zac Purton) and FAST RESPONDER (Harry Bentley) are all place chances.
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