As preparations intensify for FWD Champions Day at Sha Tin next week, Hong Kong tonight (15 April) celebrates the unique relationship between two of the city’s most popular sports – horseracing and rugby – at Happy Valley.
‘Racing with Rugby’ marks the collaboration between horseracing and rugby and there is no more appropriate venue to celebrate this than Happy Valley as the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC), Hong Kong China Rugby (HKCR) and the Hong Kong Football Club (HKFC) join forces to showcase the city’s passion for sports, entertainment and community engagement.
The HKFC 10s, which started on Tuesday (14 April) and runs until Thursday (16 Apri) at Happy Valley marks the beginning of a fantastic week of world-class sport with tonight’s nine-race card at Happy Valley to be followed from Friday by the Hong Kong Sevens (17-19 April) at Kai Tak Stadium.
This is amazing week of sport and provides the perfect platform for passionate followers of both horseracing and rugby – as well as others – to gather and enjoy world-class competition and entertainment.
Hong Kong’s remarkable resilience, can-do spirit and endless quest for excellence are on display this week through these two fantastic sports and it has been a pleasure to witness the excitement and passion of all participants.
Tonight, Happy Valley’s iconic Beer Garden will come alive to the sights of rugby and racing in what shapes as a truly memorable occasion.
Attendees will be entertained by ABBA tribute band BABBA and renowned Australian singer Jason Donovan, while racegoers will also have the chance to win HK Sevens tickets and enjoy especially themed food and beverages.
With the fusion of top-class horseracing, music, food, beverages and the presence of rugby supporters, we tonight continue a wonderful week and embrace the motto of ‘One city. Two passions. One epic week.’
The competitive highlight tonight is the Class 3 Hong Kong China Rugby Cup Handicap, which is carded as Race 5 and will be run over 1650m at 8.40pm for prizemoney of HK$2,050,000.
The speed will be good with WIN METHOD taking up the front from gate six. WROTE A NEW PAGE will settle behind the leader from barrier one, with DO YOUR PART also in a forward position. KING LOTUS (James Orman) and BEAUTY ALLIANCE also race close to the speed and will be prominent.
BEAUTY ALLIANCE is working his way back to winning form and has been placed at his last two starts in close finishes. Last start he drew well and settled in the leading division, staying on well for a close third to WITHOUT COMPARE and KEEFY over this course and distance on 25 March. Zac Purton goes back aboard BEAUTY ALLIANCE here, and he is a win and place chance.
WROTE A NEW PAGE has won his last three starts over this course and trip. Last start, over 1600m at Sha Tin on 1 February, he was bumped early and failed to make an impression when well back behind LUCKY SAM GOR. WROTE A NEW PAGE has spent extended time at Conghua since and, coming back to his favourite course and trip and drawn to get the run of the race with Joao Moreira taking the ride, is a place chance.
WIN METHOD posted successive wins at this course and distance when he jumped well and led throughout to beat TAKE ACTION on 25 March, showing plenty of fight in the straight to hold off his challengers. WIN METHOD rises in class but is an emerging talent and if Lyle Hewitson can dictate terms in front, he will be hard to run down.
DO YOUR PART has been consistent with top-three finishes at all eight runs this season and he was narrowly beaten over this course and distance by WIN BEAUTY VIVA. He has drawn well in gate five for Luke Ferraris and is a place chance.
LE ZONDA (Jerry Chau) ran well last start when fourth to FALLON and is a place chance, despite barrier 10 and CALIFORNIA MOXIE (Andrea Atzeni) is another with claims, having already won twice over this course and distance this season.
With only 11 days now until FWD Champions Day, excitement continues to build ahead of our spring flagship international meeting which features some incredible horses including KA YING RISING, ROMANTIC WARRIOR, MASQUERADE BALL and SOSIE, among a string of international Group 1 winners.
ROMANTIC WARRIOR faces a big challenge in the G1 FWD QEII Cup (2000m) with formidable opponents such as MASQUERADE BALL, SOSIE and ROYAL CHAMPION as he chases a record win in the race and a 14th Group 1 victory overall, but his barrier trial at Sha Tin on Tuesday morning (14 April) was extremely impressive in finishing a close second while not being asked to extend.
The world’s top-rated horse, KA YING RISING, will chase a record-extending 20th straight win in the G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) against top-class rivals including SATONO REVE, HELIOS EXPRESS, FAST NETWORK, NATIVE APPROACH and COMANCHE BRAVE and will complete his final piece of fast work later this week at Sha Tin.
The G1 FWD Champions Mile (1600m) shapes as a fascinating race with five individual Group 1 winners – JANTAR MANTAR, VOYAGE BUBBLE, DOCKLANDS, RED LION and LUCKY SWEYNESSE – clashing with talented horses such as MY WISH, STRAUSS, GALAXY PATCH and BMW Hong Kong Derby winner(2000m) INVINCIBLE IBIS and Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m) victor LITTLE PARADISE.
With so many horses having claims to victory, the FWD Champions Mile is creating tremendous discussion as anticipation grows ahead of our 26 April showpiece.
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