The season end seems to have come around quickly and we now find ourselves heading into the climax, with the Champions Awards presentation ceremony to be held in our penultimate race meeting of the season at Sha Tin tomorrow. It has been another exciting season and tomorrow some of the top performers will receive well-deserved appreciation and honour for their outstanding achievements this term.
As well as that you can also witness the heated challenge for the trainers’ championship and I think it’s safe to say that we can expect a day of tension and excitement for the three contenders, Dennis Yip, Tony Cruz and John Size, especially after the dramatic end to our Happy Valley meeting this past Thursday. That night, Tony deployed only two runners but he succeeded in eliminating his deficit against Dennis as both horses, Beauty Sparkle and Winnie’s Horse, scored in Race 6 and 7 to give him an important double. Beauty Sparkle only just got up at the wire after he had to escape from a pocket and sprint home late, while Winnie’s Horse rallied for jockey Keith Yeung in the closing stages to hold the charge of Jazzy Feeling, who was ridden in determined fashion by Tony’s own stable number one, Matthew Chadwick. It was breathtaking sport and a great outcome for Tony.
But then in a last race thriller that really lifted the crowd, Dennis delivered an instant response as his trainee Cheers Joy won by a narrow margin after an unrelenting run down the outside. It was a fantastic atmosphere that showed that our race fans here in Hong Kong appreciate the excitement of a good sporting contest. That win restored Dennis’ outright lead by a single winner heading into the penultimate meeting and coincidentally, all these three winners won their respective races by the margin of short head, which was a fitting reflection of the trainer’s championship contest this season.
Now with two race meetings to go, which equates to 20 races, it wouldn’t be any surprise if we see more twists and turns, as three wins cover the top three with John Size still very much in contention. All these three leading stables have declared strong representation for tomorrow’s races. Among the 11 runners coming from Dennis’s yard, much attention will focus on Champion Griffin nominee and Most Improved Horse contender All You Wish, as well as K-Moochi who won three times in his four recent starts. Tony’s three-pronged assault on the Sha Tin Mile Trophy – Zaidan, Bullish Champion and Penglai Xianzi – will be the highlights of his stable’s 12 runners. I think the young talents Access Years, Khaya and Tarzan I Am could well represent John’s leading chances among his nine runners, and he will need results tomorrow to narrow the gap against Dennis and Tony.
I believe many of you like me will be watching closely to see if there’s again another change in the leaderboard during the races tomorrow. No matter who you are supporting, I encourage you to join us at Sha Tin tomorrow to enjoy the exciting day finale meeting and cheer for your favourite trainer.
Among the 11 races on the card, the Hong Kong Racehorse Owners Association 35th Anniversary Trophy (Handicap), a Class 2 event over 1400m, is arranged as the last race of the day. The expected good to slow pace set by King Of Reason and Tarzan I Am helps a little bit on horses settled in the front of the field. Debutants Indian Jade, Massive Impact and Axiom should be well placed with Solar Great from gate 7 has to be careful not to be trapped wide and will try to find cover in midfield. Dennis Yip's All You Wish and Sea Diamond will likely go back to avoid being trapped wide. All You Wish is a top three-year-old with great potential and is working very well. Even though he has to overcome his draw, he is my first pick and can provide an important win for Dennis Yip to boost his chance for the Champion Trainer title. His main opponents come from John Moore as both Sea Diamond and Secret Sham are working well. Secret Sham is another smart three-year-old, too! John Size's Tarzan I Am was a bit disappointing in his last start but can be dangerous if one leaves him alone in front at least for a place.
Apart from horse racing, tonight I will also pay attention to the tennis action from the UK, as Germany’s Sabine Lisicki will feature in Wimbledon’s Ladies’ Single Final. Should she win, she will become the first German player to win the Wimbledon ladies’ single event since the legendary Steffi Graf in 1996. I will be cheering for her and hope she can make a winning appearance in her grand slam final debut.
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