The Year of the Horse has begun, and what a start we enjoyed at Sha Tin on Sunday! Over 90,000 race fans came out to enjoy the great sport and various on-course entertainments, and the perfect sunny weather helped to make it a great afternoon for everyone. Of course, it was perfectly fitting that the stand-out moment of the whole day came from the horse that is fast becoming a fan favourite as he establishes his position at the pinnacle of our sport: Akeed Mofeed.
Before I get to that impressive performance, let me first wish everyone health, success and happiness for the year ahead. As I mentioned in my last blog, the Year of the Horse naturally holds a special place in the hearts of all here at the Jockey Club and it was great to see so many race fans, fresh from special time spent with their families, joining us for such a good time at the racecourse on Sunday. Let’s hope the festivities of the weekend mark an auspicious start to a successful year for us all.
I’m sure many of you found good fortune at the track, too, what with Akeed Mofeed winning and a Joao Moreira treble. Joao really is the man to follow right now and he is clearly a huge favourite with race fans here in Hong Kong, just as he was in Singapore. From my observations, it seems that the Hong Kong circuit is helping him to hone his skills even further and he is clearly relishing the challenge of riding here.
As for Akeed Mofeed, the horse faced a tricky task on Sunday in the day’s highest-class race, the HKG3 Centenary Vase. Richard Gibson’s stable star had to carry top-weight of 133lbs, and so was conceding weight to all of his rivals in what was a strong field. But a horse does not win a BMW Hong Kong Derby and a LONGINES Hong Kong Cup, as Akeed Mofeed has done, without being blessed with a large amount of class, and that ability was clear as he quickened to the lead in the home straight. His trainer had said beforehand that the five-year-old would be short of his peak, so it was particularly pleasing to see the horse dig in and hold the fast finish of Ashkiyr to seal the victory.
Akeed Mofeed is now firmly on course for the second leg of our Triple Crown Series, the Citibank Hong Kong Gold Cup. That race promises to be a real cracker as the first leg winner, Blazing Speed, and our reigning Horse of the Year, Military Attack, should offer tough competition. I must say I’m pleased that connections are all keen to take each other on here in front of our local fans on home soil before looking to Dubai at the end of March. As I’ve said before, with the increasing globalization of the sport, it is important that Hong Kong racing continues to show its strength on the world stage, but it is equally important for our star horses to compete in our biggest races here at home in front of their biggest fans. I will cross my fingers that all of our stars show their true form in two and a half weeks’ time and then we can look forward to some big efforts overseas in the near future.
This time last year Akeed Mofeed was the most talked about horse on the road to the Derby. This year’s edition is on 16 March and we saw a couple of smart efforts from potential contenders on Sunday. Super Lifeline battled home well to overhaul Dundonnell close home. The former was fifth in the Hong Kong Classic Mile last time, so his win is a boost to the prospects of Able Friend and Designs On Rome, first and second in that contest. Meanwhile, for Dundonnell, his second-place marked a discovery of form that could put the UK G3 winner on track for a Derby attempt.
But for now our focus turns to Happy Valley tonight when we have a nine-race card. Though I will not be able to join you on the track to enjoy racing live as I am currently on business trip, I have studied the card and the last race of the day is the Yiu Wa Handicap which is run as a Class 3 over 1800m. As there is no regular pacesetter in the race the tempo should be slow, which tends to favour horses on the pace or in midfield. Axiom had a soft lead over course and distance in his last run and may repeat that tactic, probably with Ambitious Champion joining him or being just off the pace. Wrath Of Fire and Royal Partner may try to race closer than usual and both should be well placed with Redwood Baby in midfield. Holmes Legend, who is working well, will be further back, with Golden Addiction (who is also working well) likely to join Ambassadorship at the back of the field. Redwood Baby can continue the good performance of International Sales Griffins this season by repeating his last time out win over course and distance. Wrath of Fire has a drawn a better gate than in his recent starts, is working well, and for me is a win and place chance. Golden Addiction and Royal Partner are unproven at the distance but I would see both as place chances.
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