It seems safe to say the last few days have showcased the very best of equestrian sport in Hong Kong.
Things got under way on Friday with some of the world’s best showjumpers and Asia’s most promising riders competing in the seventh edition of the LONGINES Masters at Asia World-Expo.
People often think the Jockey Club is all about racing but we also have deep roots in this area and, as Founding Partner, it has been great to see how the whole event has developed.
And development is also an appropriate word when analysing the two stars of the show at Sha Tin on Sunday.
Beauty Generation wasn’t a major star right away when he first arrived in Hong Kong from Australia, while Exultant also took a little while to find his feet after coming here from Ireland.
But, as with most exceptional athletes, they have matured and become increasingly strong and professional over time.
Our master miler Beauty Generation was impossible to fault when repeating last year’s success in the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup back at 1400m, while Exultant sealed an extremely rare treble when adding the Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup to his wins in the Hong Kong Vase and the Centenary Vase.
It is evident that this pair are now dominant in their respective divisions, but the BMW Hong Kong Derby picture is less clear at this stage and that makes for a fascinating scenario.
Frankie Lor deserves huge credit for saddling three of the first four home in both the first two legs of the Four-Year-Old Classic Series.
Mission Tycoon made the most of a soft lead for Derek Leung in Sunday’s Classic Cup but Dark Dream will be very well suited by the stiffer stamina test over 2000m on Derby day and Furore remains a strong contender after coming home strongly for fourth from a high draw.
Add in the fact that John Size has Sunday’s fast-improving 1400m winner Waikuku as he bids for a fourth Derby success and it all adds up to a compelling Classic on 17 March.
One of the features of the past few months has been the way that John has used Conghua to great advantage and it is interesting to see that last week’s Happy Valley Million Challenge winner Country Star will be one of 35 horses taking part in five important barrier trials there on Saturday afternoon.
This provides our teams with a valuable opportunity to put their plans into practice and a dry run is an essential rehearsal to help prepare for our eagerly-awaited Exhibition Raceday on 23 March.
Wednesday’s Class 4 Volunteers’ Challenge Cup at 1200m is the fourth race with Sky Treasure and Gouten Of Garo likely to set what figures to be a moderate pace.
Champion’s Way, an impressive debut winner three weeks ago, will be a strong favourite from his good draw with Zac Purton replacing suspended Joao Moreira. He will be well placed just behind the early leaders and is a win and place chance, though he looks like a horse that might need 1400m in his near future.
Gouten Of Garo adds blinkers after a good effort when third behind Champion’s Way and is a place chance in his current form. Khaki performs best over this course and distance and I am willing to excuse his last run at Sha Tin. He is a place chance along with Shining On.
Race 6 is the Class 4 Rotary Centenary Challenge Cup over 1650m with a good pace to be set by Multigogo, Glory Star and Universal Go Go. This is a race that features three last-start winners at the same class, course and distance in Charity Wings, Universal Go Go and C P Power, which makes this a very intriguing contest.
Merrygowin is one of many with a realistic chance. He showed improvement when dropping into this grade four weeks ago and is a win and place chance from his good draw. Charity Wings is in career-best form and is a place chance along with Naboo Star, who steps up in trip, and Glory Star.
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