I think it is safe to say that this year’s BMW Hong Kong Derby lived up to everyone’s expectations.
It is always gratifying to see the very best horses come to the fore in any top race and there is no question that Furore and Waikuku have added a huge amount to the Hong Kong racing scene this season.
Both horses enhanced their growing reputations in a thrilling contest and the stories behind the personalities involved added further to a memorable occasion.
John Size joked in advance that perhaps he had taught Frankie Lor a little too well as his assistant but he was typically sporting after seeing Waikuku come up just short in a thrilling finish.
Frankie was understandably elated as he described Furore’s win as “a dream come true” and his rise to the top of his profession over the last couple of years is one of the great Hong Kong sporting stories of modern times.
Here is a man who grew up as the son of a groom in Happy Valley at a time when Hong Kong had just one racecourse and horses were walked down Shan Kwong Road at dawn every morning to exercise on the track.
Frankie has seen the sport make incredible progress while spending his entire adult life as part of the HKJC system, first as a jockey and then learning his craft during long spells as assistant to some of the best trainers around.
He seized his opportunity when granted a training license in 2017 and, after Sunday’s great success, he now has two major Group 1 wins under his belt this season and a combined prize money total of over HK$100 million.
Of course, the next question every Derby winner faces is whether they can go on to beat the very best older horses in international Group 1 contests like the FWD Queen Elizabeth II Cup.
Werther did so under Furore’s rider Hugh Bowman after his Derby success in 2016 and Designs On Rome, Ambitious Dragon and Vengeance Of Rain also completed the double in previous years.
Time will tell whether Furore can follow in their famous footsteps but he is clearly on the right track and his presence, along with the rest of Hong Kong’s elite and some fascinating international contenders, promises to make FWD Champions Day on 28 April another memorable occasion.
Wednesday’s Class 3 Ireland Trophy over 1000m should be an exciting race to watch. Ireland has long been responsible for world-class stallions and the Irish link with Hong Kong remains strong in recent years.
Aidan O’Brien’s great globetrotter Highland Reel starred twice at LONGINES HKIR by winning the Hong Kong Vase twice, while our current star stayer Exultant is Irish bred along with Sunday’s Derby runner-up Waikuku.
As for Wednesday’s race, E-Super has drawn the rail for the third consecutive time and will show his usual speed along with Dream Come True and Dragon Pioneer to set a good pace. Speedy King and Strathallan will also be close to the early pace.
E-Super faced the difficult task of taking on Little Bird here and might find it a bit easier this time, but Dragon Pioneer finished ahead of him last time and is a win and place chance from stall 4 with Vincent Ho aboard.
Strathallan and Special Stars are both course and distance winners this season but both have difficult draws. Strathallan displayed an irregular heart rhythm in his last start but has been working well for his return, while Dream Come True will be well suited by returning to 1000m and is a place chance.
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