Every great suspense plot needs twists and turns and, on Thursday at Sha Tin, Hong Kong racing experienced such a moment when Caspar Fownes extended his lead to John Size in the trainers’ championship to eight wins with only four meetings left.
While the trainers’ championship is, in theory at least, not formally decided, Joao Moreira has been crowned champion jockey for the fourth time with Zac Purton’s two-meeting suspension. As a measure of the pair’s great rivalry, Zac is also a four-time champion and we look forward with much anticipation to how this incredible joust plays out next season.
On the trainers’ front, Caspar’s Thursday double with Joy Master and Telecom Missile boosted his 2020/21 tally to 77 – a career-high for the three-time champion – with John on 69. It was a telling shift in the battle which has raged all season.
Both men are strongly represented across the 10-race card at Sha Tin on Sunday (4 July), when John has nine entries and Caspar seven. While the numbers currently heavily favour Caspar, an 11-time champion trainer such as John can never be written off – even when there are just under 40 races left in what has been another extraordinary season.
One of the most compelling aspects this term has been the emergence of Jerry Chau, who has now 51 winners for the season, and is gently pressing Vincent Ho (58) for the Tony Cruz award, which recognises the most successful homegrown rider across the season.
Even allowing for the quality of Douglas Whyte’s tutelage, it is remarkable that Jerry has risen so quickly in his first full season. His meteoric career trajectory is another glowing endorsement of the Club’s Apprentice Jockeys’ School and the grounding Jerry experienced in Australia, where he partnered 77 winners before returning to Hong Kong.
As we monitor Jerry’s rise, the Club – through the Champion Awards Judging Panel – has seen fit to pay homage to Beauty Generation and Exultant by saluting these two great champions with Lifetime Achievement Awards in recognition of their massive contributions to Hong Kong racing.
Beauty Generation was twice Hong Kong’s Horse of the Year and acclaimed as Hong Kong Champion Miler an unrivalled three times. His 18 wins from 34 starts in Hong Kong earned a record HK$106,233,750.
Exultant is Hong Kong’s reigning Horse of the Year and was twice crowned as Champion Stayer and Champion Middle-Distance horse, totalling 11 wins from 32 starts and amassing HK$83,491,900 – a figure surpassed by only Beauty Generation.
Winners of the Champion Awards will be announced at The Hong Kong Jockey Club Champion Awards 2020/2021 presentation ceremony to be held on Tuesday, 13 July. The ceremony will be live broadcast on the Club’s online platforms, including the Hong Kong Jockey Club Website, HKJC Racing Facebook Page, HKJC Racing Sports Facebook Page, HKJC YouTube Channel, HKJC Racing Twitter and HKJC TV App.
Racing’s resilience and ‘can-do spirit’ echoes that of the bustling, energetic city we are fortunate enough to live in. As privileged as we are to call Hong Kong home, modern technology ensures that we are able to constantly access incredible sport across the world, whether it is – in a remarkably busy current phase – Euro 2020, the Tour de France or Wimbledon.
On Saturday night, racing purists will zero in on the G1 Eclipse Stakes meeting at Sandown, which will be the focus of our next simulcast and World Pool operation. The G1 Eclipse Stakes serves as the highlight of our eight-race Saturday simulcast meeting from Sandown. There are only four runners in the main event over 1990 metres, which can unfortunately happen in major European races.
The pace will be slow as the small field lacks a natural leader. Exciting three-year-old St Mark’s Basilica may take up the running earlier than expected under Ryan Moore with Tom Marquand electing to have Addeybb tracking in close attendance. Mishriff and regular rider David Egan will be reserved early, though he will not be too far back in this small field. El Drama with Andrea Atzeni appears to be the early leader but is grossly overmatched.
Mishriff is in career-best form after big money wins in the Saudi Cup and the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic. He must concede 10 weight-for-age pounds to younger rival St Mark’s Basilica, which can make this a horse race. St Mark’s Basilica is also perfect this year with consecutive Group 1 wins against three-year-olds only in France on soft ground. Mishriff is my win choice to defeat St Mark’s Basilica.
Addeybb prefers softer ground and comes in with good form in his last two starts in Australia, including a last-start win in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick. He is consistent but is ground-dependent and needs rain to improve his chances. I would not be shocked if he is a late scratching due to the going.
Racing continues at Sha Tin on Sunday, where the theme of the race day is Chairmen’s Day as recognition of the wonderful dedication and contributions of the Chairmen who have steered the Club to a position of global pre-eminence.
The Ip Jug is a Class 2 Handicap for horses rated between 70 and 90 over 1400 metres, and is the ninth of ten races. Team Spirit will flash his genuine speed under Alex Lai to make the running with Zac Purton having Winning Method in a stalking position. The presence of Team Spirit ensures a good pace.
Winning Method had a difficult run in his last start when very wide and without cover in the early stages of the race. He will get a much better trip here from his good draw and is a place chance.
Master Montaro has shown a preference to this course and distance and is a win and place chance under Vincent Ho based on his ability to deliver a strong closing sectional. His last race was eye catching as he made up a lot of ground in the straight. He recovered from a check before rallying wide to run the last 400m in 21.71s, which is a really strong finishing time.
E Star reunites with Harry Bentley and comes into the race in top form. He will be slightly worse than midfield and should go very close as a place chance. Californiadeepshot (Neil Callan) is a place chance as an outsider as he returns to the turf after two races on the all-weather track.
Master Montaro, Winning Method, The Crown and newcomer Nordic Sky are all eligible for the Club’s $1 million High Achievement Bonus.
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