Sha Tin’s final meeting of the season is invariably an occasion for reflection and celebration and this Sunday’s fixture is no exception as the curtain is drawn on another memorable chapter at our flagship course.
The site of the Club’s 12 Group 1 contests, Sha Tin retains its majestic aura despite the sad absence of the large majority of our valued customers throughout the season because of COVID-19.
This has meant the towering excellence of Golden Sixty, Vincent Ho and Francis Lui has been mostly absorbed through the lenses of our broadcasters but those achievements, along with those of several other stars, have sustained Hong Kong racing throughout the pandemic.
It is our fervent hope that we can gradually return to a sense of normality in the new season with gains in the battle against the pandemic as more of the population is vaccinated while, at the same time, biosecurity protocols continue to be observed by all participants and customers.
The BMW Hong Kong Derby triumph of Sky Darci, Joao Moreira and Caspar Fownes capped a race for the ages, where the slender margins underlined the vagaries of the sport – success and disappointment – as it had throughout a gripping of the Hong Kong Four-Year-Old Classic Series.
With the departure of champion gallopers Beauty Generation and Exultant, we were fortunate enough to savour the G1 breakthroughs in Hong Kong of Golden Sixty, who finished the season with four G1 victories, while Hot King Prawn, Wellington and Panfield also savoured maiden top-level triumphs in Hong Kong as well as the rousing win of Waikuku in the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup.
International racing remains a measure of the health of Hong Kong racing and it was gratifying to have the support once more of Japan, Ireland and France at the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races where Mogul (Ireland), Normcore and Danon Smash (Japan) prevailed for the visitors in the Club’s renowned ‘racing bubble’.
Vincent was the star of HKIR day with four winners and went close to repeating the feat with a treble on FWD Champions Day, with a pair of G1s on Golden Sixty and Loves Only You.
With 11 races to be decided at Sha Tin on Sunday, there is still much to play for. Vincent and Jerry Chau are separated (58-56) by only two winners in a gripping contest for the Tony Cruz Award, while it remains mathematically possible for John Size to overtake Caspar Fownes in the trainers’ championship, despite trailing 70-78 with 20 races left in the season.
The Sha Tin Mile Trophy and the Hong Kong Racehorse Owners Association Trophy are Class 1 races to help provide a fitting finale at Sha Tin before we conclude the season on Wednesday night at Happy Valley.
The Sha Tin Mile Trophy is the eighth of 11 races with Reliable Team using his good speed to set a modest pace under jockey Derek Leung. He will be pressed by Tourbillon Diamond (Matthew Poon). Beauty Smile (Antoine Hamelin) is likely to go forward from his outside draw to also be close to the early pace.
Fast Most Furious (Vincent Ho) is attempting to win on this race meeting for a third consecutive season, having won the Sha Tin Mile Trophy last year. He comes in off a good try behind Southern Legend in the Group 3 Premier Plate Handicap and is well drawn to get a ground-saving midfield run. He is a place chance.
The Rock (Tony Piccone) is an interesting horse as his trainer Caspar Fownes is known as the King of the Valley but this horse prefers Sha Tin. He was a smart winner two starts back at Sha Tin over the course and distance when he made all the running from the widest draw, setting a slow pace and coming home strongly. He has drawn inside this time and will get a nice box seat run. He gets in light under the handicap conditions and all three of his wins this season have come when he has been on the pace. He is a place chance.
Lucky Express (Joao Moreira) is my first choice for win and a place chance. His trackwork indicates he is in very good shape and his first-up second over 1400m after a three-month break when beaten only a short head on 20 June was good.
Tourbillon Diamond is also a place chance. Both Lucky Express and Tourbillon Diamond have come out of our Four-Year-Old Classic Series and will be getting 12 pounds from Champion’s Way.
The Hong Kong Racehorse Owners Association Trophy (1200m) is the tenth race and a lively pace is expected. Lucky Patch will make use of his inside draw and the five-pound claim of Jerry Chau to go forward along with Computer Patch, which must carry top weight with Neil Callan. Voyage Warrior (Matthew Poon) will also be in the early mix along with in-form Hinchinlove (Dylan Mo).
Lucky Patch had to be used early from a wide draw in the Group 3 Premier Cup and still fought on well. He will get a much easier trip this time and carries a relatively light weight. He is a win and place chance.
Stronger (Vincent Ho) has shown flashes of brilliance this year with a string of seconds in top quality races. He must carry a big weight but comes off a good effort behind Courier Wonder in the Group 3 Sha Tin Vase when giving the winner 12 pounds. He is a place chance along with Computer Patch and Hinchinlove. Computer Patch faces a tough assignment at the weights and the draw but has been impressive in his preparation at Conghua.
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