International racing is the ultimate stage for jockeys, trainers and horses and, over the past week in Hong Kong, we have been fortunate to witness some of the best in the world at the peak of their powers.
At Happy Valley on Wednesday, we saw five different riders to the fore with contrasting styles in the LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship. Tom Marquand and Hollie Doyle showed great initiative and vigour to win successive legs before James McDonald and Mickael Barzalona prevailed with decisive momentum and timing to claim the final two legs.
Usually, it takes victory in one of the four IJC races to ensure overall success but, for only the second time in the competition’s history, Zac Purton claimed the title with three seconds and a third under the 12-6-4 points format.
Given the fact Zac suffered short-head defeats at the hands of Mickael and James and was beaten a nose by Hollie, he was desperately close all night and, ultimately, it was a case of consistency prevailing.
On Sunday at Sha Tin, we hosted 20 individual Group 1 winners among 43 top-class horses contesting the four G1 features at the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races. Along with Ireland, Britain and France, Japan has increasingly made the meeting a priority and we were privileged to host a champion such as Loves Only You in her final run before retirement.
But if there has been one horse in Hong Kong to lift the collective spirits of the city it has been Golden Sixty and so, with the world watching, this magnificent champion proved beyond doubt that he is among the finest gallopers on the planet with his superb display in the LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (1600m).
For me, this was his sternest challenge and he met it with flying colours for Vincent Ho and Francis Lui. Barrier two proved to be problematic and it required all of Vincent’s skill and – and Golden Sixty’s acceleration – for the pair to weave their way through traffic to the most uplifting of wins.
Had Golden Sixty been able to run in a straight line over the final 400m, there is no doubt he would have won by further.
Golden Sixty’s effort to better the record he shared previously with Silent Witness and Beauty Generation for the most Hong Kong wins with a 19th victory was made even better when you look at some of the horses in his slipstream, including Salios, Danon Kingly and Indy Champ.
Few horses actually leave competition in victory; even fewer depart with a G1 garland as Loves Only You did for Yoshito Yahagi and Yuga Kawada with her brave win in the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m) in a finish befitting the world’s richest turf race over the distance.
Mr Yahagi has excelled at successfully campaigning abroad over the years and Loves Only You’s 2021 results are testimony to her trainer’s expertise.
Victories in the 2021 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup and FWD QEII Cup at Sha Tin and the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare (Turf) in the US makes Loves Only You the first Japanese horse to win three G1s abroad in the same year.
Japan struck also in the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m) with Glory Vase, giving this magnificent stayer his second success in the race under Joao Moreira for Tomohito Ozeki.
Glory Vase is only the fourth horse in Vase history to win the race twice along with Doctor Dino, Luso and Highland Reel and the emphatic manner of his latest win suggests the six-year-old has improved with age.
All of us were left with mixed emotions after Sky Field’s win in the LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m). The circumstances meant that Blake Shinn and Caspar Fownes were unable to enjoy victory as they normally would.
In saying this, we must always be reminded about the bravery of jockeys each time they get on top of a horse to race, and we are incredibly relieved to know that Zac Purton, Lyle Hewitson and Yuichi Fukunaga are all recovering well. A friend of Hong Kong and an IJC champion, Yuichi Fukunaga will return to Japan on a special plane for further treatment and we extend our well wishes to both him and his family.
All credit, however, to Caspar and Blake. They have long believed Sky Field was capable of winning at this level and his ability to post the fastest last 400m sectional of the meeting – 22.31s – justified their faith.
Another important aspect about Sunday was not only the performances of the Europeans and Japanese who filled minor placings across the four G1s, but the career-best efforts of locals including Russian Emperor and Courier Wonder as well as More Than This, who proved that his fine second to Golden Sixty in the Champions Mile was no fluke with a performance that at least matched that excellent effort.
None of this would have been possible without the meticulous planning and effort from all of the Club’s teams and I am thankful also for the Government’s faith and trust in showcasing Hong Kong to the world.
On Wednesday night, the final race at Happy Valley is a Class 3 handicap over 1200 metres. Three horses are stepping up in Class as last start winners over the course and distance. They include Compassion Spirit with Jerry Chau, A Smile Like Yours with Joao Moreira and Party Warrior with Vincent Ho, whilst Colonel is another up in class off a big run in his last start. He will be ridden by Vagner Borges.
The pace will be good with Colonel, Jolly Good Heart and Ever Force pushing forward to make the running. Jolly Good Heart is a last start winner in the grade when he made all the running to win by a narrow margin. Derek Leung accepts the return engagement and I make Jolly Good Heart a place chance.
Compassion Spirit is a win and place chance as he draws a favourable gate on the C track and will get a nice run from just behind the leaders. He is a four-time winner over the course and distance and appears to be back in top form.
A Smile Like Yours is a three-time winner this season and is a place chance on the strength of his consistent form. He will get a good trip from midfield and Moreira will give him every chance.
Momentum Galaxy is an interesting runner with Antoine Hamelin. He will go back from his wide draw, similar to his last run, and then try to finish the race off strongly. He is a place chance coming from the back.
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