As the closing stages of another incredible Hong Kong racing season rapidly approach, there is still much to play for and, as we have seen so often in 2021/22, there are certain to be more twists and turns yet.
With seven meetings left, the jockeys’ and trainers’ championships are still undecided – and the same can be said of the Tony Cruz Award for the leading home-grown rider. As barometers, all three categories underline the amazing competitiveness of Hong Kong racing.
Joao Moreira (127 wins) and Zac Purton (126) have at different times this season held the upper hand with Joao leading by 18 wins in February after Zac had led by 11 in mid-December. With five winners across the past two meetings, Zac has built telling momentum.
Joao will miss this Saturday’s meeting at Sha Tin and I wish him all the best with his health and trust he can quickly return in top form to continue his rivalry with Zac.
While the jockeys’ title is a familiar two-rider contest, Matthew Chadwick (46 wins), Vincent Ho (44) and Derek Leung (42) have contrived to turn the Tony Cruz Award into an exciting battle. Vincent has made an art form of winning the Tony Cruz Award, having done so for the past three seasons but Matthew and Derek have both had excellent campaigns.
After finishing in the top three of his first four seasons as a trainer, Frankie Lor is strongly positioned to achieve the ultimate with an 85-79 lead over John Size. As a former protégé of both John Size and John Moore, Frankie has clearly learnt his trade well from the best.
Frankie has already trained a record 30 winners out of Conghua this season, eclipsing the 29 victories Caspar Fownes posted in 2020/21 when landing his fourth trainers’ championship. Overall, Conghua has made another significant contribution to Hong Kong racing with 128 individual horses combining for 164 wins across 769 Hong races at a strike rate of 21.32 percent.
At Sha Tin on Saturday, the Class 2 Pok Fu Lam Country Park Handicap is the ninth of 10 races on the card and will be run over 1400 metres at a good pace. Six of the 11 horses in the field will take aim at the Club’s High Achievement Bonus, which adds additional excitement to a very competitive race.
Buddies will push forward under Alfred Chan along with last-start winner Beauty Live and Matthew Poon at moderate tempo. This will result in the field being tightly bunched and jockey Lyle Hewitson may take the initiative on Good Luck Friend to cross from his wide draw to get a forward position.
Master Delight won a recent trial wearing blinkers for the first time and this will sharpen his speed. He will be closer to the pace with Vincent Ho along with Beauty Fit from the inside gate with Alexis Badel.
Buzzinga will also be close and will get a nice spot behind the leaders from his good draw as he steps up in trip to try 1400 for the first time in his brief career. He has been very consistent and will get every chance with his regular rider Karis Teetan.
Navas Two will go back as usual and has the services of Zac Purton for the first time. He delivered a strong closing sectional of 21.98 seconds when falling just short in this class, course and distance three weeks ago. I make him a win and place chance.
The Golden Scenery, for Luke Ferraris, is an honest type and is proven over the trip. He is a place chance along with Master Delight and Fantastic Treasure, who is second up, and coming off a good looking trial win under Blake Shinn. He must carry top weight but has proven ability and I expect a much-improved effort over his favourite trip.
Earlier in the day, the Class 4 Hong Kong Riding for the Disabled Association Cup will be run as the sixth race, also at the distance of 1400 metres.
Riding for the Disabled Association Ltd (RDA) was founded in 1975 by Lady MacLehose, wife of Sir Murray MacLehose, a former Governor of Hong Kong. RDA is the only charity offering therapeutic horse riding lessons at no charge to the disabled community in Hong Kong. RDA touches the lives of more than 650 riders through over 4,500 rides every year. RDA depends on the support of the general public to sustain their operations. I am proud that the HKJC is also a strong supporter of RDA by providing facilities and significant financial support.
Good News will go forward from his inside draw to lead with Matthew Poon with some pace pressure from Star Contact and jockey Matthew Chadwick. Gang Of Brothers will try to cross over with Zac Purton to be forwardly placed after winning his last start over course and distance when leading throughout in a race that was run at a very slow pace.
I make Fiery Diamond a win and place chance after his good effort when closing into a slow pace in his last start. Harry Bentley picks up the ride and Fiery Diamond will do his running from worse than midfield.
Gang Of Brothers will settle behind the leaders and his good current form makes him a place chance. He handled the step up in trip when he won in this grade three weeks ago and has finished in the top three in four of his last five starts.
Gallant Hero steps up in trip and has once again drawn a wide barrier. He will go back with Luke Ferraris and will do his best work late as a place chance, along with Super Highway and Karis Teetan. Super Highway covered ground in his last start and should get a better trip here from his inside draw.
On Sunday, the G1 Takarazuka Kinen is the sixth of seven races as part of our simulcast day from Hanshin Racecourse in Japan. The Takarazuka is run over 2200 metres on the inner turf course and is run right-handed with a short straight.
All eyes will be on Efforia who disappointed for the first time in his career when finishing ninth in the Osaka Hai in April. It was his first start of the year for Japan’s reigning Horse of the Year and the multiple G1 winner will add blinkers for the first time with regular rider Takeshi Yokoyama. He is a place chance.
Hishi Iguazu is familiar to Hong Kong, just missing to Loves Only You in the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup in December. He tuned up for the Takarazuka with a good effort in the Osaki Hai and is a win and place chance with Damian Lane taking the ride. He will need his best effort to win but he is moving in the right direction.
Arrivo is another in-form horse and he comes off the best race of his career when a close third in the Osaka Hai at long odds. He is proven over the course and reunites with the legendary Yutaka Take as a place chance.
Titleholder is much improved as a four-year-old but the turn back in trip from his seven-length win in the G1 Tenno Sho over two miles and the pace pressure he will face from Panthalassa are major concerns. I will include him as a place chance as his best races have come at Hanshin.
Comment
