It is always uplifting when career ambitions are fulfilled and, with the number of significant landmarks achieved recently, it is clear we are certainly in the midst of a special chapter in Hong Kong racing history.
A host of milestones was posted last season when Tony Cruz and John Size trained their 1400th winners, Zac Purton rode his 1400th, Joao Moreira notched his 1200th and Caspar Fownes saddled his 1000th. The pattern has quickly continued in 2022/23 with Ricky Yiu’s 900th last Sunday (11 September).
The theme continued Wednesday night (14 September) when Pierre Ng and Derek Leung joined the fray with victories they will long cherish. For Pierre, the success of Super Commander might have been unexpected at 30-1, but it will never be forgotten given the fact it was his first as a trainer.
The Ng family has a long and celebrated association with Hong Kong racing through the successful training career of Pierre’s father Peter, who handled Mystic (1985) and Quicken Away (1989, 1990) – both of whom claimed Hong Kong Horse of the Year honours – and there was genuine excitement at Happy Valley when Pierre led in his first winner.
Derek Leung’s 400th success came aboard Our Class Act for Me Tsui and it arrived with Derek’s familiar modesty and efficiency. Twice winner of the Tony Cruz Award for the best performed home-grown rider in 2016/17 and 2017/18, Derek also won the Asian Young Guns Challenge in 2010. He is yet another product of the Hong Kong Jockey Club Apprentice Jockeys’ School and continues to improve each season as he competes against some of the world’s best jockeys.
Given the number of trainers on the brink of reaching Hong Kong racing milestones – Francis Lui (799 wins), Dennis Yip (797) and Me Tsui (598) – we can expect the celebratory trend to continue through the early part of this season.
Speaking of trends, the trainers’ championship victories of Frankie Lor (2021/22) and Caspar Fownes (2020/21) were in no small part due to the way they capitalised on Conghua’s world-class facilities to extract the best from their horses.
32 of Frankie’s winners had spent time in Conghua last year before returning to race in Hong Kong, while Caspar trained 29 winners out of Conghua the previous season.
With eight of this season’s 18 winners so far prevailing off a Conghua campaign, the benefits of being able to send horses to Conghua to enjoy a different environment, where every conceivable amenity is available, while maintaining fitness is increasingly obvious.
On Saturday, I had the pleasure of visiting the Kwun Tong Plaza Shop, the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s fourth experience shop, which is a fabulous facility, especially the Turfland café with its wonderful dining experience and refreshing atmosphere and glamping theme. The café, with its greenery and laid-back style, will undoubtedly appeal to the younger generation to gather and have fun.
Designed as escape from the hustle and bustle of the busy industrial heartland-turned business centre in Kwun Tong, this spacious flagship shop in East Kowloon has been revitalised with an abundance of elements of nature and greenery to create a relaxing state of mind for 200 seatings in an area of over 20,000 square feet across three storeys.
The Kwan Tong Plaza Shop also boasts horse racing and football training simulators with those who want to test their fitness and skills, while there is also a leisure activity zone where customers can join live Key Opinion Leader talks and other activities.
At Sha Tin on Sunday, the seventh race is the CMA 88th Anniversary Cup, a Class 3 handicap over 1200 metres. Bundle Of Charm will use his speed to cross over and secure a prominent position under Alexis Badel. He has won two of his three races with his best effort in his most recent start three months ago when he made all of the running. He performs best when on the pace and this race sets up nicely for him. He is a win and place chance.
Happy Sharing is up in grade and carries a light weight with ten-pound claimer Angus Chung. He will use his speed from the inside gate to sit behind the leader and he trialled well for Pierre Ng in preparation for this. He is getting 22 pounds from the favourite and is a solid place chance.
Super Winner will go forward to contest the pace with Antoine Hamelin along with Highly Proactive with jockey Dylan Mo. Both horses have not had the benefit of a trial after racing on the final day of last season and both are turning back in trip. This will work to the advantage of Bundle Of Charm and Happy Sharing.
Star Brite returns off a pair of disappointing runs but seems to have enjoyed his time in Conghua where he looked good in a recent trial. I expect an improved performance and make him a place chance with Zac Purton taking the ride. Setanta also enjoyed a summer break in Conghua and is a place chance with Karis Teetan. He ran well fresh last season.
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