As the days countdown to next month’s LONGINES Hong Kong International Races, the Club is planning ways in which we can create a better customer experience for our local racing fans at Sha Tin on 11 December.
Our objective is to give our loyal customers the opportunity to see the best horses from around the world and to cheer for our Hong Kong champions and create an atmosphere similar to the Hong Kong Sevens rugby over the past two days at Hong Kong Stadium.
Hong Kong has long been an attractive destination for elite trainers and jockeys keen to test themselves against the best and it is a pleasure to welcome back Hugh Bowman, a familiar and successful figure in this city.
Included among Hugh’s many achievements are the 2016 LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship and the 2017 LONGINES World’s Best Jockey award. Hugh won 25 Group 1s alone on champion Australian mare Winx and his overall tally of more than 100 Group 1 victories also includes 2017 Japan Cup success on Cheval Grand.
As a dual BMW Hong Kong Derby winner on Werther (2016) and Furore (2019), Hugh also landed other major Hong Kong wins, notably the G1 QEII Cup, G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup, G1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup and G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize before COVID curtailed his last stint in Hong Kong.
With such a decorated record, Hugh obviously has the skills and experience to complement our existing jockey ranks and his return to Hong Kong is particularly timely with Joao Moreira and Karis Teetan both currently sidelined with health issues. Joao is working extremely hard and making progress through his rehabilitation programme on his hip.
Joao can hopefully rejoin us in the near future, while Karis needs a little more time to fully recover from a thyroid issue before it can be determined when he can resume.
With virtually almost every passing day, the picture for LONGINES HKIR continues to take shape.
From the interest expressed from overseas owners and trainers in competing in Hong Kong, to the building attention around Golden Sixty and California Spangle’s trackwork, to the presence of several HKIR aspirants at today’s (6 November) G3 Sa Sa Ladies’ Purse meeting, the objective of chasing success at our flagship meeting is a shared ambition.
We are encouraged at the positive feedback received from our overseas friends in campaigning their horses at Sha Tin on 11 December, when the four LONGINES G1s are worth a combined HK$110 million, and we look forward to again hosting champion horses and their connections in Hong Kong.
While Golden Sixty ultimately did not contest Friday’s trial against fellow potential LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (1600m) contender California Spangle, the very presence of Hong Kong’s Champion Horse at Sha Tin for a gallop was another reminder of the world-class racing that awaits us in December.
With Golden Sixty and California Spangle likely to cross paths in what shapes as a very exciting clash in the G2 BOCHK Private Wealth Jockey Club Mile (1600m) on Sunday 20 November, several other HKIR nominees will run today at Sha Tin, including Beauty Joy, Ka Ying Star, Senor Toba, Savvy Nine and Excellent Proposal.
At Keeneland Racecourse in Kentucky early this morning, Flightline’s amazing performance to win the LONGINES Breeders’ Cup Classic (2000m) highlighted the meeting, while the performance of Tuesday – who has been invited to run in the LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m) – to win the G1 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (1900m) for Aidan O’Brien was impressive.
Also from a LONGINES HKIR perspective, the efforts of Emaraaty Ana to finish second in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (1100m) and Hong Kong-owned Kinross who was third in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Mile (1600m) were very good.
Stone Age, who is entered for the LONGINES Hong Kong Vase, also ran very well for second in the G1 LONGINES Breeders’ Cup Turf (2400m) for Aidan, with stablemate Broome slowly away to finish sixth.
At Sha Tin this afternoon, the G3 Sa Sa Ladies’ Purse Handicap (1800m) is the seventh of 10 races and it’s a race where there is not a lot of evident speed. Ka Ying Star from a rails draw is likely to lead with Money Catcher going forward on his outside but the race may not be run at any more than a steady tempo.
Ka Ying Star was second in this race last year behind Tourbillon Diamond and ran well holding on well for fourth when resuming behind California Spangle in the G2 Oriental Watch Sha Tin Trophy Handicap (1600m) on 16 October. Luke Ferraris takes the ride again and Ka Ying Star is a place chance.
The other Tony Cruz runner is the exciting Beauty Joy. His three-run winning streak came to an end in the California Spangle race when he was trapped four-wide from the outside gate and over-raced, eventually weakening on his run to finish 10th beaten four lengths. If there is pace in the race and he can settle and race generously for Zac Purton, who gets back aboard today, he is a place chance.
Senor Toba looms as a big threat in the race. He was also caught wide before making an early run before the corner and kept on strongly in the last 200m to finish sixth in the same race not far from the minor placings. That was Vincent Ho’s first ride aboard the class stayer and he is a definite place chance as he extends out in trip towards his HKIR assignment.
Savvy Nine finished third in the Sha Tin Trophy with six of his rivals today finishing behind him. His last win was at the beginning of last year but he was placed in four Group contests last season. Savvy Nine’s last run was excellent, having some difficulties to get a clear run early in the straight and the additional distance should suit him.
I make Savvy Nine (123lb) a win and place chance with the good draw (barrier two) for Matthew Chadwick and the weight advantage to Beauty Joy, who has to carry 135lb.
Excellent Proposal, who is partnered by Alexis Badel, also had difficulties to get a clear run at the 300m before rallying over the last 150m at his last start and I see him as an interesting outsider.
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