Timing is everything in horseracing and Vincent Ho’s treble at Sha Tin last Saturday not only underlined what a magnificent season Hong Kong’s home-grown champion is having, but it also served as the perfect prelude to the Club’s latest intake of racing trainees.
The Club is committed to providing opportunities for talented and dedicated people to create career paths in horseracing through the Racing Talent Training Centre, which includes the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Apprentice Jockeys’ School.
Vincent, along with Tony Cruz, Matthew Chadwick, Derek Leung, Frankie Lor, Ricky Yiu and Francis Lui, is among an increasingly accomplished alumni from the Club’s development programmes, including the Apprentice Jockeys’ School, which was founded in 1972.
Applications to join the latest intake of racing trainees opened last Monday (12 June) and will close on 29 July and it is exciting to consider the possibilities not only for aspiring jockeys and track riders, but also those who wish to become veterinary clinical technicians, farriers and equestrian assistants as well as other vocations.
Under the tutelage of Amy Chan, Executive Manager of the Racing Talent Training Centre and Headmistress of the Apprentice Jockeys’ School, the successful applicants will undergo a dual education system, which involves learning riding techniques, horse care, stable management, English, sports science, music, information technology and personal financial management.
Providing holistic programmes is part of the Club’s commitment to continuous development and also creating diversified opportunities for our community and I know that Vincent is grateful to have been the chance to follow his dream and he is now a world-class professional in his field of expertise.
Last week, I was in New York for an executive council meeting of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities as well as meetings with the United States Jockey Club and the Breeders Cup for discussions on key topics including animal welfare, quality control of horseracing and also the World Pool.
While in New York, I had the privilege to watch history unfold when Jena Antonucci became the first female to train the winner of the G1 Belmont Stakes with Arcangelo’s victory.
For context, last weekend’s running was the 155th edition of the race and doubled as the 50th anniversary of Secretariat’s 31-length in the Classic. Jena was only the 11th female trainer to have saddled a runner in the Belmont Stakes and, with Arcangelo’s memorable victory, she is now part of history.
With the only 10 meetings left in the Hong Kong season, our attention turns to Happy Valley on Wednesday night when the Cricket Club Valley Stakes Handicap is carded as Race 5 for Class 2 horses rated 105-80 over 1200m at 8.45pm with prizemoney of HK$2,640,000.
Races over 1200m at Happy Valley nearly always generate a good early tempo and the speed should be solid again here despite there not being a natural leader in this race. Street Scream who has drawn barrier four has good gate speed and could find the front, with Majestic Star racing handy from gate six. Rewarding Together can also be in the forward division.
Howdeepisyourlove has been a model of consistency in his first season of racing finishing in the top three in nine of his 10 starts, including four wins at this course and distance. At his last start, he was being urged before the turn before closing late to hit the lead in the last 20m, only to be beaten by Eason in the last stride. Howdeepisyourlove will be ridden for the first time by Michael Dee and is a win and place chance from gate five.
Eason settled near the back of the field off a very fast pace when storming home to catch Howeddepisyourlove in the last bound on 17 May in his second win over this course and distance from his past three starts. Frankie Lor sent Eason to Conghua since that win and with Alexis Badel aboard again is a place chance.
Nordic Dragon has been a wonderful advertisement for the upcoming Hong Kong International Sale, having won four of seven races after being sold at the 2022 sale. Nordic Dragon continues to improve with racing and despite drawing the widest gate here is a place chance for Matthew Poon, who has his first ride on the horse tonight.
Winning Icey has had eight runs at this course and distance this season for three wins and four minor placings. At his last run here, he came widest on the home turn and stormed down the outside to beat Hoss. Since then, he ran on the All Weather Track when seventh to Gummy Gummy on 10 May. Winning Icey has a perfect gate (barrier two) is a place chance for Karis Teetan.
This race is the smallest field of the night but is a very competitive contest with nearly every runner having a place chance and it will be interesting to see how the early speed influences the chances of runners who have been finishing on from the second half of the field with success in recent starts.
Given the forecast today for heavy rain and thunderstorms, which could change the ground conditions at Happy Valley, it will be prudent to closely monitor the weather with the prospects of several horses likely to be enhanced with more rain.
Majestic Star won on soft ground in Australia as a two-year-old in 2020 before export to Hong Kong, Power Koepp won on yielding to slow ground at Sha Tin in July, 2022 while Rewarding Together and Explosive Witness have been placed on yielding ground.
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