The staging of the 2024 Hong Kong Sevens is another reminder of the vital importance of international sporting events to our incredible city.
It was wonderful to experience the enthusiasm, passion and colour of the sell-out crowd on Friday as Sevens enthusiasts from all over the world descended on Hong Kong Stadium to watch some of the best players in the world.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club has worked closely with Hong Kong China Rugby for many years across and is the official community partner of the Hong Kong Sevens.
This year’s event marks the last time the Hong Kong Sevens will be played in the Hong Kong Stadium and we, as a Club, are proud of our role in the redevelopment of the Stadium when the Club not only donated the capital expenditure but our Property/Construction Division actually built the stadium.
Additionally, the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust funded, as well as provided technical support, for the subsequent delivery of the Hong Kong Stadium’s turf pitch reconstruction project, which is a benefit not only to international athletes who play on the pitch, but also Hong Kong’s community.
It is estimated about 120,000 spectators will have attended the Sevens by the close of the event, which next year moves to Kai Tak Sports Park.
Boniface Ho has been one of Hong Kong’s most passionate owners for several decades and it was wonderful to see CELESTIAL LEGEND carry Boniface’s familiar white and red colours to a fantastic victory in the G1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) under Tyler Schiller at Randwick on Saturday.
Boniface has had tremendous success over the years with 85-year-old trainer Sydney Les Bridge with horses such as CLASSIQUE LEGEND and now CELESTIAL LEGEND who, as a three-year-old, Les says is among the best horses he has trained in a long, decorated career.
With only 21 days until FWD Champions Day on 28 April, there is a distinct sense of anticipation building towards our autumn flagship meeting with two potentially pivotal Group 2 races – the Sprint Cup (1200m) and the Chairman’s Trophy (1600m) – at Sha Tin today.
The G2 Sprint Cup features nine horses who are entered in the HK$22 million G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) in three weeks, including last year’s winner LUCKY SWEYNESSE and LUCKY WITH YOU, HOWDEEPISYOURLOVE, DUKE WAI, FLYING ACE, ADIOS, INVINCIBLE SAGE, TOMODACHI KOKOROE and NERVOUS WITNESS.
While they are not racing today, CALIFORNIA SPANGLE and VICTOR THE WINNER loom as strong contenders for the Chairman’s Sprint, which is likely to attract contenders from Japan and Europe – as will the G1 HK$22 million FWD Champions Mile (1600m) and the HK$28 million FWD QEII Cup (2000m).
The G2 Chairman’s Trophy today boasts eight horses who are entered in the FWD Champions Mile (1600m), including BEAUTY ETERNAL, BEAUTY JOY, RED LION, ENCOUNTERED, HEALTHY HAPPY, TAJ DRAGON, HAPPY TOGETHER and THE BEST PEACH, who all could be aimed at a clash with GOLDEN SIXTY who is being prepared to chase a record-extending fourth win in the Mile.
BEAUTY JOY is also nominated for the FWD QEII Cup, along with RUSSIAN EMPEROR, SWORD POINT, NIMBLE NIMBUS and MONEY CATCHER, who will be out to show their best form ahead of a possible meeting with dual FWD QEII Cup winner ROMANTIC WARRIOR.
Before the G2 features are decided, the G1 Oka Sho (1600m) is run at Hanshin in Japan and is carded as S3-1 and will be run at 2.40pm on Sunday
A field of 18 fillies will ensure good speed from the start of the race.
ASCOLI PICENO is undefeated in three runs, including victory in the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies over this course and distance in December when she stormed home to beat STELLENBOSCH and CORAZON BEAT. ASCOLI PICENO has been training well for her return to the track and is a win and place chance for Hiroshi Kitamura.
STELLENBOSCH was runner-up to ASCOLI PICENO at Hanshin, when she came from well back on the home turn to be beaten a neck. STELLENBOSCH is also resuming and is a place chance.
QUEEN’S WALK has drawn well in gate two and Yuga Kawada should have the Kizuna filly in a good position. QUEEN’S WALK showed a good turn of foot to win the G3 Queen Cup over this distance at Tokyo on 10 February and is a place chance.
There are a number of other talented fillies in the race with claims including CERVINIA, who has drawn the widest gate and will be ridden by Bauyrzhan Murzabyev, and IPHEION who was an impressive winner of the Fairy Stakes at Nakayama on 7 January and has drawn well in gate three.
At Sha Tin, the G2 Sprint Cup (1200m) carries HK$5.35 million in prizemoney and will be run at 4.10pm.
The pace will be good with NERVOUS WITNESS the likely leader under Luke Ferraris from gate nine. TOMODACHI KOKOROE will hold a forward position from his rails draw for Karis Teetan and WHIZZ KID also has good gate speed and Harry Bentley will have him in the leading division.
LUCKY SWEYNESSE was the highest-rated sprinter in the world in 2023 but has been beaten at his two runs this year. In the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup, James McDonald took him back in the field from a wide draw and he failed to show his usual brilliant acceleration in the straight to finish fifth to California Spangle.
Hugh Bowman rides LUCKY SWEYNESSE for the first time here and despite carrying a five-pound penalty is my win and place selection.
HOWDEEPISYOURLOVE beat GALAXY PATCH over this course and distance two starts back and then charged late and just failed to beat FLYING ACE on 24 March. HOWDEEPISYOURLOVE is drawn a little wide in gate ten but is a place chance for Brenton Avdulla.
FLYING ACE meets HOWDEEPISYOURLOVE on worse weight terms for his narrow win and has the additional disadvantage of the widest gate. If Zac Purton can get him across into a good position early, FLYING ACE is a place chance.
David Hall’s other runner INVINCIBLE SAGE fought on strongly in that race to finish third behind FLYING ACE, beaten a neck. This is a step up in class but INVINCIBLE SAGE is an emerging talent and is a place chance for Alexis Badel.
LUCKY WITH YOU was disappointing at his most recent run when he stepped to the 1400m behind California Spangle. At his previous two runs over 1200m, LUCKY WITH YOU was runner-up at Group 1 level and is a place chance for regular rider Andrea Atzeni.
The G2 Chairman’s Trophy (1600m) carries HK$5.35 million in prizemoney and will be run at 4.45pm.
The pace in the race will be good with HEALTHY HAPPY (Lyle Hewitson) going forward from his wide gate to lead. ENCOUNTERED (Karis Teetan) will hold a forward position from gate four, with MONEY CATCHER also in the leading division from gate seven for Keagan de Melo.
BEAUTY ETERNAL was runner-up to VOYAGE BUBBLE in the G1 Stewards’ Cup over this trip in January and then raced well without luck when fourth to CALIFORNIA SPANGLE in the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m). Zac Purton should be able to get BEAUTY ETERNAL in a striking position one off the fence from gate eight and he is my win and place selection.
HAPPY TOGETHER has won five races this season, including the January Cup (1800m). At his most recent start, HAPPY TOGETHER settled just behind the speed and finished too strongly to beat CHAMPION DRAGON over 1800m on 10 March. HAPPY TOGETHER has been in Conghua since that win and is a place chance for Alexis Badel.
TAJ DRAGON was impressive in beating HEALTHY HAPPY in the Chinese Club Challenge Cup over 1400m on 1 January. At his most recent run TAJ DRAGON didn’t get clear room in the straight when beaten three lengths by CALIFORNIA SPANGLE on 10 March. TAJ DRAGON can improve on that effort and is a place chance for Matthew Chadwick.
This is a competitive race with a number of chances including BEAUTY JOY, SWORD POINT, ENCOUNTERED, SUPER SUNNY SING and RED LION. NIMBLE NIMBUS comes back in distance to 1600m but is in fantastic form and also has claims.
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