It was encouraging to see the world’s top-rated sprinter KA YING RISING take another confident stride towards December’s LONGINES Hong Kong International Races with a controlled trial under Zac Purton yesterday morning (14 November). The reigning LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint champion looked impressive as he was put through his paces, showcasing the calm assurance that has made him racing’s most feared speedster. He pulled away for a commanding win in 1m 10.19s. Zac said he felt fresh during the run, but to us watching, it looked like a powerful reminder of his incredible ability. All roads now lead to the G2 BOCHK Private Banking Jockey Club Sprint (1200m) on Bank of China (Hong Kong) Raceday (23 November), where the superstar will face arguably his stiffest domestic test to date.
The BOCHK Raceday is shaping up to be a spectacular day of racing with the city’s “big three” – KA YING RISING, ROMANTIC WARRIOR and VOYAGE BUBBLE – all set to feature, and many more top-class HKIR prospects providing a stellar supporting cast. All are aiming to cement their place in the line-up on 14 December.
Earlier this week, ROMANTIC WARRIOR and VOYAGE BUBBLE gave us a taste of what’s to come with a convincing gallop and a smart barrier trial, respectively. I was left in no doubt that the clash between the two in the G2 BOCHK Jockey Club Cup (2000m) is shaping as a genuine season highlight, with the pair holding a combined 15 G1 victories and identical 134 ratings.
KA YING RISING will also be tested in the Jockey Club Sprint (1200m). LUCKY SWEYNESSE and HELIOS EXPRESS should improve for early-season runs, while RAGING BLIZZARD has performed well this season. But, surprisingly perhaps, the biggest threat is likely to come from his seven-year-old stablemate TOMODACHI KOKOROE, who has been a revelation this term. We’re set for a tantalising showdown between the only two horses in Hong Kong history to crack 1m 07.50s over 1200m. David Hayes’ pair of sprint stars will provide each other’s stiffest opposition on what promises to be an electric afternoon of top-class racing.
Hong Kong, China’s gold run in the 2025 National Games continued on Thursday when swimming superstar Siobhan Haughey stormed to victory in the women’s 200m freestyle event to take the city’s gold tally to three.
Siobhan has the opportunity to add to Hong Kong’s haul with three events still to come. Her victory follows earlier Hong Kong golds for sailor Nicholas Halliday and cyclist Ceci Lee.
Congratulations to Siobhan and all of Hong Kong’s National Games athletes on their outstanding performances.
The Lukfook Jewellery Cup is the highlight of a fantastic card of races at Saturday’s Sha Tin fixture. The Class 2 sprint over 1200m looks set to be run at a genuine pace, promising plenty of early speed with DANCING CODE (Ellis Wong) likely to roll forward with LADY’S CHOICE (Derek Leung).
CALL ME GLORIOUS (Keith Yeung) and the in-form HARMONY N BLESSED (Hollie Doyle) should also be prominent.
PATCH OF STARS (Zac Purton) shapes as one of the leading contenders. A triple winner over 1400m last season, he impressed dropping to 1200m last start. With Zac retaining the ride, I make him a win and place chance.
DANCING CODE is another key player. He returned with a bold front-running second to Tomodachi Kokoroe and lost his chance at the start next time out. He’s been freshened at Conghua, and from gate two is also a win and place chance.
LADY’S CHOICE resumed with a solid second to the in-form Tomodachi Kokoroe and comes off a quiet trial run. In spite of a tricky draw, he is a place hope. AERIS NOVA (Matthew Poon) backs up quickly after a strong 1400m second last week and maps well from the inside. He is also a place chance.
Looking beyond Hong Kong, Sunday (16 November) brings world-class action from Kyoto, Japan, as eight races from the Queen Elizabeth II Cup Day are simulcast live from 11.20am (Hong Kong time). The highlight is, of course, the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2200m), which is carded as (S1-7) and gets underway at 2.40pm.
The race promises to test stamina, tactics and composure with Kyoto Racecourse’s long, sweeping final bend coming into play, and is one of the country’s signature races for elite fillies and mares, crowning the season’s top middle-distance female. It rightly has a high-class international profile.
It will feature a stellar line-up, including REGALEIRA (Keita Tosaki), ERIKA EXPRESS (Yutaka Take) and the LONGINES HKIR-nominated STELLENBOSCH (Christophe Lemaire).
Following her narrow near-miss in the G1 Shuka Sho at Kyoto, where she led brilliantly only to be caught late, ERIKA EXPRESS shapes as a win and place chance on a track that clearly suits her.
REGALEIRA is a classy mare who will be seeking redemption following last year’s fifth place, after starting as favourite. Her winning return in the G2 Sankei Sho All Comers was ominous, and I make her a solid place chance.
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