After 57 meetings and 553 races this season, a cursory glance at the 2025/26 trainers’ championship standings confirms the fiercely nature of Hong Kong’s world-class racing remains as intense as ever with only five wins separating the top five trainers.
Caspar Fownes (43) currently holds sway from Mark Newnham (42), Danny Shum (41), David Hayes (40) and Francis Lui (38) and, with 31 meetings remaining this season, no clear trend has emerged yet to isolate a probable winner.
That sense of uncertainty is compounded by the lurking presence of 13-time champion John Size in sixth position with 32 wins and a season-high 43 second placings so far. None of the top five will feel comfortable with the master trainer hovering so closely.
Based on figures for races contested this month, dual champion trainer Tony Cruz, who is seventh overall with 29 wins, has been a standout performer with eight wins and five seconds for March, while Francis has slotted eight wins, including a dead-heat, and 14 minor placings.
Danny (seven wins), Mark (seven) and John (six, as well as 10 runner-up performances) have also been strong.
The spread of talent is remarkable and testament to the expertise horsemanship in Hong Kong’s training ranks and it will be fascinating to watch the title battle unfold over the next four months.
Our simulcast operation continues on Sunday (29 March) with the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen, which is carded as S4-1 and will be run over 1200m at Chukyo Racecourse from 2.40pm.
The speed will be good.
SATONO REVE, who is entered to challenge KA YING RISING in the G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) at Sha Tin on 26 April, won this race last year and from gate nine is a win and place chance under Christophe Lemaire.
NAMURA CLAIR (Suguru Hamanaka) has finished second in this race for the past three years. She has drawn gate 13 for the final start of her career and she is likely to be finishing powerfully late. She is also a win and place chance.
PANJA TOWER (Kohei Matsuyama) has drawn perfectly in gate one and is a strong chance along with JUNE BLAIR (Yutaka Take), who is also entered for the Chairman’s Sprint Prize.
The sporting highlight at Sha Tinon Sunday (29 March) is the Class 2 CW Chui Alumni Handicap, which is carded as Race 9 at 5.05pm and will be run over 1200m for prizemoney of HK$2.84 million.
The speed will be fast with BOTTOMUPTOGETHER likely to lead from gate three for Luke Ferraris. LADY’S CHOICE (Richard Kingscote) will drive forward from barrier 10 and settle in the leading group. PATCH OF STARS and MAGNIFIQUE have good gate speed and will be prominent with SKY TRUST also settling on the pace.
GALACTIC VOYAGE is an emerging sprint talent who impressed winning his past two starts over this course and distance. Each time he settled in the back half of the field and sprinted brilliantly to win easily. Last start he went back from a wide gate, angled out into the clear passing the 350m mark and swept past MICKLEY in the last 100m. He rises in class, but GALACTIC VOYAGE is an exciting prospect and is a leading chance for Jerry Chau.
MAGNIFIQUE has won five of seven race starts, including two of three this season. Last start on 8 March he stalked the leading pair from a good draw and took the lead at the 150m, winning comfortably from VICTORY SKY in quick time on the All Weather Track. James Orman rides MAGNIFIQUE again and he is a place chance because he has gone up 15 rating points after his All-Weather Track performance and now he has to confirm it on the turf.
BULB GENERAL returns to racing after a break because of injury after scoring successive wins in brilliant style, last racing on 4 October when Zac Purton rode him patiently from a wide gate before sprinting brilliantly in the straight to win by a big margin over INFINITE RESOLVE and LUCKY EIGHT. BULB GENERAL has trialled twice in preparation for his return here. He runs into a very strong field but, with Zac riding from gate seven, he is a place chance.
PATCH OF STARS is a five-time winner at this course, including two victories this season. He was third at his most recent outing to INVINCIBLE SHIELD and YOUNG CHAMPION on 25 January. Hugh Bowman takes over as the new rider and PATCH OF STARS is a place chance.
YOUNG CHAMPION has been placed at his last three runs and is a place chance again for Andrea Atzeni from his rails draw, especially with the good to fast pace. SKY TRUST is racing well and is also capable of being in the finish for Ellis Wong.
The Dubai World Cup meeting at Meydan Racecourse overnight provided outstanding racing with the Group 1-winning performances of OMBUDSMAN and CALANDAGAN, while the impressive win in the G1 Dubai World Cup (2000m, dirt) of MAGNITUDE over FOREVER YOUNG keeps ROMANTIC WARRIOR in the position as the highest prizemoney winner in the world with HK$254.6 million.
OMBUDSMAN, for John and Thady Gosden, in the G1 Dubai Turf (1800m) and CALANDAGAN, for Francis Graffard, in the G1 LONGINES Dubai Sheema Classic (2410m) delivered top-class efforts, while MAGNITUDE, for Steven Asmussen, was brilliant in defying a gallant FOREVER YOUNG.
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