On Wednesday we hosted our first Happy Wednesday meeting of the season at Happy Valley, which also happened to be our first Oktoberfest event. Although there was a heavy downpour starting midway through the race meeting, it did not dampen the enthusiasm of those 18,500 racegoers who joined us on-course. It proved to be another decent night for jockey Joao Moreira as he scored a double to become the winner of the Jockey Challenge for the eighth time this season.
I believe Joao will again have the chance of achieving big time success in the two HKG2 races on Sunday, as he will be on board Sterling City in the Premier Bowl over 1200m and reigning Horse of the Year Designs On Rome in the Oriental Watch Sha Tin Trophy over the mile. Matching the elevated quality of our racing, our prize money increases this season included adjusting our HKG2 events with purses rising from HK$3.5 million last season to HK$3.875 million this season, representing an increase of 10.7 per cent. I would say that the amount is very attractive when compared to other G2 worldwide.
Having said that, I think that prize money is not the sole focus of these two pattern races. In recent years, many of our very top horses have made their season’s first appearances in the Premier Bowl and Sha Tin Trophy. Their presence has seen both races become important step-up events to the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races in December. The race records suggest as much: Absolute Champion won the 2006 Premier Bowl before he won the Hong Kong Sprint in his next run and the 2012 Premier Bowl winner Cerise Cherry also finished a creditable second behind Lord Kanaloa in the same year’s Sprint.
Winners of the past three editions of the Sha Tin Trophy also did very well subsequently in the internationals, as 2011 winner California Memory and 2012 winner Ambitious Dragon later won the Hong Kong Cup and Hong Kong Mile respectively. Last year’s winner Gold-Fun also upheld the race’s reputation as he went on to finish a close runner-up behind Glorious Days in the Hong Kong Mile six weeks later.
For those of you who have taken an early look at the race fields, I’m sure you will feel as excited as I do about the mouth-watering line-ups in these two feature events tomorrow. There are no less than nine international G1 or HKG1 winners competing in the HKG2 events.
While Able Friend and Sterling City will lock horns in the Premier Bowl, I believe the Sha Tin crowd will be even more drawn to the Sha Tin Trophy as it features three Horses of the Year, namely Ambitious Dragon, Military Attack and Designs On Rome; last season’s Champion Miler Gold-Fun, as well as Hong Kong International Races winners California Memory and Dominant. It’s exciting to have so many top horses competing in the same race and I think it’s a great reason for all to come and join us at Sha Tin tomorrow and capture the action live. Be reminded that we will have 11 races on the card and the first race will commence at 12.30pm.
The two races highlight a spectacular 11-race card with many of the top horses competing. In the HKG2 Premier Bowl at 1200m, I will be very interested in Super Jockey, who I consider an each way chance. He returned to the races on National Day following an eight-month layoff and turned in a solid effort at 1000m and now returns to his preferred distance carrying the minimum 113 pounds. A win in the Premier Bowl will stamp his ticket as a rising star.
Smart Volatility is another lightly raced and improving runner that enjoyed a good first-up run and also benefits from a low weight under the handicap conditions. He is a place chance from his wide draw. Able Friend carries top weight and has not had the perfect preparation. His body weight is up 40 pounds and the highly talented runner is not fully fit for his first test of the new season. The classy Sterling City and the very speedy Bundle Of Joy are both place chances in what shapes up to be a highly competitive sprint.
In the one mile Oriental Watch Sha Tin Trophy, last season’s Horse of the Year Designs On Rome and Champion Miler Gold-Fun head a full field in a star-studded cast of runners, many of which will line up during our LONGINES HKIR meeting in December. Designs On Rome is a win and place chance for me as he has shown his form at a mile and appears to be in good form after flashing home a good third in the HKG3 Celebration Cup three weeks ago. Rewarding Hero is an upset chance as he gets 18 pounds from the big names in the race, has good recent form and is well drawn over his preferred course and distance. Gold-Fun was impressive winning his first-up run and is always in with a big chance over a mile and California Memory is a place chance with his patented running style from off the pace.
Many of us will be watching with interest on the return of Ambitious Dragon as he comes back from a long layoff after suffering a tendon injury just over a year ago. It is amazing to see a horse race with a pair of 8-year-olds, Ambitious Dragon and California Memory, each with lifetime earnings in excess of HK$50 million.
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