I feel certain that our racing fans are going to find this weekend a very exciting one, as apart from our regular racing action at Sha Tin on Sunday, we will be simulcasting the Investec Derby raceday from Epsom Racecourse tonight, followed by Japan's top springtime mile event, the Yasuda Kinen from Tokyo Racecourse, tomorrow.
For the Investec Derby, it will be the first time in nine years we have simulcast this famous race live for our fans in Hong Kong, the last time being 2001 when Galileo was the victor. In the intervening years, the severe limitations that were placed on our simulcasting of overseas races hindered our ability to bring you this historic classic race.
With the increase in our simulcast days this season, however, I'm delighted we can rectify that, as this top British event for three-year-olds, which will be marking its 231st running this year and carries a £1.25 million (HK$14.3m) purse, still enjoys paramount status in global racing. This is despite other jurisdictions having followed the prototype over the years and created their own different versions of the Derby.
What all these different Derbies have in common, including our own Mercedes-Benz Hong Kong Derby, is that they are a "one-shot deal" due to the age restriction – no horse ever gets a Derby chance more than once – and that winning the home Derby is the ultimate ambition of every horse owner, as well as the pinnacle of every trainer's and jockey's career.
A good example is popular jockey Frankie Dettori who had already achieved huge success in the 1990s, but could not break his duck in the Epsom Derby until his 15th attempt, riding Peter Chapple-Hyam-trained Authorized in 2007. It was this victory that truly made his stellar riding career complete.
However, not all champions have enjoyed the same kind of luck - for instance, the otherwise all-conquering Godolphin stable are still seeking their maiden victory in the Epsom Derby, while Irish training maestro Aidan O’Brien has not managed to produce a winner since 2002, despite having a total of 32 Derby entrants for the past seven years. Many racing commentators are saying it’s a wide open Derby, so let’s see if they can make a breakthrough tonight.
Personally, I will be keeping a special eye on Jan Vermeer. En route to the Derby, this Irish horse has mowed down his opponents in a Group 3 event at Curragh last month. Though he has not yet proved his stamina over a tough 2400m at Epsom, the horse possesses great credential and I’ll see if he will bring another Derby victory for Aidan O’Brien, and the fourth Derby winner for his rider Johnny Murtagh tonight.
His stable companion Midas Touch also looked like to be a strong contender for the top honour, given to his impressive run last time at Leopardstown. He should be the main danger to Jan Vermeer in this classic race. Derby Trial winner Bullet Train, and Sir Michael Stoute’s unexperienced but rising star Workforce, should represent the best hopes of British-based runners in the 12-strong field.
Hopefully I can find a TV channel where I can watch the big race tonight, as I am not in Hong Kong now but in Tokyo, where I will attend the Yasuda Kinen race meeting tomorrow. This year, three of our top milers – Fellowship, Beauty Flash and Sight Winner – have travelled to Japan, and they will be challenging 15 other Japanese runners in this International Group 1 event.
It has been a very prosperous year so far on the international front for Hong Kong racing, with Joy And Fun gaining victory in the Al Quoz Sprint in Dubai in March, then Green Birdie defeating Rocket Man in Singapore last month to claim the Group 1 KrisFlyer International Sprint. It will be a wonderful bonus if any of the Hong Kong trio can bring home the Yasuda Kinen trophy. If they can do so, they will become the third Hong Kong horse to win this event, emulating the feats of Fairy King Prawn and Bullish Luck. Anyway, you can be sure that I will be in the Tokyo grandstand shouting myself hoarse as I cheer the visiting trio on. I hope you will give them your equally staunch support in Hong Kong.
Statistically, the race appears to be favourable to our Hong Kong runners as our three representatives have the highest international ratings in the 18-strong field. In contrast, the home team seems to be less prominent this year, with Captain Thule the only runner to have previously won in a Japanese Group One event. However, you can never underestimate the credentials of Japanese horses.
I think our horses are not facing an easy task. With Beauty Flash starting from Gate 10, he will have the chance to snatch a place if he can repeat his form in the Mercedes-Benz Hong Kong Classic Mile. For Fellowship, if the race were run over 1400m, he would have a good chance to win. However, the undulating track in Tokyo means the mile event here would be more demanding than that of Sha Tin. Despite that, I still think he can still finish very close in this race. If there’s no rain in Tokyo today or tomorrow, it will not be an easy task for Sight Winner this year. Although the home team have no outstanding milers this time, runners like Reach The Crown, Captain Thule and Triumph March are still some strong opponents for Hong Kong horses.
Although I’m in Tokyo, I shall still be closely checking the results from Sha Tin tomorrow. Please make sure you don’t miss any of the action, as the first race will start at 12.15 pm. Among the 11 local races on the card, I will be interested to see how Jun Qi performs in the Buffalo Hill Handicap. Though this four-year-old was defeated in his first start in a Class 2 event last time, I think his performance was quite impressive. With Brett Prebble on board this time, I think he will be the main contender in this event. Two other in-form young runners – John Moore’s Let Me Fight and Paul O’Sullivan’s Taverner – will form the other tough oppositions in this 1400m race.
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