The wet weather didn’t dampen spirits at Sha Tin this week on a night when Me Tsui recorded the 500th winner of his training career.
Me has always gone about his business with a quiet professionalism and it came as no surprise to hear him downplaying his latest achievement after Sky Treasure had given him the one winner needed.
However, it is no mean feat to average almost 40 winners a season in an intense arena like Hong Kong and his ability to find the right opportunities for horses on the All Weather track has been second to none in recent years.
Me now joins a select group of 11 active trainers who are already members of the 500 club. Seven of the 11 are homegrown Hong Kong handlers and, like fellow members Tony Cruz, Danny Shum, Dennis Yip, Peter Ho, Francis Lui and Ricky Yiu, Me has been part of the HKJC racing system for practically all of his adult life.
As mentioned in Wednesday’s Blog, the battle for this season’s trainers’ championship is now becoming increasingly intriguing.
Reigning champion John Size moved on to 61 winners for the season thanks to Ping Hai Treasure’s win in the finale, but Frankie Lor is just six behind after a Wednesday double and John Moore is within seven of the lead after continuing his good run with another winner.
It looks a story that could run and run as we approach the final nine weeks of the season. John could even be right in suggesting that the battle could go down to the wire and it was significant to hear him suggest that having the ability to rotate horses between Sha Tin and Conghua could play a vital role in deciding this year’s title race.
John has been the dominant trainer in the history of this weekend’s Sha Tin feature, which is the annual running of the Hong Kong Macau Trophy over 1400m.
This Class 1 contest – run as part of a Saturday card as we do not race on Mother’s Day – was created to bring good-class horses from both sides of the Pearl River delta together back in 2004.
Hong Kong horses have held a clear edge over the years, winning all bar two of the 15 renewals, and John will be aiming for his sixth win in the race this weekend with the Zac Purton-ridden Good Standing.
The Class 1 Hong Kong Macau Trophy at 1400 metres is the highlight of the Saturday race day and the pace will be good. Mister Kaopu and Pearl Green will go forward for Macau whilst Mission Tycoon and Encouraging will join the early mix for Hong Kong.
Good Standing should get a good trip from midfield and despite being winless in five starts over the course and distance, this looks like a good race for him. I make him a win and place chance.
Mission Tycoon is one of the pleasant surprises of the season, finishing second in the Classic Mile at over 200-1 before winning the Classic Cup at 91-1. He has been freshened up, drops back in trip and has been working well for his return. He will go forward from his wide draw with blinkers back on and is a place chance.
Lean Perfection is in top form and will get a good run from his inside draw. He appreciated the step up in trip when he won his last start and is a place chance along with Superich.
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