The speed of Hong Kong life means that time always seems to pass quickly and it’s amazing to think there are now just eight weeks left in the 2019/20 racing season.
Our friends in other major racing jurisdictions are gradually gearing up for their big races – and it was great to see Almond Eye back with a runaway win in Japan on Sunday – but a race of a different sort continues to dominate headlines closer to home.
Zac Purton and Joao Moreira have ridden a combined 234 winners from 1,151 rides this season and, with 16 fixtures and around 150 races remaining, they go into battle for the jockeys’ championship again at Happy Valley this Wednesday dead level on 117 each.
Joao had the edge on Sunday, riding three winners to Zac’s one, and that was the fifth time he has ridden a treble in his last six meetings at Sha Tin, Indeed, it would have been four nil to Joao had the short head verdict between Classic Posh and Heza Beauty gone the other way, but it is fascinating to see how data shifts when you switch tracks and things look very different from a Valley perspective.
Zac’s skills have always been seen to great advantage at our city track and his record at the Valley this season has been exceptional, with 50 winners from 214 rides as against Joao’s 31 from 219.
The Valley edge has been particularly noticeable in the last month, with Zac riding 14 winners from his last five visits, but if this title race has told us one thing it is that the picture can change very quickly indeed.
Both men have several strong chances again on Wednesday and, with most top-flight sport still in lockdown all over the world, their battle for title is helping showcase the very best of Hong Kong racing to a wider audience than ever before.
Problems caused by the coronavirus pandemic have had a major impact on the bloodstock industry worldwide but final preparations for the Hong Kong International Sale of 2020 are gradually coming together.
This year’s Sale will be divided into two sessions again, with 11 three-year-olds due to go under the hammer in the paddock at Sha Tin on Saturday and a second batch scheduled to arrive here in June before being sold in July.
Saturday’s group arrived in December, which has given them plenty of time to adapt to new surroundings, and it was good to see them handling things professionally as they went through their important Breeze-up in front of an interested crowd of owners, trainers and potential buyers at Sha Tin on Saturday morning.
Moving on to Wednesday’s action, there is no shortage of speed in the Class 2 Ho Chung River Handicap, the 1200m finale, with Amazing Star, This Is Class, Moment Of Power and Larson all expected to be true to their running style. This will result in a fast pace.
Amazing Star, This Is Class, Larson and Shining Gem are last-start winners, while Shining Ace, Winning Method and Seven Heavens are in-form chances for one of the most exciting contests we will see during May. Another interesting facet is the number of horses who excel at the Valley. Amazing Star, This Is Class and Moment Of Power are Happy Valley specialists. The wide draws for Larson, Winning Method and This Is Class will make it difficult on the C+3 course.
Seven Heavens comes off a good try over the straight course at Sha Tin and is well drawn with a light weight. He will settle about midfield behind the fast tempo and is a place chance the way the race sets up.
Amazing Star overcame a wide draw to win his last start in this same grade and has won four of his last five starts at the Valley, including three on the C+3. If he wins this, we will need to check the record books for most wins on the C+3 at Happy Valley in a single season. He is working very well and is a win and place chance with Zac aboard as usual. Shining Ace is also working very well. He is also a place chance under Joao along with recent course and distance winner Shining Gem.
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