Nothing quite excites the senses among racing purists as the imminent appearance of champions, human and equine.
We are fortunate in Hong Kong this week to celebrate both, with the announcement of the LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship line-up for 8 December at Happy Valley and, more immediately, the return of Golden Sixty as the headline act at Bank Of China (Hong Kong) Race Day at Sha Tin on Sunday, 21 November.
Golden Sixty is one of a select cluster of G1 winners – Wellington, Hot King Prawn, Panfield, Waikuku and Southern Legend, included – to use Sunday’s BOCHK meeting as the launching pad towards LONGINES HKIR.
For me, it will be fascinating to watch what transpires in the three G2 BOCHK features – Sprint, Mile and Cup – not to mention a compelling undercard crowned by the clash of unbeaten Master Eight and Nervous Witness.
Casting an eye to next month, a cursory examination of the LONGINES IJC honour roll reveals the quality of rider required to win one of the most coveted trophies in horse racing.
From Ryan Moore to Zac Purton and Joao Moreira, Douglas Whyte, Frankie Dettori, Hugh Bowman, Christophe Soumillon and Kerrin McEvoy, the list of IJC champions literally oozes class and, after this week’s unveiling of 10 of the 12 riders to contest the 2021 LONGINES IJC, we are tremendously excited at what might unfold at Happy Valley in just over three weeks.
Currently sitting atop the LONGINES World’s Best Jockey standings, Ryan will be joined on his 15th IJC sortie by Hollie Doyle and Tom Marquand, who again sealed status as elite riders with finishing in the top-five of the British Flat Racing Jockeys’ Championship.
A common feature among the assembled cohort is pre-eminence in their local jockey championships – Mickael Barzalona leads the race for the French title; James McDonald is similarly placed in Sydney; Zac and Joao occupy the top two positions in Hong Kong and Lyle Hewitson recently won a third South African title. Globe-trotting Yuga Kawada, who created history with Loves Only You at the Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar earlier this month, sits second in the Japanese championship with a strike rate of better than 28 percent despite regular forays abroad.
Damian Lane currently leads the Victorian jockeys’ premiership and is second in the Melbourne standings behind only Brett Prebble. Zac returns as the IJC defending champion and Joao cemented his place with a fourth Hong Kong Jockeys’ Championship last season. With two spots on the roster still open, there is much to play for over the next two meetings at Sha Tin and Happy Valley, respectively.
Alexis Badel’s effort to ride a double at Happy Valley has left the Frenchman with 17 wins for the season and the upper hand over Karis Teetan (15) in the race to snare an IJC position as the next highest-ranked rider in the Hong Kong Jockeys’ Championship. Similarly, Vincent Ho’s win on Fa Fa was his 14th for the campaign, providing him with a handy lead over Matthew Chadwick (12) in the battle for the IJC spot reserved for the leading homegrown rider (a graduate of the Club’s Apprentice Jockeys’ School).
On Sunday at Sha Tin, the BOCHK Private Banking Jockey Club Sprint is the sixth race and the first of three consecutive Group 2 races on a big day of racing. The Sprint is run over 1200 metres and the pace will be good with Computer Patch likely to use his speed to make the running with Karis Teetan.
Courier Wonder will be on the pace with Joao Moreira and will be ridden more forward after a disappointing effort in his last start. He is the likely favourite and I make him a win and place chance.
Wellington has an excellent first-up record and makes his return following a seven- month absence. He missed 11 days of work in October but has been trialling well and is a place chance despite the five-pound penalty with Alexis Badel.
Stronger is a consistent type and comes into the race in good form with regular rider Vincent Ho. He is a place chance along with Super Wealthy and Chad Schofield.
In the Group 2 Mile, Golden Sixty makes his much-awaited return with Vincent Ho and is a win and place chance after a series of excellent barrier trials. He has been working very well and the likely very slow pace could be a challenge for him not to pull in the beginning of the race after such a long break, but he is still the horse to beat.
He will do his running from the back and can overcome the five-pound penalty by virtue of his class. I expect he will be a bit closer to the pace in his first-up run, particularly when the tempo will be only moderate at best.
Waikuku has the benefit of a race under his belt and will get a soft run on the pace with Zac Purton riding. He should not be underestimated and is a place chance along with last season’s BMW Hong Kong Derby winner Sky Darci and Joao Moreira.
In the 2000 metre Cup, Ka Ying Star will take another step up in trip with Matthew Chadwick to make the running alongside Reliable Team and Derek Leung. Together, they will set a realistic pace. Glorious Dragon has found trouble in each of his two previous runs this season and gets another chance here with Zac Purton. He will get a nice run following Panfield and Karis Teetan, and is a place chance over this trip.
Panfield must carry top weight as a G1 winner and is in career best form. He will get first run at the leaders and is a win and place chance, while Ka Ying Star and Columbus County with Joao Moreira are place chances.
The Group 1 Mile Championship will be simulcast from Hanshin Racecourse, Japan, at 2:40 pm and is the final start in the great career of Gran Alegria. She is a five-time G1 winner over the mile distance and is a win and place chance with regular rider Christophe Lemaire.
She will need to deliver her best to handle the likes of Schnell Meister, Indy Champ and Salios, all of which are place chances. Schnell Meister is a German-bred colt by Kingman and has four wins from only six starts, including a G1 win over a mile. He will be ridden by Takeshi Yokoyama. Indy Champ makes his first start after a big effort in the Yasuda Kinen in June and will be ridden by Yuichi Fukunaga. Salios has been disappointing in his two runs as a four-year-old but is a quality colt and makes his return after a five-month freshening. He adds blinkers and will be ridden by Kohei Matsuyama. I expect an improved effort.
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