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It is a measure of John Size’s enduring excellence that, over the past 20 seasons, only a handful of fellow trainers have beaten the 11-time champion horseman for the Hong Kong trainers’ championship.  Caspar Fownes (four times), John Moore (twice), Tony Cruz (once), Dennis Yip (once) and Ricky Yiu (once) are part of an exclusive…

Douglas Whyte’s reputation as a master tactician was well founded in a wonderful riding career crowned by an unmatched 13 successive Hong Kong champion jockey titles and a record 1,813 wins in the saddle.  Douglas’ ability to be in the right place at the right time was a recurring theme during his riding days and…

Regarded an elite staying test, the HK$12 million G1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2400m) at Sha Tin on Sunday serves as the appropriate bookend to our Group 1 season in Hong Kong.  The race has been won by several great champions over the years, notably Viva Pataca, River Verdon, Exultant, Vengeance Of Rain…

A quick glance at the honour roll of the HK$12 million Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2400m) serves as a timely reminder of why the final Group 1 contest of the Hong Kong season is so revered.  With a history stretching back to 1870, the Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup has been won…

When John Size created more history at Happy Valley on Wednesday night by becoming only the second trainer to prepare 1,400 winners in Hong Kong, the least surprising aspect of the occasion was how quickly John disappeared from the limelight.   No sooner had Seizing The Moment left the winners’ enclosure than John was back to…

As tempting as it must have been for owner Stanley Chan and trainer Francis Lui to take Golden Sixty to Japan for the G1 Yasuda Kinen (1600m) next month, in my view the owner and the trainer made the right decision by looking at all the factors and the interest of the horse has to…

Sustained excellence is a quality shared by Tony Cruz and John Size and, by a quirk of fate, two of Hong Kong’s most decorated racing figures are bearing down on another significant racing milestone almost locked in unison.  Tony (1,398 career wins) and John (1,397) trained a treble and double, respectively, on Wednesday night to…

With only 21 meetings left in the 2021/22 season, and only small margins separating the leading players, there is everything to play for in the battle for in Hong Kong’s three major training and riding competitions.  Frankie Lor leads his former mentor John Size 68-65 in the trainers’ championship, having saddled four winners from his…

Determination, resilience and a positive mindset are three of Hong Kong’s enduring hallmarks and Lyle Hewitson has embodied all of these qualities with sustained excellence recently.  Sidelined for several weeks with a fractured pelvis in December, Lyle has been rewarded for his persistence after fighting back to full fitness and health with five wins and…

FWD Champions Day lived up to its blockbuster billing last Sunday with an unforgettable afternoon of world-class racing that showcased the very best of Hong Kong.  With the performances of Golden Sixty, Romantic Warrior and Wellington, it was indeed a day of champions and the slew of milestones stand as testimony to the quality of…