Follow South China Morning Post - Racing, filter it, and define how you want to receive the news (via Email, RSS, Telegram, WhatsApp etc.) https://follow.it/scmp58 Fri, 28 Jan 2022 18:51:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/EXrxZJqHTTVOgBnYoIXY1OzdsCmHakzH Having an embarrassment of riches when it comes to deciding on rides is nothing new for Zac Purton and Joao Moreira but it seems their decisions for this Sunday’s Classic Mile have come with as much uncertainty – and potential regret – as any big race in recent memory.Purton rides Danny Shum Chap-shing’s Packing Victory, who could well start favourite, and Moreira climbs aboard the John Size-trained Master Delight, who will also be prominent in the market.There’s nothing wrong with the rides…]]> Thu, 27 Jan 2022 11:46:17 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/EXrxZJqHTTVOgBnYoIXY1OzdsCmHakzH https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/EXrxZJqHTTUpwGpQiQNs0Hn9ye8UNv30 Luke Currie is “ready to put in the hard work” as he prepares to take his first rides in Hong Kong at Sha Tin on Sunday.Currie, who completes his three-week quarantine on Friday, has left his supportive family in Australia and was forced to make a premature departure before all international flights were cancelled.“There wasn’t much time to prepare and it was harder for the wife and kids as it was pretty much pack and go,” Currie said.“I’ve got two young children and hopefully they will come…]]> Thu, 27 Jan 2022 06:03:51 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/EXrxZJqHTTUpwGpQiQNs0Hn9ye8UNv30 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/EXrxZJqHTTWc89LAvz0LK11cWWor9YPv Tony Cruz wasn’t at Happy Valley on Wednesday night but he stole the show anyway, landing a superb treble.The trainer will be back on course at Sha Tin on Sunday after receiving his second Covid-19 vaccination and he heads into Classic Mile weekend with his team in flying form.Cruz’s hat-trick was kicked off by the win of More Than Enough in the Class Four Lyttelton Handicap (1,650m). He was given a great ride by Karis Teetan, who judged the fractions perfectly from the front to hold off the…]]> Wed, 26 Jan 2022 18:04:33 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/EXrxZJqHTTWc89LAvz0LK11cWWor9YPv https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/EXrxZJqHTTXDZnf2r7Wp-l1cWWor9YPv His 16-race winning streak may have ended at Sha Tin on Sunday but Golden Sixty is officially the joint-best miler in the world, according to the 2021 Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings released on Tuesday.While Hong Kong’s representation in the rankings again decreased, the city’s superstar is now the equal sixth-best racehorse in the world, up from equal 10th.With an international rating of 125 based on his performance in December’s Hong Kong Mile, Golden Sixty rose to the top of the…]]> Tue, 25 Jan 2022 16:37:44 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/EXrxZJqHTTXDZnf2r7Wp-l1cWWor9YPv https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/EXrxZJqHTTVD0V-5OpskQcb1naedg1wr It does not matter how many winners a top jockey has ridden, they are always on the hunt for more.Fresh from his 500th Hong Kong success at last week’s Happy Valley meeting, Karis Teetan is back in the saddle and looking for win number 501 on Wednesday night.The Mauritian jockey has seven rides at Happy Valley with his top opportunity looking to come aboard California Sky in what shapes as the best race on the card, the closing Class Three Breezy Handicap (1,200m).The Tony Cruz-trained four…]]> Tue, 25 Jan 2022 03:31:02 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/EXrxZJqHTTVD0V-5OpskQcb1naedg1wr https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/EXrxZJqHTTW07AjG6_fI4eT5HJgy6HUf One of the few permitted pastimes in Hong Kong right now is salvaging positives out of suboptimal situations and while Golden Sixty’s shock defeat on Sunday knocked the racing world for six, there could be some silver linings in all of this.Like a Hong Kong government persisting with a ‘zero-Covid’ policy, Golden Sixty was left scrambling in the Stewards’ Cup after Vincent Ho Chak-yiu took him to the back of the field in a race completely devoid of pace.While Ho’s admission that he got too far…]]> Mon, 24 Jan 2022 12:03:33 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/EXrxZJqHTTW07AjG6_fI4eT5HJgy6HUf https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/EXrxZJqHTTUswsyPUWCzlZs0ohxaO6Yr Never mind Magic Man Joao Moreira or Australian star Zac Purton, if you’re a punter chasing a winner at Happy Valley on Wednesday night, look no further than Harry Bentley.Bentley, 29, has ridden a winner at the last four Happy Valley meetings and is now making the most of any opportunities that come his way after a slow start to life in Hong Kong.“Things have been going really well for the last five or six weeks, I’m delighted with the momentum I’ve got and I want to do my best to keep it that…]]> Mon, 24 Jan 2022 10:13:33 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/EXrxZJqHTTUswsyPUWCzlZs0ohxaO6Yr https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/EXrxZJqHTTXIOEpy9Fl_2KCY3L745TL_ It was a relieved and apologetic Joao Moreira who left Sha Tin on Sunday night – sorry to those he let down with his brain fade at Happy Valley on Wednesday night but grateful he didn’t let the incident impact his riding.Hit with a six-meeting suspension after pleading guilty to failing to ride out Zone D on the midweek card, Moreira responded with a superb quartet to increase his lead in the jockeys’ premiership to an imposing 15 wins.“It’s a mistake I have made and there is a price to pay. I…]]> Sun, 23 Jan 2022 14:34:18 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/EXrxZJqHTTXIOEpy9Fl_2KCY3L745TL_ https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/EXrxZJqHTTVQLWZuvmwqpnn9ye8UNv30 All good things must come to an end and Golden Sixty’s 16-race winning streak was brought to a shuddering halt by Waikuku in the Group One Stewards’ Cup (1,600m) at Sha Tin on Sunday.Hong Kong racing’s poster boy broke well from the stalls but raced with his mouth wide throughout and had plenty to do turning for home under Vincent Ho Chak-Yiu as he attempted to equal sprint sensation Silent Witness’ Hong Kong record of 17 straight victories.Despite running on strongly late, Golden Sixty’s…]]> Sun, 23 Jan 2022 12:16:12 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/EXrxZJqHTTVQLWZuvmwqpnn9ye8UNv30 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/EXrxZJqHTTVjkrg6KwaLqClmFkX7M1Jw Already the most decorated jockey in the history of Hong Kong racing, Douglas Whyte can add Group One-winning trainer to his resume after Stronger’s surprise victory in the Centenary Sprint Cup.The South African, who is into his third season as a handler after swapping his stirrups for a stopwatch in 2019, enjoyed the biggest moment of his new career at Sha Tin on Sunday when his honest speedster fought off a late challenge from Sky Field in the HK$12 million feature.Whyte won 23 Hong Kong…]]> Sun, 23 Jan 2022 11:41:38 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/EXrxZJqHTTVjkrg6KwaLqClmFkX7M1Jw https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/EXrxZJqHTTWX6MMFgx2ww-zdsCmHakzH Covid-19 has ensured there won’t be a single fan on track to see Golden Sixty’s attempt at joining Silent Witness in the rarest of air but the fervour gripping Hong Kong is no less intense than what the city experienced almost two decades ago.Douglas Whyte got a front-row seat to Silent Witness’ record-setting 17th straight victory in 2005 – he was aboard seventh-placed Scintillation – and the South African will be one of a handful of trainers trying to prevent Golden Sixty matching that Hong…]]> Sat, 22 Jan 2022 06:22:07 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/EXrxZJqHTTWX6MMFgx2ww-zdsCmHakzH https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/EXrxZJqHTTWYKM9vY9f1nezdsCmHakzH Top trainer Caspar Fownes will not be on hand at Sha Tin on Sunday to oversee his two Group One runners, Sky Field and Sky Darci, but he will be back on track soon after revealing he has received his first Covid-19 vaccination.Fownes chose to have his first shot this week after the government introduced regulations preventing anyone not fully vaccinated against Covid-19 from being on track.“I’ve taken my first vaccine on Wednesday and obviously I’ll get my second jab four weeks later. Then I’m…]]> Sat, 22 Jan 2022 04:24:25 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/EXrxZJqHTTWYKM9vY9f1nezdsCmHakzH https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/EXrxZJqHTTUHMAz4eahsgJs0ohxaO6Yr Top jockey Alexis Badel is confident he can end a lean run aboard Wellington in the Group One Centenary Sprint Cup (1,200m) at Sha Tin on Sunday.Badel has ridden only three winners in Hong Kong since November 24 but he believes he’s identified the reasons behind that lull as he looks ahead to yet another big ride this weekend.“The suspensions cost me a lot in terms of momentum, it’s always tricky to be suspended and especially twice in a row,” said Badel, who sits sixth in the jockeys’…]]> Sat, 22 Jan 2022 03:11:54 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/EXrxZJqHTTUHMAz4eahsgJs0ohxaO6Yr https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/EXrxZJqHTTVNvIOwEDctbpVjH6qdYdAk The gap between Joao Moreira’s best and worst has been vast at times this season and that was there for all to see at Happy Valley on Wednesday night, with the Brazilian’s effort aboard Zone D to sideline him for six meetings in February.On pleading guilty to failing to ride $2.20 favourite Zone D out to the end of the race to the satisfaction of stewards, Moreira was hit with by far the biggest suspension of his Hong Kong career – he had never missed more than three meetings before.That ban…]]> Thu, 20 Jan 2022 09:34:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/EXrxZJqHTTVNvIOwEDctbpVjH6qdYdAk https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/EXrxZJqHTTVYD7JzR0rlBl1cWWor9YPv David Hayes’ Classic Series hopes have been decimated after a horror 24 hours wiped Fantastic Treasure and Helene North Star from contention.Fantastic Treasure, who was one of the favourites for Sunday week’s HK$12 million Classic Mile, hurt his lower leg after a gallop on Wednesday morning, ruling him out of the lucrative four-year-old series.Things only got worse from there when Helene North Star, a British import who connections were hopeful of running in March’s Hong Kong Derby, got free of…]]> Thu, 20 Jan 2022 07:42:15 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/EXrxZJqHTTVYD7JzR0rlBl1cWWor9YPv https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/EXrxZJqHTTVlfuvRTGijSiejEQ2Mq9rY Star Brazilian jockey Joao Moreira will miss two Group One races next month after being hit with a six-meeting suspension for his effort aboard Zone D at Happy Valley on Wednesday night.The Magic Man pleaded guilty to failing to ride Zone D out to the end of the race to the satisfaction of stewards after partnering the John Size-trained galloper into fourth as the $2.2 favourite in the Class Three Lamma Island Handicap (1,650m).After positioning Zone D one-off the rail just behind midfield from…]]> Thu, 20 Jan 2022 02:11:55 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/EXrxZJqHTTVlfuvRTGijSiejEQ2Mq9rY https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/EXrxZJqHTTUrHqtfRzfXpnn9ye8UNv30 There were 1,000 reasons to celebrate at Happy Valley on Wednesday night as trainer Paul O’Sullivan and jockey Karis Teetan achieved the milestone of 500 Hong Kong winners in the same race.Teetan steered home Shadow Runner, who will surely now be an answer to plenty of Hong Kong quiz questions, to win by a neck in the Class Four Green Island Handicap (1,200m), thrilling O’Sullivan.“It really is a milestone and this horse is owned by George Leung [Wai-ki] and his family – they’ve been there…]]> Wed, 19 Jan 2022 17:03:53 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/EXrxZJqHTTUrHqtfRzfXpnn9ye8UNv30 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/EXrxZJqHTTXKACR1bFD4lSejEQ2Mq9rY Blake Shinn makes a return to the saddle at Happy Valley on Wednesday night after completing a three-meeting suspension handed out to him after he landed the Hong Kong Sprint aboard Sky Field.The Australian rider was found guilty of careless riding in that Group One contest and has been frustrated at missing out on some smart rides in the last couple of weeks.“It’s never a good feeling when you’re sitting on the sidelines so it wasn’t ideal, especially when we had some good momentum going,”…]]> Tue, 18 Jan 2022 06:57:10 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/EXrxZJqHTTXKACR1bFD4lSejEQ2Mq9rY https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/EXrxZJqHTTUDsXuwtPOR6l1cWWor9YPv Joao Moreira stuck with Sky Darci throughout last year’s Classic Series and was rewarded with Hong Kong Derby glory and the Brazilian may again look to play the long game after committing to the John Size-trained Master Delight for the Classic Mile.Moreira produced impressive victories aboard probable Classic Mile runners Sight Spirit and Romantic Warrior at Sha Tin on Sunday and was faced with a tough decision, but opted to stick with the highest-rated of the trio.“I’m not sure if he can win…]]> Mon, 17 Jan 2022 13:23:21 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/EXrxZJqHTTUDsXuwtPOR6l1cWWor9YPv https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/EXrxZJqHTTWJAKGvTrtU_CejEQ2Mq9rY Connections thought enough of C P Brave to throw in a couple of entries for last month’s Hong Kong International Races and while the five-year-old hasn’t reached those lofty heights just yet, he can take another step towards having ambition meet ability at Happy Valley on Wednesday night.The Tony Millard-trained gelding has raced well since arriving in Hong Kong from Britain, where he won two of his four starts when known as Piranesi under the care of William Haggas, but is yet to fulfil his…]]> Mon, 17 Jan 2022 06:26:17 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/EXrxZJqHTTWJAKGvTrtU_CejEQ2Mq9rY