https://www.scmp.com/rss/142305/feed Australian journalist Michael Cox had considerable experience as a writer and radio broadcaster in his homeland, covering thoroughbred and harness racing as well as other major sports, before making the move to the Post in 2011. Michael has adapted seamlessly to writing and reporting on Hong Kong racing and his blog, Happy Lucky Dragon Win, has become a popular feature of the Post’s online coverage. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com John Mok Chun-wa died as a result of injuries suffered doing a job he loved and left behind not only a young family but also a horse racing community grieving the loss of a well-liked and exceptionally talented horseman. Trackwork riders are often the unsung heroes of the racing world, waking before dawn each day to face the risks associated with working with racehorses, but without the fame and adulation trainers and jockeys receive on race day. Yet trainer Caspar Fownes said his stable’s star... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2155953/he-always-had-smile-his-face-trainer-caspar-fownes-leads-tributes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2155953/he-always-had-smile-his-face-trainer-caspar-fownes-leads-tributes?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Jul 2018 05:12:12 +0000 This season was meant to be all about Joao Moreira, again, but by the end of it we had a new champion in Zac Purton and the Magic Man’s shock departure was just one of many that shook Hong Kong racing to its core and reshaped the look of the riding roster for next season. Moreira had ridden 483 winners to Purton’s 292 combined during his three-season championship reign so there were no betting markets to speak of, let alone odds offered, about an unlikely upset in this season’s jockeys’... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2155725/season-review-joao-moreira-passes-torch-zac-purton?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2155725/season-review-joao-moreira-passes-torch-zac-purton?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Jul 2018 23:43:21 +0000 The master and his apprentice dominated the ranks this season as John Size cruised to a third-straight championship and his long time protege Frankie Lor Fu-chuen finished second and produced the highest number of wins for a first-season trainer in history. There were questions whether Size could continue his role after saddling up a record 95 winners in the first ever 88-meeting season and when Lor jumped out of the blocks some thought he might emulate his old boss and win a title in his first... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2155724/season-review-john-size-stands-supreme-frankie-lor-bursts-scene?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2155724/season-review-john-size-stands-supreme-frankie-lor-bursts-scene?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Jul 2018 23:42:09 +0000 Beauty Generation’s consistency won Horse of the Year but the resurrection of Pakistan Star was the story of the year during a season where John Size seemed to have every good sprinter in town in a term and a new era of Hong Kong horses stood up. Ageing superstars and the racetrack death of last season’s Horse of the Year Rapper Dragon left a huge hole in the top ranks but it was the horses who had finished behind him soon stepped into the void. Beauty Generation may lack the wow factor of some... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2155723/season-review-beauty-generation-comes-fore-pakistan-star-emerges?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2155723/season-review-beauty-generation-comes-fore-pakistan-star-emerges?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Jul 2018 23:40:56 +0000 This might sound like a crazy thing to do, but it turns out that carrying a Pakistan Star plushie around Hong Kong’s notorious Chungking Mansions is a great way to meet new friends. That’s because Chungking Mansions is a workplace, home or meeting place – and sometimes all three – for many of Hong Kong’s 55,000 people of Pakistani heritage and around these parts Pakistan Star is a household name. Or more specifically “Ba Kei Chi Sing” as he known in Cantonese, which is spoken fluently by many... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2155630/pakistan-zindabad-theres-nothing-soft-about-pakistan-stars-popularity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2155630/pakistan-zindabad-theres-nothing-soft-about-pakistan-stars-popularity?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Jul 2018 07:39:07 +0000 A photo of the closing stages to the 807th and final race to the 2017-18 season will make a great poster – Douglas Whyte beating the next two champions Zac Purton and Joao Moreira in a thrilling three way finish. “You couldn’t have scripted that better,” said Brett Prebble afterwards. “What a great way to end the season.” Well, there would have been one way, if Prebble himself had chimed in late and finished his illustrious Hong Kong racing career on a high. Before Joao and Zac, and before Zac... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2155369/brett-prebble-departs-hong-kong-firmly-etched-record-books-its-been?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2155369/brett-prebble-departs-hong-kong-firmly-etched-record-books-its-been?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Jul 2018 14:53:55 +0000 At the start of this season, nobody – no sane person anyway – thought Zac Purton could beat the unbeatable winning machine that was Joao Moreira but on Sunday the Australian finally broke the Magic Man’s spell. Purton is heavier than his rival, he gets less support and Moreira had previously beaten him by margins so wide it left little hope, but on Sunday, after a titanic duel that captivated world racing, the 35-year-old completed mission impossible. Right from the start, when Moreira rode the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2155364/zac-purton-breaks-magic-man-joao-moreiras-spell-nobody-thought-was?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2155364/zac-purton-breaks-magic-man-joao-moreiras-spell-nobody-thought-was?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Jul 2018 13:46:57 +0000 Derek Cruz couldn’t stave off retirement but true to his hard-nosed nature, the popular horseman went down fighting with a win at the season finale to end his long and illustrious career on a high. While Cruz is in New Zealand tending to yearlings at his family’s Winmark Racing stables in Cambridge, his son Martin was on hand to speak for the stable after Elusive State’s surprise success. “We went down swinging and while we knew it would be tough, I think we had a great season,” he said,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2155349/derek-cruz-goes-down-swinging-elusive-state-wins-cap-trainers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2155349/derek-cruz-goes-down-swinging-elusive-state-wins-cap-trainers?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Jul 2018 10:35:22 +0000 Rival jockeys aren’t the only ones glad Joao Moreira is leaving Hong Kong, Jockey Challenge bookmakers must be beside themselves to be seeing the back of the Brazilian. The moment Moreira arrived in October 2014, the Jockey Challenge changed as a bet as the lightweight began his record-breaking run. Markets have had to be suspended on many occasions as Moreira, having already opened at short odds, rides the first few winners and leaves the bookmakers with no options. This season it has been more... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2155290/jockey-challenge-bookies-happy-see-back-joao-moreira?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2155290/jockey-challenge-bookies-happy-see-back-joao-moreira?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Jul 2018 12:10:21 +0000 They sit just metres apart in the Sha Tin jockeys’ room, directly opposite each other – two jockeys whose on-track exploits have lifted the profile of Hong Kong racing, and their performances, to new levels. “Friendly off track, fierce on track,” is how Zac Purton describes his rivalry with Joao Moreira, a battle that has enthralled Hong Kong racing for nearly five seasons, reached fever pitch in recent weeks and concludes, at least in its current form, on Sunday. “I never thought I would be... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2155276/zac-purton-vs-joao-moreira-how-friendly-fierce-rivalry-captivated-hong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2155276/zac-purton-vs-joao-moreira-how-friendly-fierce-rivalry-captivated-hong?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Jul 2018 09:45:00 +0000 It seems Joao Moreira is in an impossible position but Zac Purton knows his rival still has some tricks up his sleeve and won’t rest until it is mathematically impossible for the Magic Man to steal the 2017-18 jockeys’ championship from his grasp. Purton’s double at Happy Valley on Wednesday night pulled him four clear in the championship but because the Australian holds a clear advantage in the number of seconds – which will be used to separate the pair in the event of a tie – the lead is... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2155052/ghost-stole-2012-ijc-and-why-zac-purton-wont-take-anything-granted-joao?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2155052/ghost-stole-2012-ijc-and-why-zac-purton-wont-take-anything-granted-joao?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Jul 2018 13:33:45 +0000 Zac Purton took a massive step towards the jockeys’ championship on Wednesday night with a double that leaves Joao Moreira requiring a miraculous final day to win a fourth-straight title. Moreira opened the night at Happy Valley with a win on Letsgofree to close the gap to two at the top of the championship but Purton hit back with wins on Charity Wings and Saul’s Special to finish the meeting up by four. Given Purton has a massive edge in the tiebreak of number of seconds, that leaves Moreira... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2154886/zac-purton-has-one-hand-jockeys-championship?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2154886/zac-purton-has-one-hand-jockeys-championship?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Jul 2018 16:13:08 +0000 Zac Purton might be biased when it comes to Beauty Generation but it is hard to argue with the leading jockey’s logic when he makes a case for the season’s only three-time Group One winner to be named Horse of the Year – ahead of wildly popular Pakistan Star. “Beauty Generation has not only won more Group Ones, won more Group races and won more races overall than Pakistan Star, but he has won more prize money as well,” Purton said. “When you look at the runs on the board, I just don’t see how... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2154764/its-not-popularity-contest-zac-purton-pushes-beauty-generation-ahead?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2154764/its-not-popularity-contest-zac-purton-pushes-beauty-generation-ahead?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Jul 2018 04:44:10 +0000 Jack Wong Ho-nam has returned from injury this season to outride his claim and end up with a respectable record but still hopes to add to his win tally for former boss Me Tsui Yu-sak at Wednesday night’s final Happy Valley meeting of the season. A serious back injury kept Wong sidelined through a two-month mid-season stretch but the 24-year-old has closed out strongly and has 24 winners. “That injury slowed me down but I am happy with the results since I have been back,” Wong said. “It has been... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2154681/jack-wong-finishing-season-strong-and-has-high-hopes-outsiders-happy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2154681/jack-wong-finishing-season-strong-and-has-high-hopes-outsiders-happy?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Jul 2018 11:42:37 +0000 Racecaller John Blance brings his three-season Hong Kong stint to a close at Happy Valley on Wednesday night having transformed into something of a course specialist at the tricky city track and even broadened the vocabulary of the average racing fan along the way. The picturesque, undulating courses of northern England where Blance cut his teeth couldn’t be more different to the helter-skelter, 1,450m circuit nestled next to Causeway Bay’s towering commercial blocks. Yet that hasn’t stopped... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2154620/and-away-he-goes-racecaller-john-blance-bids-farewell-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2154620/and-away-he-goes-racecaller-john-blance-bids-farewell-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Jul 2018 08:00:45 +0000 The absorbing battle for the jockeys’ championship is about the politics of trainer support as much as anything else, but it is not all about the big guns, and few have been as effective at supporting Zac Purton than Lamarosa’s trainer Paul O’Sullivan. O’Sullivan doesn’t have the ammunition of some of the top stables but the popular Kiwi trainer has provided plenty of winners in the latter part of Purton’s push for a second title and Lamarosa looks a key runner at Happy Valley on Wednesday... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2154477/lamarosa-can-continue-hot-streak-paul-osullivan-and-zac-purton-happy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2154477/lamarosa-can-continue-hot-streak-paul-osullivan-and-zac-purton-happy?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Jul 2018 10:01:30 +0000 Jockeys have won more races in Hong Kong, but not many had more fun doing it than Olivier Doleuze and even fewer endeared themselves to the city’s racing fans as much as the flamboyant Frenchman. With his immaculate dress sense and relaxed, cheerful demeanour, Doleuze was a hit off the track, but on the track he was an athletic whirlwind with a knack of finding a top horse at the right time. Yet despite the natural flair, after 17 seasons and 571 wins, peppered with famous Group race success... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2154321/olivier-doleuze-quitely-slips-out-sha-tin-and-rides-sunset?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2154321/olivier-doleuze-quitely-slips-out-sha-tin-and-rides-sunset?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Jul 2018 14:44:50 +0000 Pakistan Star now has a friend and he has more in common with his owner-mate than quirky characteristics – Pakistan Friend is now also a debut winner. Two years and one week after Pakistan Star took the internet by storm with his show-stopping come-from-last display, Pakistan Friend also swooped from the tail on debut at Sha Tin. “Don’t touch him, Kerm is hot,” joked trainer Tony Cruz after the race, referring to owner Kerm Din, who bought both horses from the Jockey Club’s Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2154319/shades-pakistan-star-tony-cruz-finds-pakistan-friend?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2154319/shades-pakistan-star-tony-cruz-finds-pakistan-friend?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Jul 2018 14:03:30 +0000 It will be two years and one week since Pakistan Star’s dramatic debut when Kerm Din’s latest acquisition steps out for the first time and it seems Pakistan Friend shares some of his famous stablemate’s quirkiness. Luckily Pakistan Friend, also an International Sale Griffin, can at least gallop, but the four-year-old’s also has a habit of throwing his head back when hit in the face with kickback, even on turf. Tommy Berry, who rode Pakistan Star to victory in the Group One Standard Chartered... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2154238/two-years-after-show-stopping-debut-pakistan-star-has-friend-and-he-has?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2154238/two-years-after-show-stopping-debut-pakistan-star-has-friend-and-he-has?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Jul 2018 11:45:40 +0000 All-weather track racing is derided as second-rate by some but dirt wins have been the difference in the jockeys’ championship so far and Sunday’s final three races of the season could prove pivotal in the battle between Zac Purton and Joao Moreira. Moreira has had 16 more wins than Purton on the Sha Tin turf (76-60) and Purton 15 more wins than his arch rival at Happy Valley (49-34), but on dirt Purton has a four-win edge (20-16). So it is telling that Purton leads by three wins heading into... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2153945/time-zac-purton-and-joao-moreira-get-down-and-dirty-fight-jockeys?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2153945/time-zac-purton-and-joao-moreira-get-down-and-dirty-fight-jockeys?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Jul 2018 10:15:33 +0000 Zac Purton maintained his three-win buffer ahead of Joao Moreira at the top of the jockeys’ championship but may be left ruing four second-place finishes on a frustrating night for the Australian at Happy Valley. Purton holds a crucial tiebreak of more seconds, so his lead is essentially four with three meetings remaining, but a big haul last night could have been decisive in the title chase. “I came here thinking I had a pretty good book of rides and four seconds isn’t great, but one-all is... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2153814/zac-purton-maintains-championship-lead-left-rue-four-seconds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2153814/zac-purton-maintains-championship-lead-left-rue-four-seconds?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Jul 2018 16:00:31 +0000 Karis Teetan has had another stand-out season of his own but would love nothing more than to help popular trainer Almond Lee retain his licence with a win on course specialist Happy Rocky at Happy Valley. Teetan has 49 winners so far and will finish outright third in the jockeys’ championship but Wednesday night is all about trying to keep Lee in training next term. “Almond is one of the nice guys of Hong Kong racing so I would love to give him one of the wins he needs,” Teetan said. With four... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2153631/karis-teetan-wants-happy-rocky-win-nice-guy-almond-lee?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2153631/karis-teetan-wants-happy-rocky-win-nice-guy-almond-lee?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Jul 2018 11:18:43 +0000 Blinkers nearly brought about a first win in more than 860 days for Friends Of Ka Ying at Happy Valley last month and the six-year-old returns to the same course and distance with a better draw on Wednesday night. Friends Of Ka Ying hasn’t won since defeating subsequent stakes winners Helene Paragon and Secret Weapon in a Class Two at Sha Tin in early 2016. The Australian import was then with Benno Yung Tin-pang and arrived with Caspar Fownes midway through this term after a stint with Paul... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2153441/good-gate-can-bring-about-friends-ka-yings-first-win-893-days?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2153441/good-gate-can-bring-about-friends-ka-yings-first-win-893-days?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Jul 2018 09:35:02 +0000 Frankie Lor Fu-chuen already had the record for most wins by a first-season trainer but is showing no signs of slacking off and is already planning to smash any suggestion of “second-year syndrome” with the help of shock stable transfer Mr Stunning. Given Lor has already exceeded expectations in his rookie campaign nobody would be surprised if he eased off, stockpiling some winners for next term, but the 52-year-old said there is still plenty left to be gained over the final four meetings. “I... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2153322/frankie-lor-ready-avoid-second-year-blues-after-stunning-debut?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2153322/frankie-lor-ready-avoid-second-year-blues-after-stunning-debut?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Jul 2018 13:16:39 +0000 The weather gods were on Derek Cruz’s side when a torrential downpour helped Elusive State score at Sha Tin on Sunday, but the embattled trainer admits he will need more heavenly assistance to retain his licence for next season. A storm that arrived moments after race four turned the all-weather track to slop but it suited track specialist Elusive State just fine as the four-year-old bolted clear under an aggressive ride from Joao Moreira. The 63-year-old Cruz is in the “all or nothing”... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2153304/derek-cruz-needs-divine-intervention-reach-performance-criteria?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2153304/derek-cruz-needs-divine-intervention-reach-performance-criteria?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Jul 2018 09:51:30 +0000 Joao Moreira’s imminent departure and the radical overhaul of the jockey roster puts a different spin on the remainder of this season for those with designs on moving up the pecking order and perhaps even linking with powerhouse trainer John Size. Not only is Moreira leaving for Japan, Nash Rawiller has been banished and veterans Brett Prebble and Olivier Doleuze will not return for the 2018-19 season. That leaves more than 200 wins on the table, including a host of big-race opportunities and... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2153239/joao-moreira-departing-rivals-are-vying-opportunities?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2153239/joao-moreira-departing-rivals-are-vying-opportunities?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 Jun 2018 11:45:00 +0000 A switch back to Sha Tin and some weight relief can bring about a second win of the season for Spanish-bred gelding Sangria as trainer David Ferraris sends a small but solid team to the races on Sunday. Sangria is one of only two Spanish-bred horses in training at Sha Tin and became the first of them to win when he broke through at Happy Valley over 1,800m in January. The five-year-old hasn’t finished worse than fourth since and the closest he came was a neck defeat over 2,000m two starts ago... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2152962/spanish-bred-sangria-can-notch-second-win-season-david-ferraris-sunday?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2152962/spanish-bred-sangria-can-notch-second-win-season-david-ferraris-sunday?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 Jun 2018 11:02:37 +0000 Classy four-year-old Doctor Geoff helped maintain Zac Purton’s lead at the top of the jockeys’ championship on a night the Australian feared his rival Joao Moreira could dominate. Moreira looked to have a far stronger book of rides than his rival at Happy Valley and started the night with wins in the first two races before Purton later hit back with Doctor Geoff’s stylish Class Two victory. Purton now has 127 wins to Moreira’s 123 with five meetings remaining in the term but said he had expected... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2152805/doctor-geoff-helps-zac-purton-minimise-damage-happy-valley?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2152805/doctor-geoff-helps-zac-purton-minimise-damage-happy-valley?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 Jun 2018 16:08:03 +0000 While Zac Purton and Joao Moreira fight out a thrilling jockeys’ championship there is still some interest a little further down the table with Derek Leung Ka-chun and Matthew Poon Ming-fai in a battle for the Tony Cruz Award. Leung is aiming for back-to-back victories in the award for leading local rider, holding a three-win edge over Poon (34 to 31) with six meetings remaining in the season and both riders head into Wednesday night’s Happy Valley meeting with solid chances. Leung’s best hope... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2152603/we-know-about-joao-moreira-versus-zac-purton-derek-leung-versus-matthew?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2152603/we-know-about-joao-moreira-versus-zac-purton-derek-leung-versus-matthew?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Jun 2018 11:04:50 +0000 Jimmy Ting Koon-ho may have been left with a relatively short time frame to scramble for staff and horses – and still doesn’t know where he will be based – but the popular horseman said he is ready for the challenge of being Hong Kong racing’s newest trainer. Ting was only informed he would be training next season after the eventful licensing committee meeting on June 8, leaving the 45-year-old just five weeks to assemble a team for the 2018-19 season. “Sure, it is a short time to get everything... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2152589/build-stable-scratch-five-weeks-hong-kongs-newest-trainer-jimmy-ting?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2152589/build-stable-scratch-five-weeks-hong-kongs-newest-trainer-jimmy-ting?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Jun 2018 09:43:36 +0000 Happy Valley has been a not-so-happy hunting ground for Joao Moreira this season but the Brazilian heads to the city track with a great book of rides and a golden opportunity to make ground on Zac Purton in the jockeys’ championship. Moreira (121 wins) trails Purton (126) by five with six meetings remaining, a gap that could close quickly if the Magic Man gets on a hot streak. That could happen at the Valley with Moreira looking like he has an advantage over Purton. Still, Purton is riding the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2152368/joao-moreira-can-eat-championship-margin-he-heads-happy-valley-strong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2152368/joao-moreira-can-eat-championship-margin-he-heads-happy-valley-strong?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 Jun 2018 09:30:15 +0000 Back when he was in the saddle and the undisputed golden boy of Hong Kong racing, Tony Cruz aimed to be a big-race specialist and it seems he is wresting the mantle from rival John Moore as the top stakes-race trainer as well if recent results are any indication. California Whip’s win in the Group Three Premier Cup meant Cruz has swept the last seven Group races of the season, a hot streak that stretches back to Pakistan Star’s astonishing victory in the Audemars Piguet QE II Cup on April... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2152240/tony-cruz-challenges-john-moores-big-race-mantle-seventh-group-win-row?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2152240/tony-cruz-challenges-john-moores-big-race-mantle-seventh-group-win-row?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 24 Jun 2018 12:50:55 +0000 Sometimes “winning pretty” isn’t the point and while Zac Purton’s decision to back Exultant’s superior staying ability in the Group Three Premier Plate may not win him ride of the season, it was smarter than it looked. Purton went into the 1,800m race on Tony Cruz’s dour four-year-old believing his only genuine threat was stablemate Gold Mount and knowing that top weight of 133 pounds could dull his already one-paced horse’s turn of foot even further. With Exultant and Gold Mount both... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2152238/zac-purton-exultant-after-grinding-out-premier-plate-win-you-dont-have?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2152238/zac-purton-exultant-after-grinding-out-premier-plate-win-you-dont-have?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 24 Jun 2018 12:14:27 +0000 Mighty Maverick kept the dream alive for Derek Cruz and the embattled trainer now needs six wins in six meetings to retain his licence after a big day for the battlers at Sha Tin. Cruz has already indicated that he will not apply for a licence for next season if he doesn’t reach the minimum benchmark of 16 wins but his son Martin said the stable hasn’t given up. “We know the situation but we are going to keep on fighting – it’s win or go home – but we still have some bullets to fire yet,” he... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2152233/win-or-go-home-derek-cruz-still-fighting-his-training-career?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2152233/win-or-go-home-derek-cruz-still-fighting-his-training-career?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 24 Jun 2018 11:27:54 +0000 Winner’s Way was runner-up in the Group Three Premier Cup 12 months ago but the Tony Cruz-trained sprinter can go one better and cap a consistent season with another black-type win in the race on Sunday at Sha Tin. Part of a stellar four-year-old crop that included Rapper Dragon, Pakistan Star and Beauty Generation, Winner’s Way hasn’t hit the heights of his classmates yet, but recent performances indicate he could become a big race player. Winner’s Way (Zac Purton) gets a golden opportunity to... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2152166/tony-cruzs-sprinter-winners-way-one-beat-premier-cup?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2152166/tony-cruzs-sprinter-winners-way-one-beat-premier-cup?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 Jun 2018 12:36:53 +0000 The final race of the day at Sha Tin provides a tantalising clash between four of Hong Kong racing’s brightest young stars but could also decide a Jockey Challenge that seems set for a grandstand finish. The Class Two Ma On Shan Handicap (1,400m) sees the return of unbeaten four-year-old Conte (Joao Moreira) but the rising star has ample opposition in the form of a trio of talented three-year-olds. Solar Patch (Zac Purton), Harmony Hero (Alberto Sanna) and Win Beauty Win (Chad Schofield) have... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2152163/rising-stars-could-decide-heavyweight-jockey-challenge-battle?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2152163/rising-stars-could-decide-heavyweight-jockey-challenge-battle?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 Jun 2018 12:27:19 +0000 Twelve months ago voters showed they had a heart when Rapper Dragon was made Horse of the Year and they now face a similar scenario deciding between “peoples’ horse” Pakistan Star and the perhaps better credentialed – on paper at least – Beauty Generation. Of course, the decision to anoint Rapper Dragon 2016-17 Horse of the Year had the added pathos of the horse’s tragic racetrack death but Pakistan Star’s unprecedented popularity, especially with the non-racing public, must be considered in his... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2152127/pakistan-star-or-beauty-generation-who-horse-year?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2152127/pakistan-star-or-beauty-generation-who-horse-year?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 Jun 2018 01:39:54 +0000 Last year’s Hong Kong Derby winner Rapper Dragon was denied the chance to show how good he could be, but those who finished behind him in the 2017 four-year-old series can continue to cement his legacy in Sunday’s two Group Three features at Sha Tin. Rapper Dragon’s tragic demise two starts after capping a clean sweep of the four-year-old series with an emphatic Derby triumph left a void, but his age group have stepped up in 2017-18. Derby placegetters Pakistan Star and Beauty Generation are the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2151878/hong-kong-derby-class-2017-continues-come-fore-big-races?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2151878/hong-kong-derby-class-2017-continues-come-fore-big-races?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Jun 2018 10:56:04 +0000 Chris So Wai-yin was already relieved to be on the right side of a photo finish – especially after another “bad beat” – when Relentless Me delivered the middle leg of a treble that gave a frustrating season a brighter look. So entered the 81st meeting of the season stuck on 23 wins, a subpar total for a trainer with a capacity stable of 60 horses in work, but had also endured a remarkable 44 runner-up finishes – third most of any trainer. So when Snowhooves was edged by the barest of margins in... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2151145/chris-so-finds-winning-spirit-sha-tin-treble?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2151145/chris-so-finds-winning-spirit-sha-tin-treble?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 Jun 2018 15:23:32 +0000 While much of the focus has been on the jockeys’ championship, there is much more at stake at the bottom of the trainers’ table as the “Conghua era” threatens to further expose the gap between the haves and have nots. There is no prize money on the line in the battle between Zac Purton and Joao Moreira for the jockeys’ title, just pride and prestige, yet careers are on the line for struggling trainers Derek Cruz and Almond Lee. Hong Kong is unique in that trainers at the bottom of the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2151144/livelihoods-stake-battle-bottom-trainers-table?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2151144/livelihoods-stake-battle-bottom-trainers-table?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 Jun 2018 15:21:41 +0000 Trainer Almond Lee is ready to fight for his career over the final eight meetings and hopes a drop in grade can bring about a change in luck for Autopay in the Class Five Ho Sheung Heung Road Handicap (1,200m) at Sha Tin on Saturday. If Lee, along with fellow trainer Derek Cruz, receives a third strike for failing to reach the performance criteria he is likely to lose his licence. While Cruz’s situation seems dire – he needs seven winners from the final eight meetings to avoid a show cause... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2151068/almond-lee-ready-late-season-fight-autopay-leads-charge-stable?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2151068/almond-lee-ready-late-season-fight-autopay-leads-charge-stable?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 Jun 2018 11:12:41 +0000 The question in Saturday’s Jockey Challenge isn’t so much who the most likely winner is, but rather how to extract maximum value from backing Zac Purton on a day when the Australian seems to have the strongest book of rides. While Hong Kong Jockey Club oddsmakers obviously disagree with that assessment, rating Joao Moreira ($1.80) a slight favourite over Purton ($1.90) in early betting, the championship leader has the edge. Perhaps those odds are, in part, based on the fact Moreira has a full... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2151063/better-book-rides-zac-purtons-quality-can-trump-joao-moreiras-quantity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2151063/better-book-rides-zac-purtons-quality-can-trump-joao-moreiras-quantity?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 Jun 2018 11:03:23 +0000 Another big day from Zac Purton could go close to sealing a second jockeys’ championship and Sacred Ibis seems set to fly again for the Australian rider in the last race of the day on Saturday at Sha Tin. Purton’s four-timer on Wednesday stretched his lead to five with eight meetings remaining, while three-time defending champion and nearest rival Joao Moreira returned from suspension with no wins from eight rides. Sacred Ibis chases back-to-back wins in the Class Three Pok Fu Lam Country Park... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2150857/zac-purton-moves-kill-sacred-ibis-can-cap-big-day-championship-leader?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2150857/zac-purton-moves-kill-sacred-ibis-can-cap-big-day-championship-leader?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 Jun 2018 12:01:50 +0000 Another Happy Valley masterclass from Zac Purton kicked the in-form Australian five clear in the jockeys’ championship with eight meetings to go, but he refused to say a second title is his. “I’m not going to call it. Of course there’s a long way to go,” Purton said after rival Joao Moreira returned from a two-meeting suspension down by one win but went home zero from eight on the night. “Joao isn’t done yet, he is also capable of big meetings and multiple winners, he has proved that time and... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2150672/king-zac-purton-fire-happy-valley-four-timer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2150672/king-zac-purton-fire-happy-valley-four-timer?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 Jun 2018 16:02:16 +0000 Karis Teetan believes Encore Boy was disadvantaged by the rain-affected track last start and can bounce back to the winner’s circle on Wednesday night at Happy Valley. Encore Boy notched a comprehensive victory over 1,200m two starts back but when it came time to let down last time out, the sprinter spun his wheels on what Teetan called a “sticky” track. “The horse is going very well, he has been so consistent for most of this season and that was a good win two starts ago,” Teetan said. “So I... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2150378/karis-teetan-confident-ricky-yius-encore-boy-can-bounce-back-happy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2150378/karis-teetan-confident-ricky-yius-encore-boy-can-bounce-back-happy?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 Jun 2018 06:51:02 +0000 Zac Purton heads into Wednesday’s Happy Valley showdown with Joao Moreira holding a trump card in the form of Hot King Prawn, but the arch rivals seem otherwise evenly matched as the jockeys’ championship counts down. Hot King Prawn floats across town for the first time boasting a five from six record at Sha Tin, and the speedy three-year-old has drawn barrier one for his Valley debut in the Class Two Wong Nai Chung Gap Handicap (1,200m). Last start, Hot King Prawn stepped up to 1,200m for the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2150263/hot-king-prawn-headlines-zac-purton-versus-joao-moreira-moves-happy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2150263/hot-king-prawn-headlines-zac-purton-versus-joao-moreira-moves-happy?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 Jun 2018 10:59:31 +0000 You can’t help but think Hong Kong racing lost a little bit of soul last week and that next season’s jockey roster looks awfully thin after more than 2,000-plus wins worth of experience walked out the door. The shock announcement of Joao Moreira’s imminent departure kicked off a crazy 24 hours that left plenty of observers asking “what’s going on in Hong Kong?” and left the Jockey Club desperately seeking new heroes. The ongoing drama surrounding Nash Rawiller, who was banned by the Jockey Club... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2150119/who-will-replace-star-power-leaving-hong-kong-racing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2150119/who-will-replace-star-power-leaving-hong-kong-racing?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 Jun 2018 13:30:12 +0000 It speaks volumes about Jack Wong Ho-nam’s outlook on life and race riding that looks back on the experiences of a badly broken leg and cracked vertebrae in race falls – or at least the recovery process – as key to his development. Wong’s three-year Hong Kong career has been punctuated with two lengthy stints on the sidelines but as he graduated from the apprentice ranks he said recovery from the injuries had provided opportunity for growth “It meant I spent a lot of time at home on the couch... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2150102/jack-wongs-long-time-away-saddle-through-injury-key-his-development?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2150102/jack-wongs-long-time-away-saddle-through-injury-key-his-development?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 Jun 2018 09:45:44 +0000 Zac Purton is unsure what impact Joao Moreira’s imminent departure for Japan will have on trainer and owner support as the thrilling jockeys’ championship clash hits a key meeting at Sha Tin on Sunday. The 11-race card is the second of two “free hits” for Purton, with Moreira sidelined for careless riding. Purton’s double on Wednesday night closed the gap to one win before Moreira threw a completely different complexion on the championship battle by announcing he would leave Hong Kong at the end... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2150052/zac-purton-unsure-how-trainers-and-owners-will-react-joao-moreiras?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2150052/zac-purton-unsure-how-trainers-and-owners-will-react-joao-moreiras?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 Jun 2018 12:29:36 +0000 As Joao Moreira took shelter from Tropical Storm Ewiniar and the squalls that swept through Sha Tin racecourse at trackwork on Friday morning, he reflected on the decision that hit Hong Kong racing with the same climatic force just eight hours earlier. “I’ve been surprised at the amount of people that have called and messaged me,” Moreira said as he sat at a table outside the press room. “And today I thought I would be more under pressure, but actually I feel good and most of all I feel... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2150029/magic-man-joao-moreira-reflects-shock-decision-rocked-hong-kong-racing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/2150029/magic-man-joao-moreira-reflects-shock-decision-rocked-hong-kong-racing?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 Jun 2018 07:15:34 +0000