https://www.scmp.com/rss/328616/feed Trenton worked as a general news reporter in Brisbane, Australia at The Courier-Mail for three years before moving into the political coverage. During his four years at the paper he covered federal and state elections along with a range of major political issues before moving to Hong Kong to pursue his love of racing. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com If there were any queries over Fantastic Treasure’s potential, there was a resounding answer at Sha Tin on Sunday when the three-year-old steamed to victory while carrying the proverbial grandstand. The David Hayes-trained galloper marked his 2022 Classic Mile credentials in the meantime, with the handler declaring him the best horse he has produced this season. After travelling sweetly off the speed, the son of Written Tycoon monstered his rivals, putting the race to bed 150m from home when... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3131975/fantastic-treasure-stamps-classic-mile-credentials-after-sha-tin?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3131975/fantastic-treasure-stamps-classic-mile-credentials-after-sha-tin?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 02 May 2021 12:04:00 +0000 Douglas Whyte says he was not prepared to throw his blue blood Russian Emperor to the wolves against top-class Japanese raiders in last week’s Group One QE II Cup because he wants to ensure his longevity through next season. Many questioned the lack of Derby horses in the Group One races on Champions Day, with only Healthy Happy backing up in the Champions Mile, but the champion jockey-turned-trainer says he was not going to be pressured into doing something he did not feel comfortable with. The... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3131561/douglas-whyte-sticks-blueprint-russian-emperor-after-skipping-qe-ii?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3131561/douglas-whyte-sticks-blueprint-russian-emperor-after-skipping-qe-ii?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Apr 2021 05:16:51 +0000 With a month of bad luck behind him, Caspar Fownes is just happy to still be a leading contender in the race for the trainers’ championship with 11 of Hong Kong’s 12 Group Ones now in the rear-vision mirror. After winning the Derby in March with Sky Darci, Fownes went winless until Sunday before landing a double with Hall Of Champ and Serious Liaison at Sha Tin, putting him back in the fold. Remarkably, he only trails premiership leader John Size by three, a margin Fownes thought would be much... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3131220/caspar-fownes-eyes-premiership-after-coming-out-wretched-month-only?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3131220/caspar-fownes-eyes-premiership-after-coming-out-wretched-month-only?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Apr 2021 04:33:25 +0000 Jockey Vagner Borges is staring down the barrel of a prolonged suspension after he was slapped with charges relating to his ride on the well-backed Daily Charm last Saturday, which saw him finish second despite spotting the leaders more than seven lengths in the run. After opening an inquiry into the ride on April 17, stewards charged the Brazilian with rule 99 (2) on Monday, alleging he did not take all reasonable and permissible measures throughout the race to ensure Daily Charm could achieve... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3131110/vagner-borges-hit-significant-charges-over-daily-charm-ride-more-taken?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3131110/vagner-borges-hit-significant-charges-over-daily-charm-ride-more-taken?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Apr 2021 08:29:33 +0000 If Joao Moreira smiling like a Cheshire cat following Courier Wonder’s dominant victory at Sha Tin on Sunday didn’t express how highly regarded the emerging sprinter is, his words did. “He really is a dream horse,” he said. “I have been telling everybody. He is the kind of horse where I can’t remember the last sprinter to give me this feeling.” The three-year-old toyed with his rivals in what was his first foray into Class Two, a task notoriously tough on young horses making their way through... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3131030/joao-moreira-fawns-over-courier-wonder-i-cant-remember-last-sprinter?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3131030/joao-moreira-fawns-over-courier-wonder-i-cant-remember-last-sprinter?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 Apr 2021 14:25:43 +0000 Prodigious speedster Wellington delivered on his enormous potential to announce himself as Hong Kong’s great sprint hope in the Group One Chairman’s Sprint Prize at Sha Tin on Sunday. The four-year-old brushed aside short-priced Japanese raider Danon Smash to make good on his disappointing performance in the Group Two Sprint Cup earlier this month. The win ended a five-year Group One drought for trainer Richard Gibson, who hopes it can propel his stable to bigger and better things. Having... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3131020/richard-gibsons-wellington-delivers-potential-land-chairmans-sprint?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3131020/richard-gibsons-wellington-delivers-potential-land-chairmans-sprint?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 Apr 2021 11:39:49 +0000 Richard Gibson could not help but be disappointed by Wellington’s last-start fifth but believes his boom youngster is better for the experience ahead of Sunday’s Chairman’s Sprint Prize. The four-year-old was all the rage heading into the Group Two Sprint Cup earlier this month, but could only manage fifth after covering ground in the run thanks to barrier 12. The Englishman was frank in his assessment of his speedster last time out but believes the horse can still prove himself at the top... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3130915/richard-gibson-learns-wellingtons-sprint-cup-failure-ahead-chairmans?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3130915/richard-gibson-learns-wellingtons-sprint-cup-failure-ahead-chairmans?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 Apr 2021 03:42:59 +0000 Seventeen years after hanging over the fence to watch his father Glyn win the QE II Cup aboard outsider River Dancer, Chad Schofield is looking to create history of his own at Sha Tin on Sunday. It was a 10-year-old Chad who watched on in 2004 as his father piloted the John Size-trained galloper to glory over the likes of Elegant Fashion, Lucky Owners and Bullish Luck with little idea he would have the opportunity to follow in his dad’s footsteps. The Schofields lived at Sha Tin between 2002... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3130907/chad-schofield-looks-emulate-his-father-glyn-17-years-after-watching?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3130907/chad-schofield-looks-emulate-his-father-glyn-17-years-after-watching?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 Apr 2021 01:30:02 +0000 It will be the same old Kiseki in his usual colours and with his trademark quirks that fronts up in Sunday’s QE II Cup, but he will be presented by a new trainer after his former handler Katsuhiko Sumii turned to God. The Melbourne Cup-winning trainer opted not to renew his trainers’ licence in February, electing to become a priest instead – ending a golden 21-year career which saw him top the annual Japan Racing Association prize money charts five times and collect multiple Group Ones. It was... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3130762/yasuyuki-tsujino-looks-land-first-group-one-qe-ii-cup-his-former?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3130762/yasuyuki-tsujino-looks-land-first-group-one-qe-ii-cup-his-former?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Apr 2021 04:37:53 +0000 Legendary Japanese trainer Takayuki Yasuda says his much-improved sprinter Danon Smash has reached the level of the great Lord Kanaloa ahead of his return to Sha Tin in the Chairman’s Sprint Prize on Sunday. December’s Hong Kong Sprint winner has hit a new peak late in his career, which has even taken his handler by surprise. Yasuda famously prepared Lord Kanaloa for back-to-back Hong Kong Sprint victories in 2012 and 2013 and believes Danon Smash can soon follow in his footsteps. “Last... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3130621/danon-smash-has-reached-same-point-lord-kanaloa-takayuki-yasuda?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3130621/danon-smash-has-reached-same-point-lord-kanaloa-takayuki-yasuda?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Apr 2021 07:46:50 +0000 Japanese jockey Kohei Matsuyama did not think twice about making the trip to Hong Kong to ride super filly Daring Tact in Sunday’s QE II Cup, saying he is undaunted by the prospect of missing Group One rides while holed up in quarantine upon his return home. As the only Japanese rider to make the trip to Hong Kong for Champions Day, Matsuyama finds himself in the “racing bubble” along with trainer Tomohito Ozeki and a number of grooms. The four-year-old was a brilliant winner of the fillies’... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3130133/kohei-matsuyama-happy-forego-group-one-rides-home-partner-once?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3130133/kohei-matsuyama-happy-forego-group-one-rides-home-partner-once?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Apr 2021 09:01:26 +0000 A fed-up David Ferraris has declared he will not buy any more South African horses until there is a breakthrough with the lengthy quarantine process, which he says is “unfair”. South African horses are typically required to spend 21 days in pre-export quarantine at home before making the trip to Mauritius, where they spend 90 days in isolation. From there they make the trip to Britain where they are required to spend a further 60 days in quarantine, which allows them to get into Hong Kong. It... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3130118/david-ferraris-bans-south-african-horses-until-quarantine-ordeal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3130118/david-ferraris-bans-south-african-horses-until-quarantine-ordeal?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Apr 2021 07:56:09 +0000 Stewards have opened an inquiry into Vagner Borges’ ride aboard Daily Charm at Sha Tin on Saturday, with officials set to examine his actions in the race after he was beaten only three-quarters of a length. The inquiry, which has been adjourned to a date to be determined, will focus on Borges’ riding from the 1,600m mark, where he allowed Karis Teetan on the Benno Yung Tin-pang-trained Shanghai Dragon to roll along with a comfortable lead in front despite running 2.82 seconds slower than... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3129982/stewards-open-inquiry-vagner-borges-ride-aboard-well-backed-runner-sha?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3129982/stewards-open-inquiry-vagner-borges-ride-aboard-well-backed-runner-sha?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Apr 2021 15:08:14 +0000 Carroll Street is a young horse on the rise and 13-time champion jockey-turned-trainer Douglas Whyte says he is learning what is required to nurture promising juveniles through the arduous Hong Kong system. The three-year-old returned in top order at Sha Tin on Saturday, bolting in under jockey Vincent Ho Chak-yiu to announce his return to racing following respiratory issues. Whyte’s relief was there for all to see post race, with the handler saying his patience had been rewarded. “I was... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3129976/relief-douglas-whyte-he-works-out-what-makes-carroll-street-tick?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3129976/relief-douglas-whyte-he-works-out-what-makes-carroll-street-tick?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Apr 2021 11:30:49 +0000 They are the hottest combination in Hong Kong racing this year and Zac Purton sees no reason Danny Shum Chap-shing cannot kick on to win his first trainers’ premiership by season’s end. The pair have netted 18 winners in 2021 alone, even bettering the powerhouse combination of John Size and Joao Moreira (15), and a Happy Valley double on Wednesday night continued a red-hot run. Shum finds himself in a five-way go for the title with leader Size, Caspar Fownes, Frankie Lor Fu-chuen and Francis... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3129840/zac-purton-and-danny-shum-are-hong-kong-racings-hottest-act-2021?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3129840/zac-purton-and-danny-shum-are-hong-kong-racings-hottest-act-2021?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Apr 2021 08:24:47 +0000 Harry Bentley will head to the races on Saturday armed with information from legendary jockey Douglas Whyte, who will walk the track with the Englishman ahead of the meeting. The 28-year-old has arrived in Hong Kong fully aware of the record English jockeys have in the city, with Seb Sanders (2004-05 and 2005-06) the last to compete on a full-time basis outside superstar Ryan Moore, but he says he will not allow himself to get bogged down by it. On the plus side, the likes of Silvestre de... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3129798/harry-bentley-arrive-sha-tin-armed-information-legendary-douglas-whyte?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3129798/harry-bentley-arrive-sha-tin-armed-information-legendary-douglas-whyte?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Apr 2021 04:43:37 +0000 Douglas Whyte says his promising youngster Carroll Street is primed to bounce back following a trip to Conghua which has allowed him to get some “clean air”. The three-year-old was an impressive debut winner in December before being a beaten favourite when stepping up into Class Three for the first time. He was then scratched from his next start with vets finding respiratory issues, but Whyte says they are a thing of the past. “He went away for a little break and he has come back really... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3129646/douglas-whytes-carroll-street-ready-roll-after-enforced-break-conghua?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3129646/douglas-whytes-carroll-street-ready-roll-after-enforced-break-conghua?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Apr 2021 06:57:27 +0000 Blake Shinn went from the doghouse to the penthouse in the space of 30 minutes at Happy Valley on Wednesday night as he sent resurgent trainer David Hayes on a roller coaster of emotions. Hayes was left unimpressed with Shinn’s ride on his well-fancied debutant Shenron early in the night, but that was nothing but a distant memory by the next race after the Australian jockey delivered a masterful front-running effort from a tricky barrier 12 aboard Showina. The three-year-old is one of a number... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3129567/blake-shinn-quickly-makes-amends-david-hayes-perfectly-timed-victory?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3129567/blake-shinn-quickly-makes-amends-david-hayes-perfectly-timed-victory?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Apr 2021 16:01:42 +0000 Irishman Neil Callan will appeal a controversial suspension handed down to him which has all but ended his Hong Kong career. It was announced on Monday night that Callan had lodged his notice to appeal the 28-meeting suspension handed down for being petulant and disrespectful during a stewards’ inquiry on February 3 at Happy Valley. Callan made it clear during the February 3 inquiry, which saw him suspended for careless riding and fined HK$20,000, that he did not agree with the decision. He... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3129250/neil-callan-appeal-controversial-28-meeting-suspension?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3129250/neil-callan-appeal-controversial-28-meeting-suspension?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Apr 2021 11:35:49 +0000 When HK$63 million is on the line, you can normally expect jockeys to come from far and wide to grab their slice of the pie. Group One race days in Hong Kong in recent years have typically seen the likes of Ryan Moore, William Buick, Oisin Murphy, James McDonald, Hugh Bowman, Tommy Berry and Gerald Mosse jet in with plum rides as they look to pull off a hit-and-run mission. More often than not, they leave with a share of the cash. It won’t be the case on FWD Champions Day later this month,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3129218/covid-19-delivers-golden-champions-day-opportunities-hong-kong-based?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3129218/covid-19-delivers-golden-champions-day-opportunities-hong-kong-based?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Apr 2021 08:26:45 +0000 Champion jockey Joao Moreira anointed Courier Wonder the best youngster he has ridden this season as the boom three-year-old took his unbeaten record to three at Sha Tin on Sunday. The John Size-trained speedster was whacked a whopping 28 points by the handicapper in his first two starts but showed he still has their measure with a tough victory in the Class Three D’Aguilar Peak Handicap (1,200m) while carrying the proverbial grandstand. Courier Wonder was tested early from a wide gate, but... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3129130/courier-wonder-earns-rave-reviews-joao-moreira-after-hard-fought-win?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3129130/courier-wonder-earns-rave-reviews-joao-moreira-after-hard-fought-win?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 11 Apr 2021 14:24:44 +0000 Frankie Lor Fu-chuen propelled himself into title contention with a Sha Tin treble that came on the back of a show of loyalty towards championship-leading jockey Joao Moreira. The star Brazilian booted home Looking Great for Lor in the Class Three Mount Butler Handicap (1,800m) after admitting he was at fault for his last-start second placing a fortnight ago. “Last time I lost the whip on this horse so I rung Frankie and I said ‘listen, it is all on me, it’s all my fault’,” Moreira said post... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3129114/joao-moreira-and-frankie-lor-looking-good-after-sweaty-whip-costs-them?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3129114/joao-moreira-and-frankie-lor-looking-good-after-sweaty-whip-costs-them?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 11 Apr 2021 11:27:42 +0000 Courier Wonder might be the best youngster John Size has produced in recent times, but the three-year-old finds himself at a crossroads when it comes to beating the handicapper. Boasting a rating of 80 after just two starts, Courier Wonder is in rare air when it comes to handicapping and he will need to replicate the likes of Silent Witness if he is to go on with it and mark himself as Hong Kong’s next big thing in the Class Three D’Aguilar Peak Handicap (1,200m). Only a handful of previously... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3129037/courier-wonder-looks-replicate-legendary-silent-witness-after-huge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3129037/courier-wonder-looks-replicate-legendary-silent-witness-after-huge?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 10 Apr 2021 08:04:56 +0000 Chad Schofield will get his first feel of the might of Japanese horses when he rides Kiseki in the Group One QE II Cup (2,000m) at Sha Tin later this month as the Land of the Rising Sun prepare a four-pronged attack in the eight-horse race. The 27-year-old was offered the ride after throwing his hat in the ring some time ago with the HK$25 million contest ripe for the picking due to a lack of depth among Hong Kong’s top-line gallopers. With leading local hopes Exultant (Zac Purton) and Furore... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3129024/chad-schofield-booked-ride-japanese-raider-kiseki-qe-ii-cup-champions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3129024/chad-schofield-booked-ride-japanese-raider-kiseki-qe-ii-cup-champions?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 10 Apr 2021 04:59:45 +0000 Ruan Maia is a man with the weight of the world off his shoulders with the Brazilian saying he is riding with renewed confidence following his recent run of winners. It was a sluggish start for the Singapore sensation, going a month in Hong Kong before landing his first winner, but he has quickly turned it around, landing four winners in the last five meetings. All four of his winners have come on horses $9 or longer in the market, headlined by Wine And Wine’s victory at $26 at Happy Valley on... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3128868/ruan-maia-riding-weight-world-his-shoulders-following-sudden-run-form?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3128868/ruan-maia-riding-weight-world-his-shoulders-following-sudden-run-form?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Apr 2021 03:39:52 +0000 Joao Moreira will ride Japanese gun Danon Smash in the Chairman’s Sprint Prize later this month with the champion jockey quick to bounce back following the loss of Hot King Prawn. The championship-leader secured the ride on the Hong Kong Sprint winner and early favourite for the HK$18 million feature following the withdrawal of the popular grey. With a desperate lack of depth at the top end of Hong Kong’s sprinting ranks, Moreira knows he is on the right horse with the colt coming off a strong... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3128580/joao-moreira-lands-ride-aboard-gun-japanese-raider-danon-smash?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3128580/joao-moreira-lands-ride-aboard-gun-japanese-raider-danon-smash?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Apr 2021 06:04:34 +0000 Heavyweight trainers John Size and Caspar Fownes cannot be split after 60 race meetings and the pair go head-to-head again on Thursday night as they look to gain the ascendancy in the coveted title race. Both Size and Fownes are locked on 54 winners apiece two thirds of the way through the season and look to have plenty of ammunition left in their stables as they prepare for a final tilt. Size saddles up four runners at the city track while Fownes brings a team of seven as he looks to move ahead... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3128485/fight-trainers-title-ramps-third-season-go?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3128485/fight-trainers-title-ramps-third-season-go?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Apr 2021 09:48:06 +0000 If you were left scratching your head after Monday’s Group Two Sprint Cup at Sha Tin, you weren’t alone. Punters, jockeys, trainers and officials were left shell-shocked after the unlikely duo of Jimmy Ting Koon-ho and Vagner Borges combined to cause the biggest boilover of the season with Amazing Star, in what is the traditional lead-up race to the coveted Chairman’s Sprint Prize in three weeks’ time. Starting as the rank outsider in the 13-horse field at $179, Amazing Star was given little... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3128394/unlikely-duo-vagner-borges-and-jimmy-ting-combine-cause-huge-sprint?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3128394/unlikely-duo-vagner-borges-and-jimmy-ting-combine-cause-huge-sprint?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Apr 2021 13:22:11 +0000 Jerry Chau Chun-lok capped off a roller-coaster week with a double at Sha Tin on Sunday before being hit with his sixth suspension of the season by the stewards for a messy incident at Happy Valley on Wednesday night. The leading apprentice had his hearing from the midweek meeting adjourned to Sunday to allow his boss Douglas Whyte to be present in the stewards’ room when pleading his case against a careless riding charge handed out for his ride aboard Victory In Hand. The 20-year-old was... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3127354/douglas-whyte-praises-jerry-chaus-will-win-after-roller-coaster-week?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3127354/douglas-whyte-praises-jerry-chaus-will-win-after-roller-coaster-week?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 Mar 2021 13:08:27 +0000 From Melbourne Cups and Cox Plates to driving around the desert in a converted Mercedes-Benz practising falconry together, the Hayes family enjoyed a long and successful partnership with the late Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The family’s Lindsay Park operation churned out 88 Stakes winners in Hamdan’s famous blue and white silks, including 20 Group Ones over a 37-year odyssey. Hamdan, who died aged 75 on Wednesday morning, tasted Melbourne Cup success with At Talaq in 1986 and Jeune in... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3126890/david-hayes-remembers-sheikh-hamdan-bin-rashid-al-maktoum-melbourne?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3126890/david-hayes-remembers-sheikh-hamdan-bin-rashid-al-maktoum-melbourne?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Mar 2021 04:34:57 +0000 Frankie Lor Fu-chuen says Savvy Kingman’s best days are in front of him as the handler tries to strip more weight off the hulking four-year-old ahead of a return to Happy Valley on Wednesday night. The son of Kingman sprang to life in his last two starts, running second and fourth to announce his arrival in Hong Kong after a sluggish first three starts. Lor says Savvy Kingman arrived to his stables in April 2020 tipping the scales at almost 1,300 pounds. Since then, he has set about putting his... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3126589/savvy-kingman-ready-fire-after-frankie-lor-puts-1300-pound-giant?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3126589/savvy-kingman-ready-fire-after-frankie-lor-puts-1300-pound-giant?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Mar 2021 07:17:55 +0000 Connections of Hong Kong’s pin-up horse Golden Sixty are set to abort plans to run over 2,000m in the Group One QE II Cup and instead head to the Champions Mile next month as they look to harness his devastating turn of foot. Trainer Francis Lui Kin-wai confirmed he is leaning towards the shorter trip after consulting regular rider Vincent Ho Chak-yiu, who believes the top five-year-old performs at his best over the mile. While Jockey Club officials had dreamed of a showdown over 2,000m between... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3126549/golden-sixty-set-dodge-qe-ii-cup-showdown-japanese-stars-and-chase?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3126549/golden-sixty-set-dodge-qe-ii-cup-showdown-japanese-stars-and-chase?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Mar 2021 04:38:08 +0000 Zac Purton will partner Everest winner Classique Legend next month with the champion jockey electing to ride the popular grey in the Group One Chairman’s Sprint Prize. The move ends a six-month stand-off between Purton and championship-leading trainer Caspar Fownes, as the pair look to rebuild their once prolific partnership. Purton trialled Classique Legend at Sha Tin on Tuesday morning, with the horse rated the equal best sprinter in the world last year powering through his work in impressive... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3126539/zac-purton-commits-classique-legend-ride-after-strong-trial-sha-tin?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3126539/zac-purton-commits-classique-legend-ride-after-strong-trial-sha-tin?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Mar 2021 03:35:28 +0000 Unheralded English jockey Harry Bentley will ride in Hong Kong for the remainder of the season after being granted a short-term licence by the Jockey Club on Monday. The 28-year-old was set to ride in the Dubai World Cup on the weekend but will instead be on a plane to Hong Kong after his horse was withdrawn. As a two-time Group One winning jockey who has more than 1,000 victories to his name, it was Bentley’s international exposure that earned him a call up by the Jockey Club’s licensing... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3126451/jockey-harry-bentley-granted-short-term-hong-kong-licence-after-dubai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3126451/jockey-harry-bentley-granted-short-term-hong-kong-licence-after-dubai?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Mar 2021 09:14:07 +0000 Chris So Wai-yin hopes a well-judged plan to dodge a John Size juggernaut can come off at Happy Valley on Wednesday night when he brings impressive debut winner Soaring Tower back to the races. So had hoped to run the four-year-old on Sunday’s Derby day card but it was man of the moment Joao Moreira who alerted him to the fact both Courier Wonder and Fantastic Way were running in the two Class Three 1,200m contests. With the two three-year-olds going on to win by a combined five lengths on... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3126442/chris-so-dodges-john-sizes-juggernaut-and-instead-heads-happy-valley?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3126442/chris-so-dodges-john-sizes-juggernaut-and-instead-heads-happy-valley?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Mar 2021 08:48:33 +0000 Champion jockey Joao Moreira admits he had questions over Sky Darci’s preparation leading into Sunday’s BMW Hong Kong Derby, but believes Caspar Fownes’ supreme confidence in the horse willed him to victory. Just weeks out from the HK$24 million feature, Moreira revealed he had concerns over the four-year-old’s work, but he was continually encouraged by the trainer who said things were exactly where they needed to be. Despite offers to ride other horses, the Magic Man stuck fat with Fownes and... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3126349/joao-moreira-overcomes-doubt-land-hong-kong-derby-aboard-sky-darci?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3126349/joao-moreira-overcomes-doubt-land-hong-kong-derby-aboard-sky-darci?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Mar 2021 12:23:59 +0000 Sky Darci will be walking among giants when it comes to price tags on Sunday as he steps out in the BMW Hong Kong Derby, but his trainer Caspar Fownes wouldn’t have it any other way. Sky Darci is the only horse to have arrived in Hong Kong unraced, meaning he did not attract the monster offers that came for the likes of Shadow Hero and Russian Emperor after they starred in their home jurisdictions. He is looking to follow in the footsteps of superstar Golden Sixty, who was just the sixth... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3126267/sky-darci-punching-above-his-weight-against-multimillion-dollar?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3126267/sky-darci-punching-above-his-weight-against-multimillion-dollar?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 20 Mar 2021 05:58:14 +0000 Ex-Hong Kong trainer Michael Freedman jokes his time in the city could have been vastly different had he trained more horses like Excellent Proposal, but the Australian would love to see his former galloper salute in Sunday’s BMW Hong Kong Derby. Freedman, along with his brother Richard, trained Excellent Proposal in Sydney for owner Kenneth Chung Kin-shu, where he won three from four starts in 2019 before being exported to Hong Kong. After enduring a torrid run during his brief Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3126088/michael-freedman-thrilled-see-excellent-proposal-blossom-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3126088/michael-freedman-thrilled-see-excellent-proposal-blossom-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Mar 2021 03:37:32 +0000 While John Size takes a three-pronged attack into Sunday’s BMW Hong Kong Derby, the champion handler will have an eye to the future when his two gun three-year-olds Courier Wonder and Fantastic Way take to the track. Courier Wonder could not have been more impressive when winning by five-and-a-quarter lengths on debut in October, but has not been sighted since after Size opted to give the son of Sacred Falls time to fill out. Returning in Sunday’s Class Three Designs On Rome Handicap (1,200m),... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3125949/prodigious-courier-wonder-returns-after-john-size-gives-his-tick?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3125949/prodigious-courier-wonder-returns-after-john-size-gives-his-tick?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Mar 2021 07:24:32 +0000 After the announcement that two of his sons will take over the family’s famous Lindsay Park operation in Australia, David Hayes would love nothing more than to cap off a big week by capturing his second BMW Hong Kong Derby. The 58-year-old took out the city’s most prestigious race in 2003 with Elegant Fashion before returning to Australia in 2005 and now finds himself right in the mix in his first season back in Hong Kong with a two-pronged attack in the form of Shadow Hero and Conqueror. Hayes... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3125794/david-hayes-looks-cap-big-week-family-business-his-second-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3125794/david-hayes-looks-cap-big-week-family-business-his-second-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Mar 2021 08:10:49 +0000 Russian Emperor is gunning to be just the fifth colt to win the Hong Kong Derby on Sunday, with trainer Douglas Whyte confirming connections are eyeing off a potential stud career should he land a major race. The blue blood is arguably Hong Kong’s most well-bred horse and with that comes big expectations and an even bigger price tag, but Whyte is just focusing on what he can control with the former Aidan O’Brien-trained galloper. As a son of Galileo out of the late three-time Group One winner... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3125624/stud-career-play-russian-emperor-if-he-can-capture-hong-kong-derby?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3125624/stud-career-play-russian-emperor-if-he-can-capture-hong-kong-derby?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Mar 2021 06:28:00 +0000 Frankie Lor Fu-chuen says he has put Flagship Glory’s Hong Kong Derby snubbing behind him as he chases his second victory in the prestigious race on Sunday. The handler will be represented only by Classic Cup winner Healthy Happy in the HK$24 million contest after officials opted to start other horses ahead of the in-form Flagship Glory. Should he not receive a last-minute call up to the Derby, Flagship Glory will go around in a Class Two 1,600m race on the day. “Of course [it was... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3125482/frankie-lor-moves-flagship-glorys-derby-snubbing-strong-happy-valley?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3125482/frankie-lor-moves-flagship-glorys-derby-snubbing-strong-happy-valley?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Mar 2021 07:25:56 +0000 Hong Kong jockeys and trainers have again been told not to go to restaurants as the Jockey Club looks to get on the front foot with a fifth Covid-19 wave looming large. Jockey Club chief executive Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges said the strict measures were required as they look to protect the “racing bubble” just one week out from the prestigious Hong Kong Derby. The move is a replica of the one the Jockey Club controversially implemented through December and early January as they attempted to... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3125340/hong-kong-jockeys-trainers-told-not-attend-restaurants-covid-19-again?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3125340/hong-kong-jockeys-trainers-told-not-attend-restaurants-covid-19-again?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 13 Mar 2021 13:19:01 +0000 Richard Gibson has no second thoughts about running his emerging sprinter Wellington 10 pounds out of the handicap on Saturday as he attempts to measure up with some of Hong Kong’s best. The four-year-old has shown exceptional talent in his seven starts to date but faces a huge jump in the ratings should he win the Class One Lantau Island Handicap (1,200m), where he meets top speedster Hot King Prawn. The contest features Hong Kong’s next generation of sprinters, with Winning Dreamer and Sky... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3125187/hong-kongs-emerging-sprinters-try-their-luck-against-hot-king-prawn?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3125187/hong-kongs-emerging-sprinters-try-their-luck-against-hot-king-prawn?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Mar 2021 07:43:31 +0000 Chad Schofield returns to action on Saturday – just in time for the BMW Hong Kong Derby – after a debilitating back injury kept him bed-bound for the best part of two weeks. The 27-year-old suffered two prolapsed discs in his lower back while riding Assimilate on February 21 and only returned to the saddle for the first time on Friday, where he rode Derby hopeful Panfield in a barrier trial. Schofield will partner Sight Hero and Sure Win Win at Sha Tin this weekend as he looks to rebuild his... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3125146/chad-schofield-returns-debilitating-back-injury-eyes-hong-kong-derby?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3125146/chad-schofield-returns-debilitating-back-injury-eyes-hong-kong-derby?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Mar 2021 05:15:09 +0000 Paul O’Sullivan walked away from Sha Tin winless on Sunday but the Kiwi handler was full of pride after his brother Lance took out the New Zealand Derby with a horse he hand-picked for a Hong Kong owner. O’Sullivan played a huge role in securing Rocket Spade for Hong Kong-owned Hermitage Thoroughbreds in 2019 but said it was unknown whether connections would be keen to get the three-year-old imported for a crack at the 2022 Hong Kong Derby. The popular trainer was as laid-back as ever when... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3124554/paul-osullivan-relishes-new-zealand-derby-glory-despite-timing-mix?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3124554/paul-osullivan-relishes-new-zealand-derby-glory-despite-timing-mix?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Mar 2021 09:01:12 +0000 The Japanese are set to raid Champions Day next month with the Jockey Club granted approval to operate another “racing bubble” which will see overseas participants able to travel to Hong Kong freely without completing mandatory hotel quarantine. Those in the bubble will be allowed to travel in separate groups to Sha Tin to work their horses, however they will be required to spend any remaining time in their hotel rooms. With travel from England and Ireland still banned by the Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3124456/hkjc-breakthrough-sees-racing-bubble-open-champions-day-doors-japanese?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3124456/hkjc-breakthrough-sees-racing-bubble-open-champions-day-doors-japanese?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Mar 2021 13:58:35 +0000 Frankie Lor Fu-chuen has Hong Kong Derby aspirations for both Celestial Power and Flagship Glory but says he is not prepared to push them beyond their limits to get them there. The gallopers compete in separate races at Sha Tin on Sunday in what is their last opportunity to boost their ratings to reach the HK$24 million feature in two weeks, but Lor is just focusing on what he can control. Flagship Glory has been somewhat of a hard-luck story in his two Hong Kong starts to date but Lor believes... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3124357/frankie-lor-looks-change-fortune-unlucky-duo-flagship-glory-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3124357/frankie-lor-looks-change-fortune-unlucky-duo-flagship-glory-and?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Mar 2021 06:17:59 +0000 Master trainer John Size knows there will come a day when his born-again sprinter Ping Hai Bravo will be required to race around a bend again, but he is happy to make hay while the sun shines down the Sha Tin straight for the time being. The four-year-old finds himself in Class Two for the first time on Sunday in the Cornflower Handicap and the 11-time champion handler knows he is running out of races over the straight 1,000m trip after winning three from four since dropping back and running... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3124348/john-size-makes-hay-while-sun-shines-ping-hai-bravo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3124348/john-size-makes-hay-while-sun-shines-ping-hai-bravo?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Mar 2021 04:22:35 +0000 It is a case of now or never for trainer Jimmy Ting Koon-ho as he attempts to secure the first Hong Kong Derby runner of his career when Super Football steps out at Sha Tin on Sunday. The 48-year-old has had no problems converting tried horses into winners since receiving a trainers’ licence at the start of the 2018-19 season, but he has consistently spoken of his desire to develop his own top-line gallopers. While he has been close in the past, Ting has struggled to break through at the pointy... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3124343/jimmy-ting-steps-unknown-he-attempts-get-super-football-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3124343/jimmy-ting-steps-unknown-he-attempts-get-super-football-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Mar 2021 03:21:46 +0000