Derby placegetter Packing Angel sidelined by knee injuries, while Ramadan heads to Australia
Packing Angel (right) finishes third behind Cap Ferrat in the Hong Kong Derby. Photos: Kenneth Chan
Packing Angel won't race again until next season after pulling up from his third in the Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) with knee injuries, while fellow four-year-old Ramadan is set to continue his racing career in Australia.
Trainer Francis Lui Kin-wai confirmed Packing Angel will undergo surgery on both knees after sustaining bone injuries.
An impressive winner of three consecutive 1,400m races this term, the son of Shocking followed a solid fourth to Rubylot in the Classic Cup (1,800m) with a close third behind stablemate Cap Ferrat in last Sunday's Derby.
'He needs an operation. He might be out for three months,' Lui said.
HISTORY AT SHA TIN! 👏👏@CWilliamsJockey wins the 148th @BMW Hong Kong Derby aboard Cap Ferrat for trainer Francis Lui over a fast-closing My Wish... #4YOSeries | #LoveRacing | #HKracing pic.twitter.com/OHHfz0JKlE — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) March 23, 2025
'Sometimes you don't know with the ground and especially with a young horse.'
Hong Kong's firm ground was also a consideration for trainer Mark Newnham and the Yulong Investments team when they pulled the pin on Ramadan's Hong Kong venture after two runs for the Australian handler and a long last in December's Group One Hong Kong Mile when under the care of James Ferguson.
The colt arrived in the city with an impressive record in France, winning five of his 10 starts including a Group Two and pair of Group Threes at a mile.
'He'll go to Australia. We just thought he's best suited there,' Newnham said.
'His French form's on soft ground, so he'll like the softer ground in Australia. [Yulong's Zhang Yuesheng] is keen to replace him – we've already put in a replacement form.'
Newnham prepared Yulong's first Hong Kong winner, Show Respect at Happy Valley in March last year, and he trains a small team for the global racing and breeding operation.
Reach The Peak, a Caulfield winner from his three Australian starts, is Yulong's latest addition to Newnham's team after coming out of quarantine this week.
Another of Newnham's overseas imports, Mid Winter Wind, will drop back to 1,200m for Sunday's Class Two Barker Handicap after a last-start fifth to Johannes Brahms over 1,600m.
Surprise at odds of 41/1! 🤯
Well back in the field on the turn, South African Group 3 winner Mid Winter Wind scores on debut in Hong Kong for @LukeFerraris and Mark Newnham... #LoveRacing | #HKracing pic.twitter.com/ep1Y8vGnDc — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) January 31, 2025
The former South African galloper made a big impression on his Hong Kong debut when he stormed home to win by over six furlongs in January.
'He was pretty dynamic first up and then we had to have a shot to see if we could be a chance to join into the four-year-old series,' said Newnham.
'But at the mile he loomed up to win and couldn't quite finish them off and that's in line with his form in South Africa.
'I'm happy to keep him to sprinting. It looks a good race so it will be a decent test of where he's at, but he's in good condition.'
The Australian handler also confirmed My Wish is on track to progress to the Group One Champions Mile on April 27 after his slashing second in the Derby.
My Wish was only beaten a short head after producing the fastest final 400m over 2,000m at Sha Tin – 21.39 seconds – since sectional times were introduced in 2008.
'All going well, he'll have his chance in the Champions Mile. We'll just see how that goes in the next week or two,' Newnham said.
Lui said Derby hero Cap Ferrat will progress to April 27's Group One QE II Cup (2,000m), which is expected to have a strong overseas flavour including French star Goliath and Japan's Liberty Island.
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