Richards hopes smart debut winner can help stable ‘out of a bit of a rut'

South China Morning Post

31-01-2025

Yee Cheong Glory hits the ground running at Sha Tin on Friday, justifying favouritism with an eye-catching victory
by Sam Agars on Friday, January 31, 2025 7:25 PM Yee Cheong Glory makes a winning debut at Sha Tin on Friday. Photos: Kenneth Chan
Jamie Richards hopes Yee Cheong Glory is the horse to help his stable out of a 'bit of a rut' after the dashing grey made light work of his opponents on debut at Sha Tin on Friday.
Sent off $2.45 favourite for the second section of the Class Four Fat Choi Handicap (1,200m) after impressing at the trials, Yee Cheong Glory worked up to sit midfield the rail under Zac Purton before easing out into clear air upon straightening and storming to a two-and-a-quarter-length success.
'He just missed the start a little bit, but that might have been a blessing in disguise because they went along and he got into a nice rhythm. He came out at the right time and quickened up well. He's a nice horse,' said Richards of the son of Puissance De Lune, who won a 1,000m trial by seven lengths when named Father Lawrie in Australia.
'I'd say he's going to keep improving with a bit more time. I know he's bred to get over a bit of distance but at the moment he looks like he's got plenty of pace.
'He trialled well before he came and he's a nice horse. We're looking forward to the future with him.'
Richards was a relieved man after his seventh winner of the campaign, with the trainer enduring six placings since his last victory on January 1.
'It's been a frustrating season, to say the least, but hopefully we can turn the corner now,' said the New Zealander.
'The horses are running well, we're just having too many placings and you're losing quite a few stable transfers, which is just Hong Kong. Hopefully this one can get us out of a bit of a rut.' — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) January 31, 2025
Yee Cheong Glory also delivered a welcome winner to Purton, who drew the ire of punters in the parade ring after falling short aboard a few favourites early on the card.
Purton went onto complete a double in the finale, with the Francis Lui Kin-wai-trained Packing Angel a comfortable winner.
Packing Angel's Class Three Kut Cheong Handicap (1,400m) success was just the tonic for connections after Packing Hermod could only manage third as favourite in the Classic Mile.
Hong Kong Derby hopeful Packing Angel's third victory on the bounce also completed a double for Lui after he earlier snared the Group Three Centenary Vase (1,800m) with Chancheng Glory. Yip strikes first in Year of the Snake
Dennis Yip Chor-hong knew it was going to take a bit of luck for Ho Ho Star to break his maiden and the 57-year-old hopes the gelding's 'auspicious' victory in the first race of the Year of the Snake is a pointer to good things to come for the stable.
Winless from his first 19 starts, Ho Ho Star had dropped to a mark of 28 before arresting his slide in the Class Five Kung Hei Handicap (1,200m).
'I'm happy. The first winner of the Chinese New Year is lucky, of course,' said Yip after his 16th winner of the season. 'It has been difficult to get a win out of this horse.'
After positioning Ho Ho Star midfield the rail in a race run a tick inside standard early, jockey Matthew Chadwick rode for luck up the inside before driving his mount through a tight gap late in proceedings.
'It was a nice ride, the jockey did everything right,' said Yip, who was dressed resplendently in gold. 'He needs the fast pace and he needs help getting around the turn.
'We have tried with Zac, we have put on lots of good jockeys and we finally got lucky. This jockey did all the best things for the horse.' Thompson repays loyal Folks
Ben Thompson ended a lengthy drought and rewarded the loyalty of the owner of New Future Folks, So Wing-keung, in the process at Sha Tin, with the 27-year-old booting Michael Chang Chun-wai's four-year-old to a second career win.
Thompson went 59 rides without a victory before steering the well-backed New Future Folks to a front-running success in the Class Three Red Packet Handicap (1,600m).
The Australian rider led at a sedate pace aboard the $18 shot before kicking clear in the final 200m to secure his first win since New Future Folks recorded his breakthrough success on December 15.
The Class Three victory secured Thompson his fourth win for the season, three of which have been for owner So.
While Thompson has not been able to gain much momentum in the 2024-25 campaign, So has been a loyal supporter of the young rider.
He provided Thompson with three of his five rides on Friday in the form of Always My Folks, Forever Folks and New Future Folks.