La Forza dominates a day after dumping rider, while Golden Sixty lands in Japan

South China Morning Post

09-02-2025

Jamie Richards-trained speedster overcomes a trackwork mishap to return to the winners' list in style at Sha Tin on Sunday
by Jay RooneySam Agars on Sunday, February 9, 2025 8:21 PM Zac Purton spears La Forza to victory at Sha Tin on Sunday. Photo: Kenneth Chan
It wasn't your typical preparation but La Forza showed no ill effects of a little Saturday trackwork mishap when storming back onto the winners' list at Sha Tin on Sunday.
After shying at something near the big screen while working on Saturday morning, La Forza dislodged his rider and galloped riderless for two laps of the small all-weather track.
'It was just unfortunate that he shied basically at the TV screen. But he didn't go too fast when he did a little quiet lap without the rider on and thankfully everything's gone nice and smoothly for him today,' said trainer Jamie Richards after La Forza strode to victory in the Class Four TVB Yan Chai Charity Show Handicap (1,000m).
Racing for the first time since May last year after suffering from shin soreness following one win from three runs in Griffin company in his debut season, La Forza pinged out of gate seven and was quickly speared over to the outside rail by Zac Purton.
After comfortably controlling proceedings from the front, La Forza dashed clear of $2.6 favourite Enjoy Golf inside the final 200m to post a two-and-a-half-length success at $7.35.
'He's a horse who was very immature last season and we backed off him. We thought we had him ready to go earlier in the season and we just had to back off him again because he was just a little bit shin sore,' said Richards.
'He was very weak last season but he's put on a lot of weight and strengthened up. I've got a good team of staff and the Conghua stable must take a bit of credit for this horse because he's spent most of his time up there.
'He's only a three-year-old but I'm hoping that he's got more ratings points in hand.'
Race five delivered a far less pleasing outcome for Richards and Purton, with debutant Autumn Vibes rearing as the gates opened before running on strongly from the back of the field to finish third as the $1.9 favourite.
Purton did go onto complete a double, saluting aboard Light Years Charm for David Eustace before his afternoon in the saddle ended when he fell from Silvery Breeze for the same trainer two races later.
Lyle Hewitson also enjoyed a brace thanks to victories aboard Special Hedge and Gallant Epoch in the opening two races. — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) February 9, 2025 Sixty's snowy welcome
Champion Hong Kong galloper Golden Sixty has finally made it to Japan, with the 10-time Group One winner greeted by snow on his arrival at Northern Horse Park in Hokkaido.
Last seen on a racetrack in April last year, Golden Sixty was officially retired in September before having to quarantine in Australia en route to Japan, where owner Stanley Chan Ka-leung, trainer Francis Lui Kin-wai and jockey Vincent Ho Chak-yiu are planning to visit him regularly. Brightside begins path to HK
Mr Brightside started his path towards a likely trip to Hong Kong with a close defeat in Saturday's Group One CF Orr Stakes (1,400m), while there was a successful Hong Kong flavour to one of the support features at the big Caulfield meeting.
Trained by David Hayes' sons Ben, Will and JD, Mr Brightside fell narrowly short of a ninth elite-level success when he was chased down late by Another Wil first up.
While the Bullbars gelding has often been considered for trips to Hong Kong but never made it to the city, the Hayes boys have indicated the Group One Champions Mile in April is firmly on the radar for their stable star.
The training partnership claimed a maiden international Group One success earlier on Saturday when Here To Shock recorded a dominant victory in the BCD Group Sprint (1,400m) in New Zealand.
'Hopefully we can add another one with Brightside in Hong Kong eventually,' JD Hayes told Australia's Channel 7.
Angel Capital, raced by Hong Kong-based Upper Bloodstock, shot to favouritism for the Group One Australian Guineas (1,600m) with a first-up win in the Group Two Autumn Stakes (1,400m) at Caulfield.
The Harry Angel colt notched his fourth win from seven starts with a powerful return, scoring by a length and a half under jockey Ben Melham.
'He'll go straight to the [Australian] Guineas, I'd say, and then if he ran well there, we'd go to the All-Star Mile,' trainer Clinton McDonald said. 'Then we'd pull up stumps and get him ready for the spring.'
Elsewhere, Zac Purton's bid for more Australian Group One glory was scuppered when Isthmus was withdrawn from Saturday's Lightning Stakes (1,000m) at Flemington with a throat issue.
The champion Hong Kong jockey was booked for the ride by co-trainers Anthony and Sam Freedman, but Isthmus was found to have an epiglottic entrapment after a Flemington jumpout on Friday.