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South China Morning Post
14-03-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Lo Rider and Beauty Alliance sneak into Hong Kong Derby field as Mondial misses out
Swashbuckling Happy Valley winner Beauty Alliance and the improving Lo Rider have made the field for Sunday week's BMW Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) at Sha Tin, earning selection ahead of higher-rated pair Mondial and Sky Trust. While Mondial sits on a mark of 80 and Sky Trust 79, the pair finished 11th and 12th, respectively, in the recent Classic Cup (1,800m) and officials opted to give the nod to those in better form. Beauty Alliance improved his rating to 77 thanks to his three-and-a-half-length midweek romp over 1,800m, while Lo Rider sits on a mark of 78 after performing well without winning in recent starts, including a fourth behind Bundle Award last week. Classic Mile 11th placegetter Markwin will re-enter the Classic Series after a last-start second behind Bundle Award improved his rating to 81. Beauty Alliance smashes them! 🤯 Big win from John Size's charge in the finale at Happy Valley to give his trainer and @AlexisBadel a double each on tonight's programme... @Beautystablehk #HappyWednesday | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) March 12, 2025 The field, which was announced by Jockey Club officials at Happy Valley on Friday morning, is headlined by Classic Cup winner Rubylot, Classic Mile hero My Wish and Johannes Brahms. 'At the end of the day, I think if Mondial made his way into the race, he would have improved on his Classic Cup run and run well, but he needed to show us a little bit more in his first-up run,' said Greg Carpenter, the Jockey Club's head of racing product. 'The case for Beauty Alliance was compelling after Wednesday night. He ran really well and beat a very good field with a lot of last-start winners in it, so there was depth and quality. 'Lo Rider lost his position before the turn and ran really well last start, almost snatching third. The other supporting argument behind Lo Rider was that he was narrowly beaten by Steps Ahead at his previous run and Steps Ahead came out and ran really well in the Classic Cup.' Also in the field are Stunning Peach, Bundle Award, Packing Angel, Mickley, Noisy Boy, Cap Ferrat, Steps Ahead and Californiatotality. Mondial, Sky Heart, Pray For Mir and Sky Trust are the four reserves, with the latter stepping out in this Saturday's Class Three Cosmos Handicap (1,400m). 'I would like to congratulate all the owners of the 14 horses selected to run in the BMW Hong Kong Derby next Sunday, which we celebrate as the Hong Kong race which offers once-in-a-lifetime glory,' said Jockey Club chief executive Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges. 'BMW Hong Kong Derby Day is one of the great sporting events and attractions in the city for our Hong Kong racing fans and our racing fans from around the world, with the race being broadcast in 26 countries. 'The Derby has a rich history stretching back more than 150 years to 1873. To have a runner in the Derby field is an ambition for every horse owner, trainer and jockey in Hong Kong and is already a great achievement. To win the BMW Hong Kong Derby is the ultimate.'
South China Morning Post
12-03-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
John Size moves two clear in trainers' championship after Happy Valley double
Trainer John Size (second from right), jockey Alexis Badel and connections celebrate Beauty Alliance's win. Photos: Kenneth Chan Master handler extends title lead over David Hayes after Beauty Infinity and Beauty Alliance strike at city circuit John Size fired in a late double at Happy Valley on Wednesday night to put a small but significant gap on David Hayes in the race for this season's trainers' championship. After Beauty Infinity and Beauty Alliance won the final two races on the Valley card, Size moved to 39 wins this term – two clear of Hayes. The Australians have traded blows in recent weeks, but Size holds a more clear advantage for the first time after continuing his stunning revival from a slow start to the campaign. 'It was lovely, very good,' Size said of the double. Beauty Alliance smashes them! 🤯 Big win from John Size's charge in the finale at Happy Valley to give his trainer and @AlexisBadel a double each on tonight's programme... @Beautystablehk #HappyWednesday | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) March 12, 2025 'Both horses did the job they were expected to, so that's all we can hope for. We've had a good run the past couple of months and made up ground quickly, so we've enjoyed that and now we have to keep winning races to try and maintain our position.' Beauty Alliance was the most impressive of Size's two winners, bolting in by three and a half lengths in the Class Three Ap Lei Chau Handicap (1,800m) under Alexis Badel. Sent forward from gate nine to track the speed, the Starcraft four-year-old surged clear in the straight to comfortably account for Fallon and Northern Beast. Beauty Alliance holds an entry for next week's HK$26 million BMW Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) and his two consecutive wins might just put him in the frame for a start in the coveted feature, despite his lowly rating of 65 before Wednesday night. The Derby field will be announced on Friday and another hopeful racing on Wednesday night, Talents Ambition, won't make it after finishing a distant last behind Beauty Alliance. The Newnham-trained gelding boasts a rating of 80 but his best form is on the dirt. Elsewhere at the Valley meeting, Badel, Andrea Atzeni and Cody Mo Wai-kit joined Size with doubles. Badel also booted home the Newnham-trained Tactical Command in the third section of the Class Four Peng Chau Handicap (1,200m), while Atzeni made a successful return from a two-meeting suspension. Atzeni started the night with victory on Mo's Crystal Powerful in the Class Five Waglan Island Handicap (1,000m) before sealing a brace on Dennis Yip Chor-hong's Great Spirit in the second section of the Peng Chau Handicap. Mo clinched his double when Happy Fat Cat delivered Antoine Hamelin a drought-breaking success in the Class Three Cheung Chau Handicap (1,200m). Facing a winless streak of 62 rides dating back to December, Hamelin was ecstatic to boot home his third winner in what has been a tough campaign for the Frenchman. 'I love this horse and I love the owner. They have supported me a lot and that's what we need,' Hamelin said. 'The horse has a big heart and I always do very well with him – I'm very happy to get the winner for everyone.' Tracking the tearaway leader Youthful Spirits in running, Happy Fat Cat shot to the lead passing the 150m and held on late to beat the raging $1.8 favourite King Of Fighters by a neck. It was the son of Shalaa's first success this season after finishing in the first five on his previous four starts – all with Hamelin aboard. Hamelin won on Happy Fat Cat in 2023 when the gelding was trained by Pierre Ng Pang-chi. The speedster won four races – all over 1,200m at the Valley – last season when transferred to Mo. Trainer Douglas Whyte was thrilled to land an overdue win with Find My Love after he ran on strongly to claim the first section of the Peng Chau Handicap under Hugh Bowman. It was the son of Frankel's third Hong Kong success and first since June 2023. 'He's been a bit frustrating,' Whyte said. 'He needs a fast-run race. In my opinion, he's good over 1,400m and a mile, but the pace doesn't suit him. 'I ran him here once over 1,200m and he got held up. When he dropped in class and with the pace of Happy Valley, he just needed a draw and thankfully he got the draw [barrier two] and Hugh gave him a great ride.'
