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South China Morning Post
13-04-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Angus Chung claims first Class One win on Divano en route to maiden Sha Tin treble
Angus Chung Yik-lai hailed one of the biggest days of his young career a major success after booting home his first Sha Tin treble on Sunday. Matching his only other three-timer in November 2023 at Happy Valley, the 28-year-old struck on Tony Cruz's duo Parents' Love and Gustosisimo before claiming his first Class One triumph aboard Francis Lui Kin-wai's Divano in the Healthy Community Handicap (1,200m). 'I've got a treble in Happy Valley before but never Sha Tin – always a double,' Chung said. 'It's great to get a chance on good horses. Today is a success.' What a win, Divano! 🔥@angusylchung snaps up a three-timer at Sha Tin as champion trainer Francis Lui finishes one-two in the Class 1 feature with Patch Of Theta second... #LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) April 13, 2025 Chung's campaign has been stymied by a lack of opportunities and a nasty fall in February that left him with a fractured facial bone. However, the reigning Tony Cruz Award winner bounced back with four winners in March before his big haul on Sunday. Divano capitalised on a light weight of 112 pounds, with Lui utilising Chung's three-pound claim, to continue his impressive form with a third victory this term. Chung had the son of Brave Smash perfectly placed in third position and he kept on gamely once striking the lead approaching the 200m. Sent off a $6.5 chance, Divano saluted by a length from stablemate and $2.1 favourite Patch Of Theta, who also had a cosy run just off the leaders but was no match for the winner. Taj Dragon was third. 'I spoke to Divano's owner and trainer many, many times. I've been looking to ride the horse for a while and I'm glad I got the opportunity,' Chung said. Divano added Sunday's win to a campaign that has also featured a pair of 1,200m triumphs and a barnstorming second to My Wish in January's Classic Mile. 'I think he keeps improving little by little,' Lui said of the four-year-old. 'He's more relaxed and once he relaxes, he can have a good turn of foot. In the Classic Mile, I think he learnt from that race.' Chung teamed up with his mentor Cruz to make all on Parents' Love in the Class Four JC Echoes Of Love Fund Handicap (1,000m) before lifting Gustosisimo to victory in the Class Two Hong Kong Jockey Club Community Trophy (1,200m). Stalking a farcical speed duel between Glory Elite and Lady's Choice, Gustosisimo kept on strongly to beat a brave Lady's Choice by three-quarters of a length. 'The pace was quick today and really beneficial for him and probably the track is suiting horses in front today, so the situation just suited him,' Chung said. A three-time winner in Australia pre-import, Gustosisimo had only raced twice at Sha Tin before when trained by Jamie Richards last term before notching two wins at the Valley for Cruz. 'I didn't have an option – there's no more Happy Valley races,' Cruz said. 'He raced twice here at Sha Tin so he knows the track. Those two horses went so fast [in front]. My horse was in a great position in third and I thought he could catch them, so I'm very happy with the run. He's definitely improving.' Lui joined Cruz with a double on Sunday after Dylan Mo Hin-tung booted home Winning Wing in the Class Three Advancing Culture & Sports Handicap (1,800m).
South China Morning Post
23-03-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Mark Newnham left to rue what might have been with ‘brave' Hong Kong Derby runner-up My Wish
My Wish (right) falls narrowly short of Cap Ferrat (left) in Sunday's Hong Kong Derby (2,000m). Photos: Kenneth Chan Mark Newnham was left to rue what might have been after he and jockey Luke Ferraris went within a short head of orchestrating a brilliant BMW Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) victory with My Wish at Sha Tin on Sunday. After being lumped with the outside gate of 14, Newnham and Ferraris hatched a plan to take second favourite My Wish – who has done most of his racing on or near the speed – back to last. In a race run at a crawl from the 1,600m to the 800m before they rattled home, Ferraris unleashed My Wish in the home straight but the Classic Mile winner fell just short of winner Cap Ferrat despite steaming home with a final 400m of 21.39 seconds. 'Very brave. He's been the best four-year-old through the series,' said Newnham after My Wish added a Derby second to his runner-up finish in the Classic Cup (1,800m) earlier this month. 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 — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) March 23, 2025 'On Thursday, we probably knew our fate but to run so close, it's disappointing. We came up with a plan of where to ride him and how to ride him. All that went to script except we got beaten a short head. 'We needed to do something from gate 14. It was no good going out there just hoping to get a spot. I thought our best chance was just to get him to relax, conserve energy and use his sprint. 'He did all those things and Luke did all the right things, we just didn't quite win. 'The winner – gate two, third on the fence, didn't come round a horse. That's the way it fell today but in the future we've got a very good horse.' My Wish holds an entry for the Group One Champions Mile at the end of next month, but Newnham isn't yet sure where his stable star will head next. 'He's a very good horse, there's no doubt about that. In all his starts, he's never run badly,' said the Australian handler. 'He's missed a place once and that was his first start at 1,000m. I think there's still improvement to come in him next year, so there's a very good future for him. 'He didn't quite get the job done today but I'm sure his turn will come.' Moreira bags brace While a third Derby victory narrowly eluded him, Joao Moreira had a fruitful afternoon at Sha Tin all the same, landing a double with victories aboard Packing Hermod and Master Trillion. Moreira may have thought he was poised to add to his Derby victories aboard Rapper Dragon (2017) and Sky Darci (2021) when Packing Angel travelled strongly into the race from midfield, but the Francis Lui Kin-wai-trained galloper couldn't quite go on with it and had to settle for a neck third. 'He ran terrific. He travelled a little bit strong – if he relaxed a little bit more the result could have been different, but that was a huge run,' said Moreira. It was a different story for stablemate Packing Hermod, who stepped back in trip for the Class Two Rapper Dragon Handicap (1,400m) after running in the first two legs of the Classic Series. Packing Hermod equals the 1400m Sha Tin track record with a slick 1m 19.92s! Joao Moreira does the riding for Francis Lui at Sha Tin... 🚀@cavaleiro83 | #4YOSeries | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) March 23, 2025 Sent off a $2.05 favourite, Packing Hermod closed strongly from a midfield position to defeat Young Champion by three-quarters of a length and stay perfect in two runs under Moreira. On a day featuring quick times across the card, Packing Hermod stopped the clock in 1:19.92 to equal Encouraging's 1,400m Sha Tin track record. Moreira was one of three big-name jockeys to jet into Hong Kong and bag a brace, with Craig Williams successful aboard Cap Ferrat in the Derby and Endeared, while Ryan Moore saluted aboard Super Express and Invincible Shield. The victory of debutant Super Express in the Class Four Luger Handicap (1,400m) was the first of a double for John Size, who also delivered with Endeared. Fownes and Hamelin break through Trainer Caspar Fownes and French jockey Antoine Hamelin teamed up for their first winner at their 35th attempt as Sky Deep broke his maiden at start six in the Class Four Sky Darci Handicap (1,400m). After consecutive seconds, including last start under Hamelin when he lost his way in the straight and hit the running rail, Sky Deep fended off Harold Win late to grab an overdue success. Three wins from his last nine rides! 🙌 An in-form @AntoineHamelin gets Sky Deep home in the Sky Darci Handicap - a contest named in honour of the 2021 @BMW Hong Kong Derby hero, who also raced for the Kwan family... 💛💚#4YOSeries | #LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) March 23, 2025 'You've got to give people a chance. It's hard in Hong Kong, but he's done nothing wrong on this horse,' Fownes said of Hamelin, who has ridden three winners from his last nine rides to move to five victories for the season. 'The horse is quite immature and has his own mind a little bit. We're trying to teach him the right way. 'It's good for Antoine. It's his first winner for me and I think this horse has a chance to win again. 'I think next season this horse will be a different horse. He'll really understand what his job is and he could be quite nice.'
South China Morning Post
23-03-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Francis Lui celebrates second Hong Kong Derby win as maiden Cap Ferrat pulls off stunning upset
Jockey Craig Williams, trainer Francis Lui (second from right) and connections of Cap Ferrat celebrate his Derby triumph. Photos: Kenneth Chan Francis Lui Kin-wai produced a training performance for the ages to win his second BMW Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) when Australian import Cap Ferrat broke maiden status with a stunning victory on Sunday. Sent out a $26.7 chance after unlucky runs in the Classic Mile and Classic Cup (1,800m), Cap Ferrat lived up to his pre-import form by holding on late to narrowly beat My Wish in a pulsating finish. After a cosy run in the box seat under Craig Williams, Cap Ferrat capitalised on an inside run to snatch the lead at the 150m and prevail by a short head from the fast-finishing My Wish. 'I still feel very excited,' said Lui after adding the triumph to his first Derby success with champion galloper Golden Sixty in 2020. 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 — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) March 23, 2025 'I watched [the replay] three times and then I got confident he won the race.' Cap Ferrat was the first Hong Kong maiden to win the Derby in 35 years – Reliable Source landed his first victory in the city in the prestigious race in 1990 – while it's unclear if a maiden has ever won the feature. The son of Snitzel arrived in Hong Kong as one of Australia's highest-profile maidens, having been placed in four stakes races including the Group One Spring Champion Stakes (2,000m) and Group One Rosehill Guineas (2,000m). His move to Lui started on a positive note when he ran an eye-catching second to Mickley over 1,600m in December. However, his Classic Mile tilt was thwarted by a wide run without cover throughout when 12th behind My Wish. He then could only manage ninth behind Rubylot in the Classic Cup after working hard early from gate 10. 'The last two runs he had [wide runs] and bad luck,' Lui said. 'I checked his [Australian] record and Craig rode this horse, so he knew the horse. Today he also had a good draw [barrier two], he was very lucky and Craig knows how to ride this horse. He did a good job.' Lui's Packing Angel ran on strongly for a close third, while the $2.9 favourite Rubylot could only manage fifth after finishing solidly without threatening. Lui's second Derby win continued an incredible run of success for a trainer who battled in the bottom half of the championship for the first 20 years of his career. The 66-year-old has been on the rise since Golden Sixty and he won his maiden title in remarkable fashion last year, claiming four of the last five races of the season to beat Pierre Ng Pang-chi by a solitary victory. Cap Ferrat crowned a treble for Lui at Sha Tin, with the veteran also striking with Packing Hermod in the Class Two Rapper Dragon Handicap (1,400m) and Invincible Shield in the Class Three Werther Handicap (1,200m). Dropped back in trip after contesting the Classic Mile and Classic Cup, Packing Hermod will be thrust into feature races in the future after his fifth win from nine starts will see him rated close to 100. 'It depends because he's had some hard racing this season and he's still young,' Lui said after Packing Hermod equalled the track record when he beat Young Champion by three-quarters of a length. 'I think he still has room to improve, this horse.' Another Australian import, Invincible Shield, continued his impressive start to his Hong Kong career with a second straight victory. Despite rising 11 pounds on his second-up win, the son of I Am Invincible ran on powerfully to beat Triumphant More by a length and a quarter under Ryan Moore.
South China Morning Post
21-03-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong Derby by the numbers: will we see a jockey win the coveted feature for the first time?
Four of the top five chances in overseas fixed-odds markets will be partnered by riders chasing their maiden success in the prestigious contest It's the feature everyone in Hong Kong racing wants to win and come Sunday afternoon, there's a very real chance a jockey will be experiencing BMW Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) glory for the first time. While there are six jockeys riding in Sunday's Derby that already feature on the race's honour roll, four of the top five chances in overseas fixed-odds markets will be ridden by jockeys chasing a maiden success in the coveted contest. Part of the reason for this is the absence of the injured Zac Purton, but it speaks to the rise of Brenton Avdulla (Rubylot) and Luke Ferraris (My Wish) that they would have been aboard their mounts – the first and second favourites – whether or not the seven-time champion jockey was available. Whether the same can be said for Ben Thompson (Bundle Award) and Andrea Atzeni (Johannes Brahms) is debatable, but what isn't is the fact that pair are red-hot chances to experience Derby euphoria for the first time this weekend. Thompson is one of two jockeys riding in the Derby for the first time – the other, the recently arrived James Orman, will tackle Sha Tin's tricky 2,000m start under race conditions for the first time. At the other end of the scale, Joao Moreira (Packing Angel) and Hugh Bowman (Lo Rider) chase their third victories in the city's most prestigious race. If either is successful, they will draw level with Gerald Mosse and Douglas Whyte for wins but will still be one short of the most successful Derby rider in the professional era – four-time victor Tony Cruz. From a training perspective, Cruz (Californiatotality and Stunning Peach) and Caspar Fownes (Lo Rider) chase their third wins, while John Size (Bundle Award, Mickley and Beauty Alliance) hunts Derby win number four. Legendary Australian handler John Moore sits out in front with six successes. Lucky number nine? While wide gates can be far from ideal over the Sha Tin 2,000m with its short run to the first turn, the Derby has been one 10-furlong contest where double-figure draws have not been the end of the world. Since the Derby became a 2,000m race in the year 2000, three gallopers have won the race from the outside gate of 14, including Voyage Bubble in 2023, and Classic Mile winner My Wish will bid to become the fourth this weekend. 🏆BMW Hong Kong Derby 2023 2000m, 24.000.000 HKD, for 4yo 🇭🇰 Sha Tin Voyage Bubble (AUS) (4G Deep Field - Raheights, by Rahy) J :A. Badel T :P.-F. Yiu O :Sunshine and Moonlight Syndicate 🥈 Tuchel(Redwood) 🥉 Beauty Eternal (Starspangledbanner) — 𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙𝙍𝙖𝙘𝙞𝙣𝙜 (@WorldRacing1) March 19, 2023 Gates three and 10 have been the most prolific in the past 25 years, each producing four winners – a trend connections of Mickley and Markwin will hope continues on Sunday. Lo Rider (gate one) and Beauty Alliance (five) are the gallopers needing to create history to win – no horse has won the Derby from either of those alleys since 2000. Gate nine has also produced three winners since 2000 and it's a barrier that gives Thompson a good feeling. 'It's funny, on the way over I said to my wife Steph that I just want a number that feels lucky and my brother's born on the 9th, so hopefully that brings us some luck,' said Bundle Award's jockey. Can a Private Purchase stand up again? Once the domain of the Private Purchase (previously raced horse), the previously unraced galloper has very much come to the fore in the Derby in recent years. While 15 of this century's first 20 Derby winners began their careers elsewhere, the four winners from 2020 to 2023 – Golden Sixty, Sky Darci, Romantic Warrior and Voyage Bubble – were all unraced when they came to Hong Kong. Phenomenal win! 🤯 While we're reflecting on 2024, just how GOOD were Massive Sovereign and @zpurton in March's @BMW Hong Kong Derby at Sha Tin... 🏆#LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) December 31, 2024 Massive Sovereign ended that run last year, winning the Derby after beginning his career under the tutelage of Aidan O'Brien in Ireland. This year it is an even seven-seven split between horses who raced before coming to Hong Kong and those who didn't, although the top two in the market – Rubylot and My Wish – are Private Purchase Griffins (previously unraced horses).
South China Morning Post
14-03-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Christophe Soumillon to ride Noisy Boy in Hong Kong Derby – if he gets his new passport in time
Dennis Yip Chor-hong is hoping Christophe Soumillon can iron out some passport issues in time to ride Noisy Boy in next Sunday's BMW Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) at Sha Tin. Soumillon, who won the 2006 Derby aboard Viva Pataca, rode Fast Network for Yip in January's Classic Mile and the duo will combine again provided the Belgian can travel. 'He needs to do some immigration first – he lost his passport. He's checking, but if he can come he will ride Noisy Boy. His agent said he can come,' said Yip. Noisy Boy was ridden by Andrea Atzeni in the Classic Cup (1,800m), travelling far too quick in the lead before fading into 13th. Yip is chasing a second straight Derby victory after the win of Massive Sovereign 12 months ago, while John Size saddles up three runners as he looks to add to victories of Fay Fay (2012), Luger (2015) and Ping Hai Star (2018) in the city's most prestigious race. The 12-time champion trainer tackles the Derby with Mickley and last-start winners Bundle Award and Beauty Alliance. 'Two of them posted very impressive wins at their last start, so it's a very exciting race for us,' he said. '[Mickley has] done well. He's had a bit of tough racing and he's come through it OK. His last start was disappointing but things didn't go his way in the run. Bundle Award punches his 2025 @BMW Hong Kong Derby ticket! 🔥@BenThompson2102 gets John Size's galloper home from the back of the field for a first Class 2 win at Sha Tin... #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) March 9, 2025 'Since then he's had a little bit of an ease up, I've changed his routine and he's gone up to Conghua for a freshen up. '[Bundle Award] was ridden back in the field and allowed to finish the race off the other day. He adapted to that very well and he gets into the race with a live chance. '[Beauty Alliance's] improvement has been massive since the beginning of the season. He's one of those horses who has run into form at the right time and that can be extremely important on the day. 'He's one of the horses who does extremely well and he's always been very tough. He probably just needed some racing and a bit of distance to show up.'
