Latest news with #DouglasWhyte
South China Morning Post
13 hours ago
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Britney Wong doubles up again at Sha Tin as Cheval Valiant leads them a merry dance
Britney Wong Po-ni landed consecutive Sha Tin doubles headlined by Cheval Valiant's all-the-way win in the Class Four Lai On Handicap (1,000m) at Sha Tin on Sunday. The 26-year-old smashed out of the gates on the Charm Spirit galloper and never looked back, crossing over to the stands rail from gate nine and setting comfortable fractions on the front end. When the pair were faced by a myriad of challengers in the final 200m, Wong galvanised her willing partner and gamely fended off $57 roughie Straight To Glory and $6.8 second favourite Lahore by a neck. It was the second straight double for Wong and the fourth consecutive winning meeting for the 10lb apprentice, who was teaming up with the horse that provided her with her first Hong Kong win back in September. Britney Wong grabs a double! ✌️ Cheval Valiant was the apprentice's first winner in Hong Kong last year and today she's back aboard @DJWhyteTrainer's galloper successfully at Sha Tin... #SummerSeries | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) June 8, 2025 'He was my first win and I know him very well,' said Wong of the Douglas Whyte-trained Cheval Valiant. 'Thank you to Mr Whyte for putting me back on because I had to chase this ride, actually, and I'm happy that everything has gone well today and I have had another win. I'm very happy.' There was a huge sting in the tail post race, however, with Wong copping a three-day ban and HK$15,000 fine for careless riding in the early stages. Earlier, Wong got the card off to the perfect start in combination with Manfred Man Ka-leung for the second consecutive Sha Tin meeting when Ruby Sailing was another gate-to-wire winner in the Class Five Chak On Handicap (1,200m). Ruby Sailing is not for catching! 🔥 Apprentice Britney Wong drives the Starspangledbanner gelding to a first win for Manfred Man at Sha Tin... #SummerSeries | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) June 8, 2025 It was a maiden victory at the 20th attempt for the son of Starspangledbanner, who showed tremendous early speed to lead from gate eight and never looked in danger of being caught. Wong got serious at the 400m pole and the pair surged into an unassailable lead, winning by one and a quarter lengths from fast-finishing $2.4 favourite King Oberon. Elsewhere, French ace Antoine Hamelin notched another timely winner thanks to Sky Prophet's upset win at $19.2 in the Class Five Chung On Handicap (1,400m). The Casper Fownes-trained four-year-old was made to work hard to get to the lead from barrier 13, but once there Hamelin controlled the fractions to a tee. Sky Prophet won't quit! 💥 Tough first win for the Caspar Fownes trainee at Sha Tin with @AntoineHamelin as he narrowly denies a rampaging Only U in a thriller... #SummerSeries | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) June 8, 2025 The pair looked vulnerable to Lapras turning in, but after fending off that rival in a protracted duel, they had just enough to scramble home ahead of the desperately unlucky $1.8 favourite Only U, who lashed home and only missed by a head after a torrid passage. 'It's nice to get a winner today – it's hot, but it's less hot when you win,' said Hamelin. 'I think the horse was in good form and didn't deserve to be so long in the odds. I believed in him [and] I thought he was a chance, the only concern was the draw. 'But he had a good start, he led, he controlled the race and he held that to the line.' Hamelin will depart Hong Kong and return to France at the end of this season, but he will be giving his all until the end of the season. 'I will just do my best to the end. It's hard to plan a target a month before I leave but I will just do my best and try to get as many winners as I can before I leave,' said the jockey.
South China Morning Post
07-05-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Douglas Whyte gets change of luck as he teams up with Hugh Bowman to fire in Happy Valley double
Douglas Whyte was given two big reasons to smile at Happy Valley on Wednesday night as Goko Win and Ivy League gave him his first winners for over a month. His last success came in the form of Golden Darci way back on April 2 and victory for Goko Win in the Class Four Chantilly Handicap (1,200m) looked unlikely for much of the journey. Hugh Bowman had to use all his strength to pick a path between horses, with the $2 favourite getting up in the final stride to deny $42 roughie My Day My Way – much to the delight of a relieved Whyte. 'He's been the victim of circumstance quite a few times this season,' said Whyte. 'He's had to do it the hard way and he's not the youngest individual – he's getting on in age. Straight through the middle! 👌 Goko Win scores narrowly at Happy Valley under @HugeBowman over a fast-finishing My Day My Way... @DJWhyteTrainer #HappyWednesday | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) May 7, 2025 'It didn't look pretty at the 500m and he looked in trouble, but he showed a bit of tenacity to get through a gap and he did a job to hit the line as strong as he did. 'Hugh made the difference – when you're riding with confidence like that you're always going to make the difference. 'I personally think that an old horse like him winning a race like that in-between horses [and] gaining a bit of confidence, with a light weight in a Class Three, he would be competitive.' Things got even better for Whyte later on the card when Ivy League – himself winless since a course-and-distance triumph in April 2024 – battled on bravely to win the second section of the Class Four Saint-Cloud Handicap (1,650m). Galileo gelding Ivy League edges Thesis to secure a @HugeBowman and @DJWhyteTrainer double! ✌️ Formerly trained in Ireland by Aidan O'Brien, Ivy League is now a three-time winner in Hong Kong... 🇮🇪#HappyWednesday | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) May 7, 2025 Having his first run in the grade, Bowman settled him in fourth and the pair travelled up ominously well at the turn. They were made to work hard by an ultra-game Thesis, but Ivy League got the better of the argument by a short head. Whyte, who had endured 50 winless runners, was full of praise for Bowman, who managed to scramble both his winners home by the shortest of margins. 'Everything worked out really well [for Ivy League] tonight, it was a typical Hugh Bowman ride,' said Whyte. 'Ivy League managed to get cover tonight and he's a different horse when he gets it – he relaxes and has a bit to give at the end. 'The draw worked out well, the pace worked out well and he got his head down at the right time. Recently, with some light weights, he's led, which I don't think is the best way to ride him, but due to a lack of pace he's found himself there. 'But tonight, with a bit of cover, Hugh has produced him at the right time. 'It has been a quiet month – a lot of horses have been highly rated, a lot have been unlucky, but tonight everything has fallen into place.' It was another win in a brilliant season for Bowman, who hit the 60-winner mark with Ivy League's never-say-die success. 'I think we got a bit lucky with the bob of the head there, I haven't seen the replay but I wasn't convinced I had won,' said Bowman. 'He really put in for me. He was aided by a really sweet passage in the race but he was there when I needed him. 'Goko Win was down in class and I was beaten for speed but he travelled superbly and I got the gap in the straight to get the run through and he was solid.'
