Latest news with #EustaceRacing
South China Morning Post
3 days ago
- General
- South China Morning Post
Luke Ferraris ready to dazzle at Sha Tin after shaking off fever
Luke Ferraris has shaken off the worst of the fever that sidelined him from Wednesday night's Happy Valley meeting and is hoping he has the ammunition to continue his strong recent form at Sha Tin on Saturday. Victorious at the past two meetings he has ridden at, Ferraris will feature in both of Saturday's Group Three features but must overcome barrier 10 aboard Lucky With You in the Sha Tin Vase (1,200m) and Chancheng Glory in the Lion Rock Trophy (1,600m). 'Lucky With You is going to need the rain to stay away. He's definitely more effective on a firm track, so that doesn't look great, and he's also got a bad barrier to contend with as well,' said Ferraris. 'But he's got nice horses drawn around him, so if he can get on the back of a nice one and get a nice pull through the run, hopefully he can bring that Class One form up to this Group Three. Seriously impressive, Dazzling Fit! 🤯@EustaceRacing's 3YO son of Ribchester explodes to a first win at Sha Tin under @LukeFerraris...#LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) May 4, 2025 'Chancheng Glory also has a bad barrier but his raceday form is honest and if the pace is on and he can get a nice run in transit, hopefully he closes off well.' Ferraris fared better at the draw with smart youngster Dazzling Fit, who has gate three but must carry 135lbs as he shoots for consecutive victories in the Class Four Tin Sam Handicap (1,400m). 'Dazzling Fit has finally pulled a gate, which is nice. Hopefully he can lob somewhere around midfield. It will be a good test. He's a young horse with a lot of weight to shoulder, but he is a big fella so hopefully it's not too much of an issue for him. He's definitely a horse on the rise,' said Ferraris, who also looks to be a winning chance aboard Hong Kong debutant Infinite Resolve in the Class Three Tai Wai Handicap (1,200m). 'Infinite Resolve's last trial at the Valley was good and he looks to be a versatile horse – he can go forward or he can go back. I'll see what Mark [Newnham] wants to do. His prep going into the run has been good, he hasn't really put a foot wrong and he seems honest enough. It will be interesting to see what he does.'
South China Morning Post
10-05-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Light Years Charm a class apart as Zac Purton smashes in another Sha Tin treble
Light Years Charm ran out a very impressive winner of the Class Three Lung Mun Handicap (1,400m) and rounded off another Sha Tin treble for champion jockey Zac Purton on Saturday. It was a second career win for David Eustace's promising galloper, who gave his $1.5 backers some heart-in-mouth moments on the way to an ultimately cosy head success. Purton settled the Rubick gelding in the rear of midfield and as they straightened up off the turn, he was cruising and desperately looking for racing room as the taps were turned on. As is customary, Purton took the daring route up the rails and spied a gap between the weakening Meowth and New Forest, surging to the front in a matter of strides to fend off the fast-finishing Juneau Pride. Check out this ride! 🙌 Timed to perfection, Rubick gelding Light Years Charm scores a sweet win with @zpurton for @EustaceRacing at Sha Tin... #LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) May 10, 2025 It was a masterful bit of race riding when it mattered, though Purton did admit that luck played a small part in the finish. 'He doesn't make it easy for himself at the start. It didn't help that prior to the start, he was able to pop the gate open and reverse himself back out so he was thinking he was going to do the same thing again,' Purton said. 'So he was right on the back of the gates and flopped out. They didn't go fast which was a concern and I was in a bad spot, so I had no option but to ride for luck – and luckily the runs came. 'He won well and there's more to come because he cooks himself before the start. Next season, hopefully he's better.' Class 3 bound! The rising Flash Current is an impressive winner with champion jockey @zpurton for Jimmy Ting at Sha Tin... ⚡️#LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) May 10, 2025 That might not be it for the lightly raced four-year-old this season, however, with Eustace aiming to get another run in before the campaign is out. 'He misses the start, which doesn't help, but he's got a huge engine and got an absolutely fantastic ride from Zac. It was a 10-out-of-10 effort from him,' said Eustace. 'There's a Class Two in four weeks which fits in very well so we'll go there – that might be his last run of the season but we'll have to see. It's going to be a step up in grade – is he good enough? We'll have to see.' Light Years Charm was the final leg of Purton's treble, with the Australian getting off the mark when Flash Current trotted to victory in the Class Four Tuen Mun Public Riding School Handicap (1,400m). Serious talent! 🤯 All Too Hard youngster Patch Of Stars cruises home for consecutive wins as @zpurton makes it an early double at Sha Tin... ✌️#LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) May 10, 2025 After travelling sweetly in midfield, the pair came into the straight tanking and when Purton let his mount down, they surged to the front to beat Riding Together. Easy wins was the theme for Purton's Saturday, with his success on Patch Of Stars in the Class Four Lei Yue Mun Public School Handicap (1,400m) one of his easiest of the entire season. Settled in the box seat behind the leader, Purton switched out at the top of the straight and Patch Of Stars' response was immediate when ridden, flashing clear in a matter of strides in the style of a horse with much more to offer. 'He's only three, still learning and does a little bit wrong,' Purton said. 'He wants to grab the bit and get a bit aggressive in the run and in the straight, he was hanging in quite bad. 'I think there's a little bit more there and next season when he's a bit more mature, he'll start to show his best.'
South China Morning Post
04-05-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
David Eustace's smart three-year-old dazzles at Sha Tin: ‘we've always liked him'
Dazzling Fit threw his hat in the ring as a potential Classic Series horse for next season with a sparkling win in the first section of the Class Four Cox's Handicap (1,400m) at Sha Tin on Sunday. Luke Ferraris settled David Eustace's galloper in mid-pack early on and turning out of the back straight still had a lot of ground to make up. When hitting top gear Dazzling Fit flew down the straight to record a very comfortable win over Max Que, obliging for favourite backers after being sent off $2.65. Eustace sung the praises of his three-year-old post-race. Seriously impressive, Dazzling Fit! 🤯@EustaceRacing's 3YO son of Ribchester explodes to a first win at Sha Tin under @LukeFerraris...#LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) May 4, 2025 'We've always liked him. He'd put in two really good performances but was showing signs of greenness and just inexperience, which is very normal,' said Eustace. 'He was good today. He jumped well and he relaxed. He had a bit of ground to make up and I thought he flattened out well and picked them up well. 'He'll be a lovely horse for next season. He'll definitely stay a mile. Whether he needs to do that now I'm not sure, but for next year he will. 'We'll see how he is as to whether he has another run or whether we give him a chance to mature. I'll just be guided by the horse.' Whip rules come into focus Jockey Club officials will discuss Hong Kong's whip rules with the city's riders on Tuesday, with executive director of racing Andrew Harding suggesting 'there is probably a case for reducing, in some circumstances, the use of the whip'. Under Hong Kong's current whip rules, jockeys can be punished for using the whip in an 'excessive, improper, unnecessary or inappropriate manner' but there are no official restrictions on how many times the whip can be used. 'We continue to look at various aspects of regulation and one of them is the use of the whip. We've been doing that for some time and having ongoing discussions with jockeys and trainers,' said Harding. 'After we have spoken to [the jockeys] and trainers and owners, we will make an assessment about whether there should be changes to the rules with a view to, if we change anything, introducing it next season. 'We're not suggesting anything at this stage. Obviously there have been changes to the way the use of the whip has been regulated in other major racing jurisdictions over time. 'We continue to monitor those changes, see how they've worked and we'll continue to do that. 'It is a conversation we'll be having with the jockeys – whether there is a case for making the changes here, and if we did make changes, what would be sensible? 'I would say overall, I think that there is probably a case for reducing, in some circumstances, the use of the whip.' Wong ends long wait for Victory Apprentice Britney Wong Po-ni returned to the winners' enclosure for the first time in almost two months when she booted home Circuit Victory in Sunday's Class Five Jordan Handicap (1,200m). Winless since firing in a double on the Sha Tin dirt on March 9, Wong snapped a drought of 39 rides without success after guiding Manfred Man Ka-leung's Circuit Victory to his first victory at start 11. The 25-year-old rider didn't let the lean period weigh her down and paid tribute to support from the industry. 'I've been not in the winners' circle for over a month, so it's all been a bit lost on me. It's good I have got all the good culture and good help around me and I just stick my head into it and I really feel good,' Wong said after notching her 13th triumph of the season. Circuit Victory is not for catching! Apprentice Britney Wong lands her 13th win in Hong Kong... 🔥#LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) May 4, 2025 Relishing the addition of blinkers, Circuit Victory crossed from gate 12 early to lead for Wong and drew clear in the straight to comfortably beat Ever Smart by a length and three-quarters. 'It's really great and I really appreciate all the support from Manfred,' said Wong, who received a two-meeting careless riding suspension for her winning effort. 'He's been a big supporter even since I was a trainee. It's a nice feeling to reward him and his team in this way.' Matthew Poon Ming-fai broken an even bigger drought on Sunday, ending his streak of 75 winless rides with a desperately needed success on Cody Mo Wai-kit's Ka Ying Superb in the second section of the Cox's Handicap. Stellenbosch to stay at home Japanese mare Stellenbosch will not run in the Group One Champions & Chater Cup (2,400m) later this month, but Jockey Club officials remain confident the other two overseas entries – Dubai Honour and Al Riffa – will step out at Sha Tin on May 25. Third in December's Group One Hong Kong Vase (2,400m), Stellenbosch's connections have opted to head towards the Group One Victoria Mile in Tokyo on May 18 instead of another trip abroad. Local entries for the race, which close on May 12, are expected to be headed by Ricky Yiu Poon-fai's Triple Crown hopeful Voyage Bubble.
South China Morning Post
07-04-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Andrea Atzeni keen to keep the ball rolling with ‘nice book of rides' at Happy Valley
Sardinian jockey will look to add to his 38 winners for the campaign on Wednesday night He's one of the form jockeys among the Hong Kong riding ranks and Andrea Atzeni will head to Happy Valley on Wednesday night armed with a book of rides he hopes can help him continue his momentum. Third in the jockeys premiership after 12 wins in the past month, Atzeni will look to add to his 38 victories this season with seven rides at the midweek meeting. 'The last few weeks have gone fairly well and hopefully we can keep kicking until the end of the season,' said Atzeni. 'I've got some nice rides on Wednesday. I could have done with better draws with a couple of them but I feel like I'm going into Wednesday night with a nice book of rides.' Colourful King nails Youthful Spirits! 😱@EustaceRacing's son of Blue Point, a two-time winner at Sandown in Australia, gets off the mark in Hong Kong with @Atzenijockey at Happy Valley...#HappyWednesday | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) March 19, 2025 One of Atzeni's mounts who has drawn well is last-start winner Colourful King, who jumps from gate four in the Class Three Hong Kong China Rugby Cup (1,000m). Trained by David Eustace, who is fresh off a treble at Sha Tin on Sunday, Colourful King broke his Hong Kong maiden at start two when sticking his nose in front over this course and distance last month. 'He only just got up the last day and we beat Youthful Spirits, who goes in front. He is in the race again so at least we know for sure the speed is going to be on,' said Atzeni. 'He's an improving horse and a horse we've always liked, so hopefully there's more to come from him.' Atzeni retains the ride aboard the John Size-trained Golden Rise for the Class Three Ho Man Tin Handicap (1,200m) after partnering the five-year-old into third in his Class Three debut last start. 'He was a little bit unlucky the last day. I was on the fence but I went one off trying to keep my options open, but it was probably the wrong thing to do,' said Atzeni of Golden Rise, who carries 120 pounds on Wednesday night. 'If I had stayed on the fence he probably would have nearly won it. With that weight he should be competitive in Class Three. He wasn't beaten far last start and he showed that he can be competitive in the grade.' Also among Atzeni's book are last-start winner Same To You, who rises in grade for the third section of the Class Four King's Park Handicap (1,200m), and Club Ace in the second section of the King's Park Handicap. 'Same To You is a nice ride to get. He's a course and distance winner and although he's got a tricky draw, he won quite nicely the last day so hopefully up in class with a light weight shouldn't be an issue,' said Atzeni of Mark Newnham's charge, who carries 120 pounds from gate 12. 'Club Ace is solid. He was a little bit disappointing last start but on his previous starts he wouldn't be without a chance.'
