Latest news with #FWDChampionsMile
South China Morning Post
01-05-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
The Hong Kong Racing Postscript: who's hot, who's not and the best of April
Trainer Frankie Lor and jockey Zac Purton enjoyed plenty of success in April. Photos: Kenneth Chan on Thursday, May 1, 2025 8:51 AM Zac Purton, Andrea Atzeni and John Size continue their hot form, while Matthew Poon and Pierre Ng fail to fire Champions Day threw up a big surprise as well as two expected results in the big features, while normal service resumed for the King of Hong Kong's jockey ranks in April. The Post analyses the jockeys and trainers who had a month to remember or one to forget, as well as the most outstanding victory and winning ride. Who's hot? Zac Purton's comeback from injury hit top gear in April, with the seven-time champion Hong Kong jockey racking up 15 winners at a strong strike rate of 21.4 per cent. His best monthly return this term was 19 in October, but Purton looks set for a big finish to what has already been a phenomenal campaign. Andrea Atzeni's rise continued with another successful month, with the Sardinian jockey booting home 10 winners to hold a clear buffer in third in the championship standings. From a trainer's perspective, John Size was the most successful handler for another month as he continues his charge towards a record-extending 13th championship. The master trainer registered eight winners to share the April honours with Frankie Lor Fu-chuen, who surged from seventh to third in the championship standings. Reigning title winner Francis Lui Kin-wai and Caspar Fownes also had successful months with seven winners apiece. Who's not? He's had a terrific season to date, but Matthew Poon Ming-fai suffered a halt in momentum with a winless April. 'The Poon Train' will carry a winless streak of 69 rides into May – a drought he will no doubt be desperate to snap. Apprentice Britney Wong Po-ni also failed to register a victory in April, though she only had 19 rides while serving multiple suspensions. After leading the charge for the trainers' championship earlier this season, Pierre Ng Pang-chi has experienced a tougher time of late and currently sits eighth in the title standings after another lacklustre month. Last season's championship runner-up managed just one winner and carries a winless streak of 46 runners into May. Three other handlers also had just one victory in March – Douglas Whyte, who has a current winning drought of 44 runners, Michael Chang Chun-wai and Benno Yung Tin-pang. Win of the month It's no easy feat beating Voyage Bubble this season, but Red Lion managed to do just that when becoming the longest-priced winner in Group One Champions Mile history last Sunday. Sent off an 89-1 chance, John Size's unheralded galloper caused an almighty upset when he made all under Hugh Bowman to upstage Voyage Bubble by a short head. Bowman controlled the race from the front and Red Lion, who ran second to Beauty Eternal in the same race last year, shrugged off Hong Kong's star miler to land a career-best success. RED LION ROARS! 🦁 It's an 89/1 shocker in the FWD Champions Mile at Sha Tin for @HugeBowman and John Size as Red Lion lands his first Group 1 over Voyage Bubble... #FWDChampionsDay | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) April 27, 2025 It was a huge performance from a horse whose previous best run this season was a three-length third in the Group One Stewards' Cup (1,600m). Ride of the month Visiting jockey Damian Lane produced a perfect ride on Tastiera to lift the Japanese stayer to victory in last Sunday's Group One QE II Cup (2,000m). Lane sent Tastiera forward from gate 10 in the early stages to eventually land in the perfect spot one-out and one-back in fourth. He cruised up to Cap Ferrat early in the straight to take control and drew clear, comfortably accounting for fellow Japanese runner Prognosis. There were plenty of other rides worth honourable mentions from March – Dylan Mo Hin-tung's aboard Winning Wing, Bowman's weaving ride on Casa Rochester at Happy Valley and Purton's pearler from gate 10 on Chill Kaka on the dirt.
New Paper
27-04-2025
- Sport
- New Paper
Ka Ying Rising to The Everest
The FWD Champions Day at Sha Tin on April 27 delivered in spades on its slogan of a day to "celebrate champions", but probably more so in the HK$22 million (S$3.7 million) Group 1 Chairman's Sprint Prize (1,200m) with another smashing display by the World's Best Sprinter, Ka Ying Rising. Without taking anything away from the winners of the two other Group 1s, Japan's Tastiera (Damian Lane) in the HK$28 million FWD QEII Cup (2,000m) and surprise local winner (won in the stewards' room) Red Lion (Hugh Bowman) in the HK$24 million FWD Champions Mile (1,600m), a 12th consecutive win carved with such arrogance at the highest level by the horse David Hayes has already called the "best horse he has ever trained" was the real showstopper. Besides picking up a HK$12 million cheque for the win, the Shamexpress four-year-old also made a clean sweep of the Hong Kong Speed Series to collect a HK$5 million bonus with previous wins in the Group 1 Centenary Sprint Cup (1,200m) and Group 1 Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup (1,400m). Four horses pulled off the Triple Crown before - Mr Vitality (1995/96), Grand Delight (2002/03), Silent Witness (2003/04 and 2004/05) and Lucky Sweynesse (2022/23), the previous World's Best Sprinter, who was at his racing comeback in the Chairman's Sprint Prize, finishing a gallant sixth. The coronation of a new sprint king could not have been more emblematic from the way the $5.30 favourite was cuddled to the line by Zac Purton before being eased down to win by 2¼ lengths from Japan's Satono Reve (Joao Moreira) and Helios Express (Bowman). Hong Kong's superstar has taken all before him on home soil, but the biggest test - and payday - awaits next at his first overseas raid in the world's richest turf race, the A$20 million (S$16.8 million) Group 1 The Everest (1,200m) at Randwick in Sydney on Oct 18. "What more can you say? Every time you come out here, he produces something special," said Purton to the Hong Kong Jockey Club. "He did that again today and he didn't even change his leg. He puts them away very quickly. "He can have a break now and the next one is the big one." Hayes said that Ka Ying Rising would now go straight to Conghua, Hong Kong Jockey Club's training centre in mainland China, for a well-deserved rest. "He loves it up there, and he'll have a month to himself going out in the beautiful day paddocks," said the Australian trainer. "Then we'll start targeting to hopefully have him ready to race at the start of next season with The Everest in mind." Two races later, the Champions Mile was decided in the stewards' room, but the Bauhinia flag would fly high again, either way. Two local horses fought out the finish. The John Size-trained Red Lion outbobbed favourite Voyage Bubble (James McDonald) by a short head for a shock $454 upset, but had to wait for stewards to dismiss McDonald's objection for interference in the last strides. The flop of the race was Australia's top horse Mr Brightside (Craig Williams), who faded to last place. The third showpiece was, however, an all-overseas affair, with Japan filling the first two spots with Tastiera ($18) and Prognosis (McDonald) with Bahrain's Calif (Adrie de Vries) third. manyan@
South China Morning Post
27-04-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Hugh Bowman ‘lost for words' as Red Lion stuns Voyage Bubble in Champions Mile
Red Lion survived a stewards' inquiry to cause an enormous shock and lower the colours of Voyage Bubble in a dramatic Group One FWD Champions Mile on Sunday. The $90.8 roughie was allowed to stride into the lead after some contested early fractions, with jockey Hugh Bowman eventually able to control the gallop. The writing seemed to be on the wall when odds-on favourite Voyage Bubble cruised up to Red Lion at the top of the straight, but John Size's six-year-old knuckled down and refused to be passed. Voyage Bubble pestered him all the way to the line, but last year's second defied the script and a late – if not slightly ambitious – objection to prevail. There are not many big races that Bowman has not won, with Sunday's upset completing his Champions Day set, and his raw emotion was there for all to see as he punched the air when the result of the photo finish was confirmed. RED LION ROARS! 🦁 It's an 89/1 shocker in the FWD Champions Mile at Sha Tin for @HugeBowman and John Size as Red Lion lands his first Group 1 over Voyage Bubble... #FWDChampionsDay | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) April 27, 2025 'Congratulations to John and the ownership group because he's such a consistent horse and he's a worthy Group One winner, but I'm a bit lost for words to be honest,' Bowman said. 'It's fantastic. He's a very consistent, courageous horse. Having had the opportunity to ride him a few times, I had the confidence in him. 'I didn't really expect to lead but full credit to John and his team because they've turned him out in fantastic order and with a little bit of moisture in the ground, it certainly assisted his chances and I'm just so proud of him.' To say this was a shock would be an understatement. Red Lion enters the history book as the biggest-priced winner of the race, eclipsing the $65 win odds for Size's Sight Winner back in 2009. Red Lion was a useful horse in his early days when trained in Ireland by Andrew Slattery, but no one could have foreseen him turning into a bona fide Group One performer. He was a smart handicapper on those shores but before the Champions Mile, he was zero-from-12 at Group level since joining Size. Size always had belief in his six-year-old, though even he was hard-pressed to believe he would win at Group One level. 'He's been so consistent over the period he's been racing,' said Size. 'He always does his best and always puts himself in a position to win. 'Today, like all winners, you need plenty in your favour to win a race. Maybe a bit of moisture around helped him and the fact he could lead by himself. All those things contributed to him winning. 'I think the horse's mind for racing and what is going on inside his brain is so important. Today he showed the determination of a real racehorse – he looked like he thought he could win the race and he decided he would. 'He just kept going and kept fighting – under the circumstances, it's very hard to beat a horse in that frame of mind. 'The owners are one of the groups of people in Hong Kong who buy and race lots of horses in this jurisdiction. Anyone who does that deserves some success and they've had a lot of good luck on the racetrack.' There were no excuses for the $1.6 favourite Voyage Bubble, who had the perfect stalking trip under James McDonald. 'He was super,' said McDonald. 'I was really proud of his effort.' There was another huge run in behind, with $60 chance Sunlight Power helping trainer Ricky Yiu Poon-fai fill both placings. 'He ran a great race,' said Christophe Soumillon. 'Unfortunately it was a little too far for him to win it, but he put in a great effort.'
New Paper
21-04-2025
- Sport
- New Paper
Williams upbeat about Mr Brightside's HK raid
HONG KONG Globetrotting jockey Craig Williams has given notice to Hong Kong fans to welcome one of the genuine superstars of Australian racing at Sha Tin on April 27. He is referring to Mr Brightside, the winner of 19 from 43 races - including nine Group 1 - and over A$17.3 million (S$14.5 million) in prize money. The Bullbars seven-year-old has arrived to take on local hero Voyage Bubble and some of the world's finest in the HK$24 million Group 1 FWD Champions Mile (1,600m). "Mr Brightside is an absolute warrior," said Williams, who has won 17 races from 39 rides on the gelding. "He's a star, and he competes at the elite level every time he goes around. "He has a following, everyone loves him in Australia. He will carry the weight of a nation when it comes to the big day at Sha Tin. "I am very privileged to ride him. He has been developed by the Hayes boys (Ben, Will and JD). He was their first Group 1 (winner) together, and it has been a privilege to be part of his journey. "He's a very special horse. He's one of the best milers in Australia. "When he stretched out to 2,000m, he was beaten only by international mega star Romantic Warrior in the (Group 1) Cox Plate (2,040m) - beaten by the shortest of margins." The three young men who train Mr Brightside - the Hayes brothers, Ben, 34, and twins JD and Will, 29 - are third-generation trainers who have put the famous Lindsay Park Racing operation back on the map in Australia. Williams' connection with the Hayes family goes back over two decades. When he was based in Hong Kong between 2003 and 2005, he was the No. 2 rider for David Hayes, father of Ben, Will and JD. "Gerald Mosse was his first jockey but he was in the heavier bracket and I was picking up the lightweight rides," said Williams. That association came soon after Williams had a stint riding for Mick Channon in England, during which he partnered Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum's Tobougg to victory in the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes (1,400m) at Newmarket. After his overseas adventures, Williams returned home to Melbourne, which coincided with Hayes' return after his 10-year stay in Hong Kong. Williams went on to win nine jockeys' titles in Victoria. "Five of those were (while) riding for David. When I came back, David backed me," he said. "Half of my championships were due to the dominance of Lindsay Park and me being lucky enough to be their No. 1 rider." As for the Hayes brothers, Williams reckoned they are exceptional in what they do. "They are impressive young men. Most importantly, they are getting the results," he said. "Not just Group 1 winners, we are talking about placing horses and educating them. They know their horses so well and they are impressive as an organisation." Williams said he fulfilled an ambition when he won the HK$26 million BMW Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) on the Francis Lui-trained Cap Ferrat on March 23. "I rode in my first Hong Kong Derby 24 years ago. I was second on a horse trained by Lawrie Fownes and owned by a family friend, Ben Wong, for whom I ended up winning an earlier race on Derby Day this year," he said. "I was thrilled to win the big one, particularly being trained by Francis, who gave me so much support during my time in Hong Kong." Cap Ferrat will run in the HK$28 million Group 1 FWD Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2,000m), taking his chance against Ascot's Group 1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2,400m) winner Goliath, Japan's Prognosis and New Zealand's El Vencedor. "While Cap Ferrat needs to find something on official ratings, he had never managed to get his head in front before the Derby last month," said Williams, who will take the reins on Cap Ferrat again. "He has the capacity to improve because he's now a winner." HKJC
