Latest news with #GroupTwoChairman'sTrophy
South China Morning Post
29-03-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Andrea Atzeni's hopes spring Eternal in Chairman's Trophy bid
Andrea Atzeni is optimistic Beauty Eternal strikes a winnable assignment when the Group One victor chases his first success in almost 12 months at Sha Tin on Sunday. Buoyed by the John Size-trained gelding's fast-finishing fourth last start, Atzeni has high hopes for Beauty Eternal in the Group Two Chairman's Trophy (1,600m). The Italian jockey rode Beauty Eternal for the first time under race conditions in last month's Group One Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup (1,400m), in which the son of Starspangledbanner jumped only fairly but ran on well late to be beaten two lengths by superstar Ka Ying Rising. He steps back up to his preferred distance, at which he won the Group One Champions Mile in April last year under champion jockey Zac Purton. GO ON, @KarisTeetan! 🔥 The Mauritian ace guides superstar Ka Ying Rising to a third Group 1 win in the Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup at Sha Tin ahead of Helios Express and Howdeepisyourlove... 🏆#LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) February 23, 2025 'I thought his last run was good,' Atzeni said. 'He was a bit sluggish early but he finished off quite nicely. 'Up in distance again will really suit him and with a good draw and a clean break, hopefully we're in a good position. 'It's a very open race. Obviously Galaxy Patch has trialled very well and might be the horse to beat, but we've got a nice draw. He's moving well and pulled up good from the other day.' Jumping from barrier four, Beauty Eternal is one of three Size-trained gallopers set for the Chairman's Trophy. Group Three winner Ensued drops in trip after a last-start second to Voyage Bubble in the Group One Gold Cup (2,000m), while the consistent Red Lion bids for the biggest win of his career. In Sunday's other Group Two, the Sprint Cup (1,200m), Atzeni conceded Gorgeous Win faces a mammoth task against Ka Ying Rising. The Danny Shum Chap-shing-trained Gorgeous Win is the lowest-rated of the seven Sprint Cup runners on a mark of 97. 'It's a small field and we all know Ka Ying Rising's going to be tough to beat, but we're all trying to play for some prize money,' Atzeni said. 'There looks to be quite a bit of pace in the race, so hopefully we can give him a chance.' Third in the jockeys' premiership with 35 wins this term, Atzeni hopes to continue his momentum after celebrating his 34th birthday in style with a double at Sha Tin on Wednesday night. 'I came back from the two-day suspension and had winners most meetings and a few doubles. Hopefully I can stay out of the stewards' room and keep the ball rolling,' Atzeni said. Gale Saga, Stellar Express, Robot Knight, South Star and Across Da Universe are Atzeni's other rides on Sunday.
South China Morning Post
21-03-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Zac Purton ramps up injury return with trial win aboard Ka Ying Rising
City's top jockey is on track to ride at the Sha Tin meeting on March 30 Zac Purton ramped up his return from injury with a trial victory aboard Ka Ying Rising at Sha Tin on Friday morning. Sidelined since February 9 after fracturing his left big toe in a race fall, Purton is on track to partner the superstar sprinter in the Group Two Sprint Cup (1,200m) at Sha Tin on March 30. 'I wouldn't say I'm fully recovered, but I'm a long way down the track,' said Purton, who returned to riding trackwork on Thursday morning. 'I feel pretty good. I'm at the track riding work and riding trials because I feel like we can go again. 'I'm gearing up for a return next week unless I pick up a ride in the Derby.' Perfect tune-up for Ka Ying Rising! 😏 The world's best sprinter is first across the line this morning at Sha Tin in his trial ahead of the likes of Sword Point, Helios Express and co. 🔥@zpurton | #LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) March 21, 2025 Ka Ying Rising travelled sweetly in the 1,200m dirt trial, sitting outside leader Sword Point before coasting past him late. '[Ka Ying Rising] just did what we expect from him this morning – he just keeps improving all the time,' Purton said of the three-time Group One winner. 'He seems to do it easier all the time. His mental attitude towards it, he seems to be handling it better all the time. He enjoyed himself. I'm looking forward to the races ahead.' While Purton is all but certain to miss this Sunday's BMW Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) meeting, he expects to have a full book next weekend, including Galaxy Patch in the Group Two Chairman's Trophy (1,600m). One jockey who is riding in this weekend's Derby is Hugh Bowman, but not before he jets to Australia for Saturday's Golden Slipper Day at Rosehill Gardens in Sydney. Bowman partners the Kris Lees-trained Rivellino in the Group One Golden Slipper (1,200m), while he also jumps aboard Celestial Legend for Hong Kong owner Boniface Ho Ka-kui in the Group One George Ryder Stakes (1,500m) and Mazu in the Group One The Galaxy (1,100m).
South China Morning Post
15-03-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Sunlight Power helps brighten dark and gloomy Sha Tin day as Hugh Bowman bags treble
Ricky Yiu's consistent galloper continues his fruitful season with victory in the Class Two Kowloon Tong Club Trophy (1,600m) It felt like the middle of the night at the halfway point of Saturday's meeting but a barnstorming victory from Sunlight Power was enough to brighten things up a touch at Sha Tin. After a wall of heavy rain and gusty winds put a stop to proceedings for half an hour after five of the 10 races, Sunlight Power thundered to victory in the Class Two Kowloon Tong Club Trophy (1,600m) to continue his impressive season and deliver Hugh Bowman a treble. With the track downgraded to good-to-yielding, $1.8 favourite Sunlight Power sat just off midfield under Bowman before thundering home down the outside to salute by two and three-quarter lengths from second elect Voyage Samurai. 'It was a pretty solid speed set up front [and] that suited him. Obviously he's performed well on rain-affected ground before and he just got into a beautiful rhythm and his class shone,' said Bowman, who moved to 48 wins for the season thanks to his three-timer. Class act! Sunlight Power wears down Voyage Samurai in the Kowloon Tong Club Trophy as @HugeBowman makes it a hat-trick at Sha Tin... 🔥#LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) March 15, 2025 'It's been a good day. I had some nice rides. Take it when you can.' Sunlight Power's third victory of the campaign will see him rise to a triple-figure rating and trainer Ricky Yiu Poon-fai may consider running his five-year-old in the Group Two Chairman's Trophy (1,600m) on March 30. 'He got a good gate [one] and a decent tempo and he enjoyed it. The horse doesn't mind the track conditions, which are on the slow side, and it was a very good finish, which surprised me a little bit,' said Yiu. 'As soon as he's under pressure he still wants to lay in but he's making good progress. There's still a bit of improvement in him. He's full of energy and he tries hard. Crossborderpegasus remains unbeaten! 👌@HugeBowman guides John Size's Rich Enuff speedster to a second straight win at Sha Tin... #LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) March 15, 2025 'I presume he'll be just above 100 so we can look at a Group [race], but I want to give him a bit of space. He's done well this season so far.' Bowman's earlier wins came aboard John Size's Crossborderpegasus and the Caspar Fownes-trained Monarch County. Crossborderpegasus continued his unblemished start to his career, improving his record to two wins from two starts by taking out the Class Four Azalea Handicap (1,200m) as the $1.3 favourite. 'He's an exciting horse, he's got plenty of points in hand. He does have that tendency to lay in, which he needs to overcome as he goes up in the rating points, but we won't be too critical of him at his second run in a race,' Bowman said after the three-year-old did enough to see off Lucky Symphony by half a length after travelling two back on the rail. Grinding to victory! 💪 Caspar Fownes' Monarch County - a graduate of the Hong Kong International Sale - relishes the challenging conditions at Sha Tin to bring up a @HugeBowman double... #LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) March 15, 2025 Hong Kong International Sale graduate Monarch Country broke through at start five in the Class Four Hydrangea Handicap (1,400m) – the first race after the weather delay. Hunted up by Bowman to settle three-wide with cover in midfield from gate 11, Monarch County barrelled home down the middle of the track to see off Pearl Of Pang's by a length and a quarter as a well-backed $4.3 chance. Bowman's treble saw him move 15 wins clear of jockeys' championship third placed Brenton Avdulla, but he is still a massive 36 victories short of runaway leader Zac Purton, who has now been sidelined by injury for more than a month.
