Latest news with #HongKongClassicCup
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Hong Kong Racing Insights: 2025 Champions & Chater Cup
Hong Kong's Group 1 racing season ends at Sha Tin on Sunday, May 25, with the G1 Champions & Chater Cup going approximately 1 1/2 miles on the turf. It will be part of the World Pool, like nearly all major international races, enabling customers from 25 participating jurisdictions to wager into large, stable betting pools. Win, Place, Quinella, Quinella Place, Exacta, Trifecta, Quartet, Trio, First 4, Double, Pick 3, Double Trio, Triple Trio and Six Up bet types will be available for the whole race card, check with your favorite tote operator for details. Click here to learn more about World Pool. The top international starter appears to be seven-year-old Dubai Honour from William Haggas' barn. He has been all over the world – four times to Hong Kong already - and won the G1 Tancred Stakes at this distance as recently as April 1 at Rosehill in Australia while carrying 130 pounds. The son of Pride of Dubai can handle any ground and will be ridden by Tom Marquand. His international rating is 118. Advertisement Last year's Champions & Chater Cup was won by the globetrotting Rebel's Romance, winner of the 2022 and 2024 G1 Breeders' Cup Turf, but it has been dominated by local horses before that. Defending the home team will be Voyage Bubble, four-time Group 1 stakes winner at Sha Tin and the highest rated runner in the field at 120. The issue for Voyage Bubble is he has never contested the 1 ½-mile distance since three of his Group 1 stakes wins came at a mile and his last came in the G1 Hong Kong Gold Cup going approximately 1 1/4 miles. But, having won the G1 Stewards' Cup and the G1 Hong Kong Gold Cup, this is Voyage Bubble's chance to sweep the Triple Crown and join River Verdon as the only horse to do so. And, there is a HK$10 million bonus if he wins all three races. Voyage Bubble winning the second leg of the Triple Crown Series, G1 Hong Kong Gold Cup on Feb. 23HKJC photo David Hayes is high on Rubylot's chances after winning the Hong Kong Classic Cup for 4-year-olds then a hard-charging fifth in the Hong Kong Derby. A troubled sixth, only beaten three lengths by two Japanese superstars in the G1 QE II Cup, has given Hayes optimism that he can handle the added distance. Unfortunately, he will not be getting weight from his higher-rated rivals. Rubylot winning the Hong Kong Classic Cup on March 2HKJC photo Five G Patch is only rated 113 at the moment and will also not get any breaks in the weight-for-age event. However, he was second in last year's renewal and third the year before so the distance seems to wake him up no matter how strong the competition is. He might not be a candidate for the win but at long odds, Five G Patch is worth using underneath in vertical wagers. Advertisement The added distance of 1 1/2 miles will conduct a tour of Sha Tin's expansive turf course. While it should be a test of stamina, it provides lower-rated horses the opportunity to take some chances since their rider already has confidence in their ability to see out the distance. Unlike most of the races in Hong Kong where the assigned weight is what brings the horses together, in the case of the Champions & Chater Cup, it is the added distance that does. Dubai Honour has been traveling all over the world. Voyage Bubble's is trying to sweep the Triple Crown at a distance he has never contested. Despite their class edge, they might be vulnerable to others that should make it really difficult and a fun race to watch and wager on.
South China Morning Post
29-04-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Mark Newnham ‘proud' of My Wish as he maps out ambitious Group One campaign next season
Mark Newnham is ready for an exciting next campaign with My Wish (pink cap). Photos: Kenneth Chan My Wish is off for a well-earned rest but his trainer Mark Newnham is confident he has a bona fide Group One horse on his hands for next season. His four-year-old started the season winning off a rating of just 54 but has soared to incredible heights since that 1,200m success at Sha Tin. His crowning glory came back in January, when he was given a peach of a ride by Luke Ferraris to win the Hong Kong Classic mile ahead of a stacked field. My Wish ran two mighty seconds in the next two legs of the four-year-old Classic Series, bumping into a charging Rubylot in the Hong Kong Classic Cup (1,800m) before a desperately unlucky run in the Hong Kong Derby (2,000m). Classy as! 👏 My Wish staves off challengers to capture the first #4YOSeries leg - the HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Mile - with @LukeFerraris for Mark Newnham... #LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) January 31, 2025 He was forced to come from last and had to spin nearly eight-wide into the straight to make his challenge, thundering down the outside and recording the fastest final 400m sectional over 2,000m in Sha Tin history in the process. He confirmed his status as one to watch for next season when running a huge race behind Red Lion, Voyage Bubble and Sunlight Power in the Group One FWD Champions Mile and Newnham is looking ahead to some big targets. 'I thought he did us proud, like he did all season,' said Newnham. 'He's been very consistent horse right from the start of it. That'll do him this campaign, but he gives us every indication we can aim high next time around. 'He led all the way over 1,200m at the first meeting of the year, so he's done a really good job. Next season, hopefully we can aim for the [Hong Kong Mile] and then the Champions Mile again.' In the immediate future, Newnham is looking forward to the chances of Mission Strike, who has Zac Purton on for the first time in the Class Four Korea Racing Authority Trophy (1,800m). Mission Strike was always outpaced on debut at Sha Tin over 1,400m, but showed improved form over the 1,800m at Happy Valley, finishing third and a flashing-home second when given a mountain to climb from last off the turn. He took a small backwards step at Sha Tin last time, but Newnham is confident he has found the key to unlocking the best from his three-year-old. 'He was reluctant to come between horses and finish the race off last time,' said Newnham. 'He's going in the blinkers this time and his two runs over the 1,800m at Happy Valley before his last run at Sha Tin were good – I think it's a good race for him, especially back at Happy Valley. 'He seems to have reacted to the blinkers and hopefully it gives him a bit more confidence. He's only a young horse with limited experience, so it's understandable that he's still learning his craft. 'He's got enough talent to be winning races and he just needs a bit of help to get there. His slow starts have forced us into racing quieter early on. 'He drew well the other day and was closer – he didn't finish off the race like we hoped but I think that was more because of his reluctance to come between horses.'
South China Morning Post
22-03-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong Football Club Horse Racing Syndicate ready to take the ‘lot' in Hong Kong Derby
Believed to be the first syndicate ever registered with the Jockey Club, the Hong Kong Football Club Horse Racing Syndicate has its sights on the pinnacle of ownership in the city in this Sunday's BMW Hong Kong Derby (2,000m). Fresh off victory in the Classic Cup (1,800m), the syndicate's finest-ever find, Rubylot, enters the Derby as favourite for trainer David Hayes and jockey Brenton Avdulla. 'We've been racing horses now for 40 years and this is by far the best we've ever had. I've been in the syndicate for 30 years myself and we've some good horses over the years, but this one is a bit special,' said Philip Nunn, the syndicate's treasurer and manager. 'We've had some good horses but a lot of it is luck. We're not big spenders but David Hayes has been very good for us. He sources our horses for us and he's reliable. Rubylot mows them down in the Hong Kong Classic Cup at Sha Tin! My Wish is brave in defeat as @brentonavdulla and David Hayes combine for victory... 🏆#4YOSeries | #LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) March 2, 2025 'I think that's the important thing – you have to have someone you can trust to get the right horses for you. We're really thankful to David for choosing Rubylot for us.' Currently featuring 12 members, the syndicate has had a string of horses over the years, most with 'lot' in their names. 'Anyone can join but we're generally Football Club members and Jockey Club members,' said Nunn. 'I think I'm right in saying we were the very first syndicate to be registered by the Jockey Club. 'We just have lots of fun. It's a good social group. We never expected to have a horse quite so good as Rubylot. 'In the old days you used to draw out a horse. You didn't buy your own horse, you entered into a ballot and then you drew out a number and you got that horse. 'The very first horse we ever had was called My Lot and he won several races. He was a really good horse, so we thought 'lot' was a good name for all our horses. 'We always try to link the 'lot' with the name of the sire or the dam. That's been our tradition over the years.' With six wins from 18 starts, including three victories this season, the group's dashing son of Rubick enters the Derby as the only galloper with a triple-figure rating on a mark of 100. A victory from Rubylot would mark a second Derby success for Hayes, who prevailed in 2003 with Elegant Fashion, and a first for Avdulla. 'He begins, switches off and he's got a change-up speed, so he's got three brilliant things going for him,' Avdulla said of Rubylot. 'It will be interesting to see how he handles the 2,000m. I think he will. 'He's a lovely moving horse and the way he finished in the Classic Cup should hold him in good stead for the 2,000m.' As Avdulla carefully positions Rubylot out of gate four from the tricky Sha Tin 2,000m start, those in the Hong Kong Football Club Horse Racing Syndicate will be watching intently from the box of Jockey Club steward Nicholas Hunsworth. 'He's one of the syndicate's main players so we'll be in his box, fortunately,' said Nunn, who did his bit for the cause by revealing barrier four at Thursday's draw – a gate Hayes described as perfect.
South China Morning Post
02-03-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
David Hayes continues feature-race spree as Rubylot storms to Classic Cup victory
Trainer David Hayes continued his feature-race spree at Sha Tin on Sunday, snaring the Classic Cup (1,800m) with Rubylot a week after Ka Ying Rising bagged his third Group One win of the season in the Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup (1,400m). While Ka Ying Rising was the red-hot favourite and entered the race under a weight of expectation, Rubylot jumped at $14.45 under Brenton Avdulla after only managing sixth in the Classic Mile. 'It really was [an excellent win]. [Classic Mile day] was the day where all the horses that cut the corner were the strongest and he still ran the third-fastest sectional and he went the widest,' said Hayes. 'That wasn't the place to be. Brenton today learned from that – he cut the corner and peeled out into the straight and he was able to unleash that great sprint he's got.' Rubylot mows them down in the Hong Kong Classic Cup at Sha Tin! My Wish is brave in defeat as @brentonavdulla and David Hayes combine for victory... 🏆#4YOSeries | #LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) March 2, 2025 After settling at the back of the field from gate eight in a race run at a breakneck early speed, Rubylot was still as good as last upon straightening before Avdulla found his way out of traffic and unleashed his mount down the centre of the track. The galloper's final 400m of 22.30 seconds was comfortably the quickest of the race and enough for him to see off Classic Mile winner My Wish by three-quarters of a length. After snaring the second leg of the four-year-old series, Hayes was quick to ponder Rubylot's chances in the city's most prestigious race, the Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) on March 23. 'You always look at this race to find the closers and that's a good pointer to the Derby. I don't think anyone ran home faster than him today. It was a brilliant sectional,' said Hayes. 'To my eye he was the strongest late and that's a good sign stepping up to the 2,000m. Being a Rubick you were always concerned [about him running the trip] but he's out of a Dubawi mare and stoutly bred on the dam side.' Hayes finished the afternoon with a double after also saluting with Ariel in the Class Three On Ting Handicap (1,650m) on the dirt, ensuring the Australian handler remains at the head of the trainers' premiership with 35 victories. Rubylot's win continued a remarkable resurgence for Hayes, who could only manage 13th in the 2022-23 premiership as he struggled to halt an exodus of gallopers from his stable. 'It was a pretty good crop of PPGs [previously unraced horses] to come out of Lindsay Park – him and Ka Ying [Rising] in the same year,' said Hayes. Ariel pounces for Britney Wong! 🙌 Our apprentice bags a 10th win in Hong Kong as championship-leading trainer David Hayes moves to 34 wins this term... #LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) March 2, 2025 'One's a staying version and one's a speed version. I'm hoping [Rubylot] can do what most of the Classic Series horses that win [do] the next year and that's compete in the upper-class races.' Rubylot's victory completed a roller-coaster afternoon for owners the Hong Kong Football Club Horse Racing Syndicate after Decrelot finished last for Hayes two races earlier. 'I think this is their best horse. They've had an up-and-down day – true ownership – their other horse ran last. I think they're pretty happy with the one that won,' said Hayes. Elsewhere in the Classic Cup, Johannes Brahms finished third, favourite Packing Angel was fourth, Noisy Boy faded into 13th after going too fast in the lead and Mickley ran last.
