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South China Morning Post
10-07-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Massive Sovereign set for his return: ‘I'm looking forward to getting him there'
Trainer David Eustace and jockey Zac Purton will team up with Massive Sovereign at Sha Tin. Photos: Kenneth Chan Massive Sovereign 'hasn't missed a beat in his training' and David Eustace is looking forward to getting him back to competitive racing in Sunday's Class One Hong Kong Racehorse Owners Association Trophy (1,600m) at Sha Tin. Winner of the 2024 Hong Kong Derby (2,000m), the Irish import has only been seen three times since, beaten in a pair of Group Ones to end his 2023-24 campaign when trained by Dennis Yip Chor-hong. He made his final start for the Yip stable when sixth in the Group Three Sa Sa Ladies' Purse (1,800m) in November, missing his next intended target, December's Group One Hong Kong Cup (2,000m), due to a fetlock injury that required surgery. Massive Sovereign was subsequently switched to the Eustace stable and will be ridden by Zac Purton from gate nine on his comeback. EPIC! 🤯🤯🤯 Massive Sovereign lands a thrilling 147th Hong Kong Derby at Sha Tin for @zpurton and Dennis Yip! @BMW | #4YOSeries | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) March 24, 2024 Although a springboard for other targets, Eustace is looking forward to seeing what his top recruit can do on the track this weekend. 'It's good to get him to the races. We've taken our time and naturally he's going to improve for the run, but his trials have been good. He's fit and well,' said Eustace. 'He's obviously not 100 per cent fit but he's fit enough to run and I think it will really benefit him having a run before the season finishes instead of having a really extended break and going back to the track. 'I'm looking forward to him getting there. He hasn't missed a beat in his training. It's a very tough race – it's come up a really good race, which you've got to expect. I think the mile is a good kick-off point for him.' HK Racing News Get updates direct to your inbox Sign up Best Bets Racing News By registering you agree to our T&Cs & Privacy Policy Error: Please enter a valid email. The email address is already in use. Please login to subscribe. Error, please try again later. THANK YOU You are one the list. Massive Sovereign (yellow) wins a trial in desperate conditions at Sha Tin last month. Sunday's feature will be fiercely contested, with recent Group Three Premier Plate (1,800m) winner Beauty Joy heading the weights for trainer Tony Cruz. The third from that race, Bundle Award, helps form a three-strong team from the John Size stable that also includes Beauty Eternal and Young Champion, while Chancheng Glory, Happy Together and Patch Of Theta also feature prominently. Elsewhere on Sunday, Eustace has the hat-trick-seeking Mister Dapper entered in the Class Three Sight Winner Handicap (1,600m). The Tivaci galloper streaked away with a course and distance handicap two starts ago and repeated the feat in the Class Four Topaz Handicap (1,600m) last month. Travelling fourth into the straight, he showed a smart turn of foot to flash on past the leaders before holding off challenges from Fortune Boy and Pearl Of Pang's in the closing stages. Both of those horses won their next starts, which gives the form a very positive look, but he will need to up his game as he rises in class from barrier two. 'He's three weeks between runs and he seems to go really well fresh off four or five weeks, but this race was there and he's going really well,' said Eustace. 'He's in great form and he's obviously going to drop in weight, but he's going to need to step up.' The chief danger in the race is the Size-trained Mickley, who ran a screamer to finish second to Eustace's rising star Light Years Charm in the Class Two Hong Kong Reunification Cup (1,400m) this month. Mickley drops in class despite that near miss and has drawn well in stall four as he looks for his second win since being imported from the United Kingdom.


South China Morning Post
08-07-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Hugh Bowman eyes best Hong Kong season before a freshen up, and maybe some rides, in Europe
A 'delighted' Hugh Bowman is itching to head off to Europe for a break and maybe even a few race rides, but first he's keen to better his Hong Kong personal best of 69 wins in a season. The star Australian sits on 68 victories with three meetings to go in the 2024-25 campaign and he has six chances to add to his tally at Happy Valley on Wednesday night. 'I'm delighted – it's been a pretty consistent year for me,' said the jockey. 'It's been a good, consistent flow of winners with the exception of being a little bit quiet through the November-December period and a little bit quiet through June. 'It's been an improvement on last year, but bearing in mind that last year I was injured for a period of time and I did struggle with careless riding suspensions. I've had a few this year but it hasn't been quite to the same extent as last year. 'That's an area I'd like to improve on again next season. I set a goal to ride 100 winners. I think that might have been a little bit ambitious, actually – I won't do that again – but I do think I can do better than I've done this year.' Bowman rates Enjoy Golf in the first section of the Class Four Garden Handicap (1,200m) and Prince Alex in the Class Four Green Handicap (1,650m) among his better hopes at the midweek meeting. Enjoy Golf makes all for an impressive first win as @HugeBowman collects a race-to-race double at Sha Tin... ✌️ #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) June 8, 2024 'Enjoy Golf has been a good horse to me although he's only won one race. I think I've had four seconds on him, which is always a bit concerning,' said Bowman. 'But his only go at Happy Valley was at 1,650m, which is too far, so he's an interesting runner and he's got to be a chance. And Prince Alex freshened up, a long time between runs from gate one – they're probably the chances, those two.' While Bowman is counting down the days until his flight out of Hong Kong, he admits he'll likely get itchy feet at some stage during the off-season and potentially look to do some riding while travelling. 'I can't wait to get away. It's been a long year for everyone but in saying that, I feel like I'm finishing the year full of enthusiasm,' he said. 'For me, two months [off] is a bit too long, but it is what it is. We'll have a break, freshen up and come back and hit the ground running. If the opportunity arises, I'll look to ride in Europe, whether in the UK or possibly France.'


South China Morning Post
07-07-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Ka Ying Rising to return home after The Everest: ‘He's avoiding big-money temptation'
Ka Ying Rising will spend most of next season at home in Hong Kong. Photos: Kenneth Chan The world's best sprinter Ka Ying Rising will return straight home to Hong Kong after his tilt in the Group One The Everest (1,200m) with his owner keen to show his commitment to Hong Kong racing. On a winning run of 12 races which includes four Group Ones, the David Hayes-trained superstar was imperious last season - rising up to a rating of 132 from 111. He dismantled his sprinting rivals by going faultless in the Hong Kong Speed Series, winning the Group One Centenary Sprint Cup (1,200m) and Group One Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup (1,400m) before crowning his season with a devastating win in the Group One Chairman's Sprint Prize (1,200m). His success in the Chairman's Sprint Prize was boosted by the second Satono Reve finishing runner-up in the Group One Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (1,200m) at Royal Ascot and Ka Ying Rising himself is getting ready to go international with a trip to Australia. HE DOES IT AGAIN! 🚀 Ka Ying Rising makes it 12 straight wins, four Group 1s and a HK$5 million Speed Series bonus with victory in the 2025 Chairman's Sprint Prize... @zpurton #FWDChampionsDay | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) April 27, 2025 He will line up in the Hong Kong Jockey Club's slot for the A$20 million (HK$102 million) Group One The Everest (1,200m) on October 18, but his connections have resisted the temptation to go for further riches abroad. Hayes had considered running Ka Ying Rising in the Group One Champions Sprint (1,200m) at Flemington or the Russell Balding Stakes (1,300m) at Rosehill - with Rosehill race boasting a A$1 million bonus to the Everest winner - but connections have decided to prioritize the sprinters Group One Hong Kong Sprint (1,200m) preparation. 'It's been decided that we'll give Ka Ying Rising one run in The Everest, and then the owner is keen to concentrate on Hong Kong,' said Hayes. 'He's avoiding the temptation of the big money in Australia. He's decided win, lose or draw, to come back after the race. HK Racing News Get updates direct to your inbox Sign up Best Bets Racing News By registering you agree to our T&Cs & Privacy Policy Error: Please enter a valid email. The email address is already in use. Please login to subscribe. Error, please try again later. THANK YOU You are one the list. 'It's nice to have it locked in so we can plan. The owners really committed to Hong Kong racing and the Hong Kong Jockey Club have been so helpful with the slot that he wants to do the right thing by the club.' What a return!? 😳 Star sprinter Ka Ying Rising defies top-weight to land the Class 1 HKSAR Chief Executive's Cup with @zpurton for David Hayes at Sha Tin... 🚀#SeasonOpener | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) September 8, 2024 Ka Ying Rising began his perfect campaign last year by winning off a huge weight of 135lb in the Class One Chief Executive's Cup (1,200m) before going on to collect seven Group races. The same starting point is set to be employed by Hayes before he sets sail for Australia, provided he trials well beforehand. 'I'm pretty confident he'll be running on opening day - if he trials well the week before he'll run in the Chief Executive's Cup,' said Hayes. The 62-year-old sits a clear second in the trainers premiership, seven winners behind leader John Size after a double at Sha Tin on Saturday evening. Trainer David Hayes. Hayes is looking to finish the campaign with a flourish but any hopes of pipping Size were likely extinguished by the luck of the draw, with a lot of his runners reserved out of Wednesday's Happy Valley fixture. That leaves him with just a trio of runners on the third-to-last meeting of the season, but Hayes has remained typically upbeat. 'I've got lots of reserves, I'll have a big hand on Sunday and a very big hand on the final day - it's just the way it fell with the races,' said Hayes. 'It'd be dreaming to think we could win, John has to have a wipe for the last three meetings - I'm very happy to run a clear second.'


South China Morning Post
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong could have a Class Three Champion Griffin for the first time in 14 years
Not since the 75-rated Bear Hero took the gong at the end of the 2010-11 season has a horse on a mark below 80 been crowned Hong Kong racing looks set to have it's lowest-rated Champion Griffin in 14 years after the Jockey Club confirmed the initial nominations on Wednesday. Not since the 75-rated Bear Hero took the gong at the end of the 2010-11 season has a horse still in Class Three won Champion Griffin, but that is likely to change this season. Sky Jewellery and Crossborderpegasus are the nominated gallopers and, with the John Size-trained pair unlikely to race again this season, it looks as though either the former off a mark of 79 or the latter with a 77 rating will join the likes of Ka Ying Rising, Howdeepisyourlove, Lucky Sweynesse, Champion's Way and Mr Stunning on the honour roll. There is scope for additional nominees to be added if they stake their claim across the final four meetings of the season, but it's highly unlikely anything can win their way to a rating of 80 or higher. Crossborderpegasus is a handful! John Size's emerging talent wins for a third time from four starts thanks to some skillful handling from @zpurton at Sha Tin... 👏#LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) May 4, 2025 The Champion Griffin award is open to 'new imports carrying the 'K' brand, which arrived in Hong Kong unraced, and which were aged either two or three on the date of the first Hong Kong race meeting of the 2024-25 season'. To boast the 'K' brand, horses had to arrive in Hong Kong on June 1 last year or later. Another Size-trained galloper, Juneau Pride, actually boasts a higher rating than his stablemates on a mark of 80, but he isn't eligible because he arrived in March last year, even though he didn't race last season and began the campaign as a three-year-old. The highlight of the Jockey Club's Champion Awards night on July 11 will be the culmination of the Horse of the Year battle between Voyage Bubble, Ka Ying Rising and Romantic Warrior, while a swag of other honours will be dished out. Ka Ying Rising is the only galloper nominated for Champion Sprinter, Voyage Bubble and Red Lion will duke it out for Champion Miler, Romantic Warrior and Voyage Bubble are in the running for Champion Middle-Distance Horse, Voyage Bubble has the Champion Stayer category all to himself and Ka Ying Rising, Cap Ferrat, My Wish and Rubylot have been nominated for Champion Four-Year-Old. Manfred is the Man Thanks to his impressive treble at Sha Tin on Tuesday, Manfred Man Ka-leung now boasts the highest strike rate of any trainer this season. By bagging his first three-timer since 2016 and moving to 43 wins from 383 runners this campaign, Man lifted his strike rate to 11.23 per cent and past 12-time champion trainer Size, who is striking at 11.04 per cent. Reunification Raceday wins from We Are Hero, Pearl Of Pang's and Yuen Long Elite continued a strong run of form for Man, who has banged home 16 winners in the past two months. Man, who sits just one win short of his personal-best tally for a season, has eight runners at Sha Tin this Saturday, including the white-hot Patch Of Stars, who shoots for a fourth consecutive victory. While ending the season with the highest strike rate would be a feather in Man's cap, Size is on track for much higher honours and looks well placed to further ram home his advantage in the race for the trainers' title. Eight victories clear of David Hayes with only four meetings remaining, Size saddles up last-start winners Masterofmyuniverse and Szeryng as he looks to seal a record-extending 13th title. While the race for the trainers' title won't mathematically be over for a little while, a couple of unofficial titles will be settled this weekend as the city enjoys its last two dirt races of the term. Unsurprisingly, Zac Purton will prevail on the jockey front, with the suspension of Britney Wong Po-ni preventing the possibility of a late duel. While both riders have eight all-weather wins for the season, Purton has far more seconds and he has rides in both of Saturday's dirt contests. No one else is in contention. Things are much tighter from a trainers' perspective, with Hayes and Frankie Lor Fu-chuen tied on nine wins and Man and Caspar Fownes in striking range on seven winners.


South China Morning Post
01-07-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
James Orman bags first Hong Kong double as Manfred Man snares rare treble
James Orman was left pinching himself after landing his first Hong Kong double at Sha Tin on Tuesday evening. Orman has chipped away since arriving in Hong Kong as injury cover in February, compiling 11 winners from 206 rides to earn himself a contract through to February next year. 'First double – pinching myself really,' said Orman after booting home Wonderstar and Pakistan Legacy. 'It's a good thrill to build a bit of momentum. Hopefully I can keep it rolling.' Congratulations, @JimmyOrman! ✌️ Pakistan Legacy fires the Australian rider to a first Hong Kong double at Sha Tin, toughing out victory in the iconic set of green and white silks over Bundle Of Charm... 🇵🇰#SummerSeries | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) July 1, 2025 Undefeated from two pre-import starts in Australia, Pakistan Legacy broke through in Hong Kong at start six after not going around another horse from barrier one in the Class Three Sportsmanship Handicap (1,200m). Settled in the box seat by Orman, Pakistan Legacy scraped the paint turning for home and found enough late to hold off Bundle Of Charm by a head. 'I thought he was a good chance. He's been running well [and] he had blinkers on. The race didn't really work out how I was expecting [but] he did a good job.' The Chris So Wai-yin-trained Pakistan Legacy was completing Orman's brace after the earlier success of Wonderstar for Me Tsui Yu-sak in the Class Four Serving The Community Handicap (1,200m). HK Racing News Get updates direct to your inbox Sign up Best Bets Racing News By registering you agree to our T&Cs & Privacy Policy Error: Please enter a valid email. The email address is already in use. Please login to subscribe. Error, please try again later. THANK YOU You are one the list. Catch me if you can! Four-time Macau winner Wonderstar is off the mark in Hong Kong for @JimmyOrman and Me Tsui! 💥#SummerSeries | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) July 1, 2025 Victorious at the storied Taipa racecourse on Macau's final day of racing in March last year, Wonderstar was having his 16th start after being transferred to Hong Kong. Urged to lead by Orman, Wonderstar controlled proceedings from the front before galloping his rivals into the ground in the home straight and saluting by a length and a half. The in-form Ellis Wong Chi-wang also notched a milestone, landing his 50th Hong Kong victory with success aboard the Manfred Man Ka-leung-trained We Are Hero in the Class Three Guangdong-Hong Kong Cup (1,000m). We Are Hero was the opening leg of Man's first treble in nearly a decade, with the handler moving to 43 victories for the season and within one of his personal-best tally in a campaign. Close finish! 😱 We Are Hero launches late to land the Guangdong-Hong Kong Cup at Sha Tin, marking a milestone 50 wins in Hong Kong for apprentice @elliswong05... 🍾#SummerSeries | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) July 1, 2025 It all happened in a hurry for Man, too, with We Are Hero saluting in the seventh event before Pearl Of Pang's claimed the Class Four Riding High Together Handicap (1,600m) one race later and Yuen Long Elite bagged the finale, the Class Three Better Future Handicap (1,600m). 'Three winners for me is a big day,' said Man after his first three-timer since 2016. 'I think I can break my record.' Earlier on the card, Luke Ferraris ended a 35-ride run of outs with victory aboard Amazing Galaxy for Jimmy Ting Koon-ho in the Class Four World-Cup Leadership Handicap (1,000m). Shooting star! Amazing Galaxy makes light work of his rivals down the Sha Tin straight with @LukeFerraris up... ☄️#SummerSeries | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) July 1, 2025 'Despite the bad barriers we've been getting, it's good to get on the board,' said Ferraris. 'It's nice to end a dry month and start off July with a winner. I'm really pleased for Jimmy, the horse is in good form and he won with a bit of authority.' Finally, Francis Lui Kin-wai's Meaningful Dragon ensured Six Up and Triple Trio jackpots by claiming the Class Four Continuous Development Handicap (1,400m) at $80.3 under Antoine Hamelin.