Latest news with #Horsepower
South China Morning Post
02-06-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
In-form sprinter Colourful King set to relish extra distance at Happy Valley
David Eustace believes the step up in distance could be the key to Colourful King's chances in the Class Two Wan Chai Gap Handicap (1,200m) at Happy Valley on Wednesday night. The Blue Point gelding has stuck to the minimum 1,000m trip in four Hong Kong starts, building on a promising Sha Tin debut with a pair of city circuit wins. He quickened up smartly in a pair of Class Three races, winning the latter Hong Kong China Rugby Club Handicap by an impressive two lengths. After travelling well in midfield, Colourful King sprinted powerfully to mow down the long-time leader Youthful Spirits and was going away at the line. Big win, Colourful King! 🚀@EustaceRacing's talented sprinter explodes to consecutive victories under @Atzenijockey in the Hong Kong China Rugby Cup at Happy Valley... 🏆#HappyWednesday | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) April 9, 2025 That would suggest Wednesday's extra 200m would be ideal, despite Eustace have reservations about it previously. 'I think the distance will be fine – we probably wouldn't have said that a couple of starts back, but I thought his last run showed he would appreciate it and his trial was similar,' said Eustace. Colourful King will take on the likes of last-start winners Horsepower, Kaholo Angel, Stellar Express and Harmony N Blessed in a fiercely competitive feature contest to round off the card. The three-year-old won two 1,000m races pre-import and Eustace thinks the best is yet to come ahead of his fifth local start. 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. Colourful King wins a barrier trial at Sha Tin last month. 'He's relaxing better all the time and has a good draw [barrier four], but it's a tough race. He's trained on well so I'm hopeful,' Eustace said. Eustace has seven chances on the Valley programme, with his other big chance being Midori Fuji in the Class Four Shouson Hill Handicap (1,650m). He is yet to salute in eight local starts but has gone agonizingly close at the course and distance in his past two starts, losing out by a short head on both occasions. Eustace also has high hopes for Saturday's impressive Class Four Tin Sam Handicap (1,400m) winner Dazzling Fit, who doubled his career tally in style at Sha Tin. The son of Ribchester was settled in midfield by Luke Ferraris, sauntering into contention as the field turned into the home straight. It briefly looked as though the pair were running into traffic problems, but Ferraris angled out at the 400m and when he asked for maximum effort, the response was immediate with a sharp turn of foot carrying Dazzling Fit to the front 150m from home. While he still looks green, Dazzling Fit has plenty of scope for further improvement and Eustace believes he will be a horse to watch as a four-year-old – though he may not be done racing this season. 'It was good to see him do it again, he was carrying weight in a Class Four as a three-year so it was a good effort,' said Eustace. 'He put them away nicely and has pulled up great. I'm not honestly sure if he will run again this season – I'm leaning that way and he's come through that race as well as he could have done. 'I hope he's an exciting one for next season.' Eustace – who was Australia's leading trainer in partnership with Ciaron Maher in 2022-23 – has enjoyed a successful first season of training in Hong Kong with 29 winners.
South China Morning Post
20-05-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Frankie Lor leans on Zac Purton again as Savvy Twinkle looks to break his duck at Happy Valley
Frankie Lor and Zac Purton after Horsepower's winner at Happy Valley in October. Photos: Kenneth Chan Trainer and champion jockey bid to add to haul of 15 winners from 41 runners when teaming up this season Frankie Lor Fu-chuen is confident he can continue his strong partnership with champion jockey Zac Purton when Savvy Twinkle lines up in the Class Four Sports Club Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup (1,000m) at Happy Valley on Wednesday night. The Capitalist gelding is yet to win in five career starts, but posted his best effort yet when second to the in-form Super Sixty at the track and distance of Wednesday night's race last month. Savvy Twinkle was rousted early by Alexis Badel and snaked his way to the rail to lead after 300m, before only being collared in the final 100m after a game rally. That experience will stand him in great stead and despite facing a wide draw in barrier nine, Lor is confident of a big run from the four-year-old. Super Sixty rallies up the inside! Apprentice @elliswong05 guides the chestnut to a second win at Happy Valley for Caspar Fownes... 👏#HappyWednesday | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) April 23, 2025 'Last time he went well, it's the same distance but last time he was drawn a bit better,' said Lor. 'The pace will be fast, so we'll have to see after he jumps. 'The form looks good and I think there is more to come from him. Hopefully this time Zac can help me.' Lor has enjoyed a fruitful partnership with Purton this season, with the pair teaming for 15 winners from 41 total runners for a very healthy 37 per cent strike rate. 'It's always a positive to have Zac on board – when I ask him he'll pick the right one, so that's why he has 15 winners for me,' said Lor. Acappella Nova races on-speed under Ange Jones and goes on with the job for @tonygollan 🏇@BrisRacingClub — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) October 16, 2024 The 59-year-old trainer also has fascinating Australian import The Red Hare running in the Class Three Wyndham Handicap (1,200m) under jockey Derek Leung Ka-chun. The son of Sebring Sun – known as Acappella Nova pre-import – was beaten on debut in Australia but won his subsequent two starts, scoring over 1,200m at Eagle Farm and 1,350m at Doomben. The Red Hare ran well to finish third in a recent barrier trial at the Valley, racing greenly but always under a tight hold. And Lor is hoping for a big run from him on his local debut, though the draw in stall nine could have again been kinder. 'He's a little bit nervous in the mornings but when he starts cantering he's very quiet,' said Lor. 'He needs to learn a bit more but when I've trialled him, he's been good. 'I think he's OK off a rating of 67, but the draw is a bit unfortunate because stall nine is a bit wider than I'd want. 'I have put the earmuffs on him because he's a bit nervous and I think that will help him. He's got a good chance if overcoming his draw.' Lor has bounced back from a slow start to the campaign, which saw him go winless in the first month of the season until Master Trillion broke the drought on October 6. With 42 winners, he sits just two behind third-placed Ricky Yiu Poon-fai and is not too far off the pace overall, with 14 separating him from title leader John Size.
South China Morning Post
16-02-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Exciting duo Magnifique and Horsepower maintain unbeaten records at Sha Tin
David Hall and Frankie Lor Fu-chuen have plenty of reasons to be excited about the future after Magnifique and Horsepower extended their perfect records at Sha Tin on Sunday. Fresh from a strong debut victory down the straight last month, Hall's Magnifique handled the rise to 1,200m with ease under Brenton Avdulla in the first section of the Class Four Daisy Handicap. Lor's Horsepower joined Magnifique with a two-from-two record, returning from a mishap before the start of his scheduled second run in November to score down the 1,000m straight in the Class Three Osmanthus Handicap. Magnifique's unblemished record includes three wins from as many trials and Hall is bullish about the Charm Spirit three-year-old's future in Hong Kong. 'He's still learning his craft, but he's definitely got the potential there,' the veteran handler said after Magnifique cruised to victory by a length and a half. 'Obviously they're all still learning in their second start and he was still a little bit keen mid-race. 'Brenton sat there a little bit longer because he knew was sort of overworking a little bit, but when they came to him he said he was just waiting for them. He found what he had to and he's probably got a little bit more there, I would hope.' After doing some early work to cross from gate 11 and stalk pacesetter Everyone's Gallop, Magnifique surged to the lead despite being kept under a strong hold by Avdulla. When the Australian rider let him loose, Magnifique sprinted powerfully to comfortably account for Lucky Symphony and Dragon Four Seas. Hall is confident Magnifique, who also overcame top weight of 135 pounds on Sunday, will handle the rise to Class Three level on his next start. He was the first leg of a running double for Avdulla, who won the following race on the John Size-trained Magnificent Nine. Avdulla's afternoon was soured when he was suspended for one meeting for careless riding aboard beaten Size-trained favourite Bundle Award in the last race. Horsepower's victory was a reward for the patience of Lor and the owners, headlined by Jockey Club chairman Michael Lee Tze-hau, after he was scratched just moments before a Happy Valley race when he was found to be lame. 'Last time behind the gates, Zac Purton scratched the horse so we needed to find out what's going on,' Lor said. 'The next day we checked the horse, we did the bone scan for him, but we couldn't see anything. Then we went back to work and he started [favouring] his left front a little bit. The vet helped a lot to make sure which part had a problem. 'His fetlock had a little bit of a problem so they just medicated his fetlock and he was sound. In the morning he is too strong, he is really hard to control and he needs to relax more.' Horsepower stormed home from near last to salute on his first Sha Tin start, beating Aurora Patch by three-quarters of a length under Matthew Chadwick. Purton had booted home the son of Harry Angel at the Valley in October.
