05-03-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Irish jockey Declan McDonogh lands first Hong Kong win on Nice Birdie at Happy Valley
Irish jockey Declan McDonogh was over the moon to 'tick another one off' when he bagged his first Hong Kong victory at Happy Valley on Wednesday night.
Riding in Hong Kong on a six-week stint as injury cover, the 45-year-old lifted Danny Shum Chap-shing's Nice Birdie to a thrilling win in the Class Five Kwoon Chung Motors Handicap (2,200m).
Ireland's champion flat jockey in 2006, McDonogh jumped at the chance to ride in the city after the riding ranks were hit by four jockeys suffering injuries in two separate falls at Sha Tin on February 9.
'It's a pleasure to tick another one off the box and have my first winner in Hong Kong, so I'm chuffed about that,' said McDonogh, who has ridden throughout Europe as well as in Australia, Japan, Singapore and Macau.
First Hong Kong win for @declanmcdonogh! 🇨🇮
The Irishman guides Hong Kong International Sale graduate Nice Birdie to a second 2200m success at Happy Valley... @AtTheRaces #HappyWednesday | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) March 5, 2025
'It's totally different to Europe, but that's what it's all about – to take the key learnings you can from all the jurisdictions that you ride in and that's important to me. I've learned a lot so far and hopefully I'll learn even more.
'All the jockeys are sharp and everything happens a lot quicker here. You have to be on the ball and I've certainly learnt that the last few meetings.
'It's a pleasure to be asked by the Jockey Club to come here and also to represent Irish racing as well. It's great for Irish racing to be here against the Aussies and the Ryan Moores.'
McDonogh took advantage of Nice Birdie's inside draw to be perfectly placed on the back of leader and $2.6 favourite, California Moxie, before coming off the fence on the home turn.
The $14.65 chance hit the front at the 200m and scrambled in by a short head from the fast-finishing Super Hong Kong to record his third triumph at start 34.
'I had a lovely run around. I never had to spend a penny and the horse was genuine in the finish,' McDonogh said.
While he said his current stint through to April 2 was his main focus, McDonogh said he would be open to extending his stay in Hong Kong if the opportunity arose.
Elsewhere on the Valley card, champion British jockey Ryan Moore finished his three-meeting stint with a double aboard John Size's duo Golden Rise and Beauty Alliance.
'I'm very grateful to come here and for all the support I've had,' Moore said.
'I've had a few disappointments but that's Hong Kong. I'm thankful for the support I've had here and hopefully I can come back soon. It's always great to come here and it's been a good trip.'
Size's brace helped him snatch the trainers' championship lead back from David Hayes. They share the lead on 36 wins, with Size holding the ascendancy with more seconds.
One of the four jockeys injured last month, Angus Chung Yik-lai, broke through for his first success since returning from a fractured facial bone when he guided Jimmy Ting Koon-ho's Harmony N Home to victory in the Class Four Intercontinental Limousine Handicap (1,200m).
'It reminded me of how to win a race because the first meeting back [last Sunday], I was still a bit nervous and had some memories of the accident,' Chung said.
'Hopefully I can keep this feeling from tonight and keep on going.'
Harry Bentley and Hugh Bowman matched Moore's double, with the former saluting on Mark Newnham's Excellence Value and the Hayes-trained Romantic Son, while the latter won on Manfred Man Ka-leung's Dragon Four Seas and the Caspar Fownes-trained Sky Vino.
Spicy Gold capped a training double for Newnham with victory under Alexis Badel.
