Latest news with #LionRockTrophy
New Paper
2 days ago
- Sport
- New Paper
Mo lands first Group success with Pray For Mir in Lion Rock Trophy
HONG KONG - Cody Mo celebrated a breakthrough at Sha Tin on May 31, as lightweight chance Pray For Mir gave the Hong Kong trainer his first Group success in the HK$4.2 million (S$690,000) Group 3 Lion Rock Trophy Handicap (1,600m). Following the 47-year-old's record of 20 wins in his first campaign in 2023/24, Mo - who boasts a 68-horse stable of fresh talent and seasoned gallopers - has excelled in 2024/25 with 38 successes. "This is one of my targets for the season. Now, a dream has come true. I'm so happy - thanks to all my staff and the owners for their support," said Mo. Mo, who previously worked with legendary jockey-turned-trainer Tony Cruz, started his journey with the Hong Kong Jockey Club in 1994 as a work rider. He gained experience with David Ferraris and Benno Yung and, while with Cruz, he campaigned champion gallopers Silent Witness and Bullish Luck successfully abroad. One of three four-year-olds in the Lion Rock Trophy, Pray For Mir (Matthew Chadwick) quickly found the front from barrier 8 to make the running while Red Lion (Hugh Bowman) and Chancheng Glory (Luke Ferraris) settled behind the leader. Turning for home, Pray For Mir ($44) maintained his front spot as Chancheng Glory levelled up with him. Chadwick called on his mount at the 250m mark and Pray For Mir extended to win by ½ length over Chancheng Glory. Group 1 winner Beauty Eternal (James Orman) finished third. The winning time was 1min 33.83sec for the 1,600m on the turf. "He's (Pray For Mir) always been very honest, he just gets beat, unfortunately. The weight really helped today," said Chadwick. "He was left alone and he relaxed really well and when the other one (Chancheng Glory) put it to him, he just kept fighting and his quality just shone through." Consistent all season with one win and five placings, the son of Justify enhanced his earnings to HK$9.43 million from 15 starts in Hong Kong after arriving as a two-time winner from Sunshine Coast, Australia. "Today, Chadwick controlled the pace very well and the horse carried a light weight. At the end of the season, all the horses were maybe a bit tired and I kept him a bit fresh," said Mo. "He is a very honest horse. You can see he has so many seconds and only loses by a little bit. "We (Mo and Chadwick) have very good communication. This season, I have really been supporting local jockeys and I'm happy that we could win a Group 3 together." Mo and Chadwick have combined for 10 wins in 2024/25. The duo worked closely when Chadwick was apprenticed to Cruz, during which Mo worked as his work rider and assistant trainer. "We go way back when we were both training in Tony's stable and we've come through the ranks together, and it's great to be part of this with him," said Mo. Thriving in the absence of the world's best sprinter Ka Ying Rising, Helios Express was rewarded for a season of remarkable consistency with deserved victory in the other feature race, the HK$4.2 million Group 3 Sha Tin Vase Handicap (1,200m). After finishing second five times and third twice to Ka Ying Rising in seven starts this campaign, Helios Express ($10) - ridden by Bowman - scrambled to a short-head victory over Invincible Sage, with Patch Of Theta 1¾ lengths away in third. Winning trainer John Size has also edged closer to a 13th Hong Kong trainers' championship at Sha Tin after wrapping up the day with a double. The Australian handler took his 2024/25 tally to 60, with a seven-win buffer over compatriot David Hayes (53) with 12 meetings left in the season. Besides Helios Express, Size also struck with Masterofmyuniverse ($7) as the talented gelding made it two successive wins with a slender victory in the HK$1.86 million Class 3 Tai Wai Handicap (1,200m). Ridden by Zac Purton, Masterofmyuniverse speared through a narrow gap before denying Infinite Resolve by a nose to claim his fourth win in nine starts. HKJC
South China Morning Post
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Pray For Mir leads them a merry dance to win Lion Rock Trophy for delighted Cody Mo
Matthew Chadwick and Pray For Mir (left) grit it out to win at Sha Tin. Photos: Kenneth Chan Cody Mo Wai-kit continued his impressive season with his biggest career success at Sha Tin on Saturday, with Pray For Mir toughing it out from the front to win the Group Three Lion Rock Trophy (1,600m). It was a well-executed game plan by jockey Matthew Chadwick, who pointed the Justify galloper straight to the lead from barrier eight ahead of the stalking pair of Red Lion and Chancheng Glory. Chadwick was still travelling best of all as the field turned in, but he was immediately confronted by Chancheng Glory, who levelled up and looked set to go on by at the 200m pole. But Pray For Mir refused to be denied and was roused by Chadwick to go on again, edging clear late for gritty half-length success. They can't get past Pray For Mir! 💪 Cody Mo celebrates a first Group race win as his Justify 4YO leads throughout with @mattLchadwixk to capture the G3 Lion Rock Trophy at Sha Tin... #LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) May 31, 2025 On ratings it was an unlikely triumph, with the pair 17lb out of the handicap, but it was ultimately attitude that won the day – and Mo his first Group race. 'This is one of my targets for the season, now a dream has come true. I'm so happy – thanks to all my staff and the owners for their support,' he said. 'This horse is a very honest horse, you can see he has so many seconds and only loses by a little bit. 'Today Chadwick controlled the pace very well and the horse carried a light weight. At the end of the season, all the horses were maybe a bit tired and I kept him a bit fresh. '[Matthew and I] have very good communication. This season I have been really supporting local jockeys and I'm happy together we could win a Group Three.' Mo called his first season of training last campaign 'acceptable' after a haul of 20 winners, but the 47-year-old is already on the 38-winner mark for this campaign. The win was a meaningful one for Chadwick, who has had a long association with Mo dating back to their time working together in Tony Cruz's stable. The 34-year-old moves onto 31 winners for the season and home-grown talent was quick to return Mo's praise. 'He's always been very honest, he just gets beat, unfortunately. The weight really helped today,' said Chadwick. 'He was left alone and he relaxed really well and when [Chancheng Glory] put it to him, he just kept fighting and his quality just shone through. '[Cody and I] go way back when we were both training in Tony's stable and we've come through the ranks together and it's great to be part of this with him.' It was a race where it ultimately paid to be close to the speed, with the front two always in those positions in the run. Beauty Eternal enjoyed a midfield trip and stuck on well to finish third, while Sunlight Power was the only horse to make ground from the rear to finish fourth. The bitter disappointment of the race was undoubtedly the $3.7 favourite Johannes Brahms, who did not travel into the straight with his usual zest and he checked out quickly at the 200m pole to finish seventh. That was one position behind the top weight Red Lion, who was unable to follow up his Group One Champions Mile win from Champions Day, finishing sixth after lumping 135lb.
South China Morning Post
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Sunlight Power ready to parlay ‘storming run' into maiden Group success
Sunlight Power (left) runs third in last month's Group One Champions Mile. Photo: Kenneth Chan He's coming off the best run of his career but Ricky Yiu Poon-fai remains confident Sunlight Power has even more to give in Saturday's Group Three Lion Rock Trophy (1,600m) at Sha Tin. A half-length third behind Red Lion in last month's Group One Champions Mile, with superstar Voyage Bubble splitting the pair, Sunlight Power looks as well placed as anything in this Saturday's mile feature. There is obviously no Voyage Bubble to contend with this weekend after he put a full stop on his season with an emphatic victory in the Group One Champions & Chater Cup (2,400m) last Sunday, while the return to handicap conditions suits Sunlight Power down to the ground. He gets 11lbs from Red Lion compared to their Champions Mile meeting at level weights, while he is also better placed against the four other local gallopers he beat home in the Champions Mile and will meet again on Saturday – Happy Together, Beauty Joy, Chancheng Glory and Beauty Eternal. RED LION ROARS! 🦁 It's an 89/1 shocker in the FWD Champions Mile at Sha Tin for @HugeBowman and John Size as Red Lion lands his first Group 1 over Voyage Bubble... #FWDChampionsDay | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) April 27, 2025 'That was a storming run,' Yiu said of Sunlight Power's third in his first Group One appearance. 'It was very encouraging last start to finish third in a Group One. He's only lightly raced so of course he should still be improving. He's not old but he's getting more experienced these days.' Five-year-old Sunlight Power has been up to Conghua since the Champions Mile, with his stay including a solid trial fourth behind Mugen over 1,200m on turf. 'This horse has done well, he loves Conghua very much and he's had a good break in between runs. This Group Three looks ideal for him,' said Yiu of Sunlight Power, who has won six of his 24 starts. 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. 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 Divano, Encountered, Johannes Brahms, Ka Ying Generation and Pray For Mir round out Sunlight Power's opponents in a contest in which he will carry 124lbs. While it was Christophe Soumillon doing the steering in the Champions Mile and Jerry Chau Chun-lok was aboard for the Group Two lead-up race in late March, it is Harry Bentley who will reunite with Sunlight Power this weekend. Bentley will look to improve his record of two wins and two seconds from five starts aboard Sunlight Power, with the British jockey tasked with negotiating barrier seven in the 11-horse field. Beauty Joy and Beauty Eternal are chasing their second successes in the Lion Rock Trophy, while Lucky Sweynesse is looking to back up his 2023 triumph in the afternoon's other feature, the Group Three Sha Tin Vase (1,200m). Winning machine! Lucky Sweynesse equals Beauty Generation's record eight wins in a single season, taking the G3 Sha Tin Vase with ease... @zpurton the man in the saddle for both! 👑 #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) June 4, 2023 Sixth in the Group One Chairman's Sprint Prize (1,200m) in his first run back from a lengthy injury-induced absence, Lucky Sweynesse must lump top weight of 135lbs and will be ridden by Derek Leung Ka-chun for the first time. 'Slowly, he has been getting better and better. He's not young any more. After one year off, he's had one run and after that run he's shown improvement,' said Leung, who replaces James McDonald in the saddle. 'When I galloped him, he's very smart – he knows what to do. After the winning post, he just switched off by himself. He's very consistent.'
