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South China Morning Post
31-03-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
The Hong Kong Racing Postscript: who's hot, who's not and the best of March
Jockey Andrea Atzeni celebrates his win on Lifeline Express with trainer John Size and connections. Photos: Kenneth Chan Another Hong Kong Derby was run and won, several jockeys continued to capitalise on Zac Purton's absence and a master trainer's surge at the top of the championship continued in what was a busy March. The Post analyses the jockeys and trainers who had a month to remember or one to forget, as well as the most outstanding victory and winning ride. Who's hot? Andrea Atzeni was the big riser in the jockeys' championship in March, booting home 10 winners from 51 rides at a superb strike rate of 19.6 per cent to charge into third in the standings. The Italian rider missed two meetings early in the month through suspension but returned with doubles at three consecutive meetings, before adding another brace on the dirt last week on his 34th birthday. Birthday double! ✌️ Celebrating his 34th birthday, @Atzenijockey moves to 35 wins this term with a brace tonight at Sha Tin as John Size's Must Go claims a fourth dirt course victory... #LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) March 26, 2025 Hugh Bowman maintained his healthy break from the pack in second place in the championship, adding nine winners from 64 rides at a 14 per cent strike rate. From a trainer's perspective, John Size reigned supreme once again with an incredible 13 winners from 74 starters at a strike rate of 17.5 per cent. The 12-time champion Hong Kong handler started March one win behind title leader David Hayes, but now leads his fellow Australian by six. Ricky Yiu Poon-fai was next best with seven wins, including Sunday's Group Two Chairman's Trophy (1,600m) with Straight Arron, to leap from fifth to third in the championship standings. Owner Karen Lo Ki-yan also deserves a mention here – on back-to-back Sundays to end March, she won the Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) with Cap Ferrat and the Chairman's Trophy with Straight Arron. Who's not March was no kinder than the previous month to Jerry Chau Chun-lok, who is carrying a winless streak of 71 rides after failing to hit the board again. The young jockey had to settle for second six times in March, suggesting a drought-breaking success is not far away. Karis Teetan ended his own big drought of 50 winless rides when he broke through on Ace Power at the Valley, but that was his only success of the month. The Mauritian can count himself unlucky to not have notched more wins after racking up an astonishing 23 placings for the month. In contrast to Size and Yiu's successful months, veteran handler Tony Cruz battled with just one victory – California Star on the dirt last week. Cruz had plenty of placings, including seven seconds, so he wasn't far off a better return. Michael Chang Chi-wang also managed just one win in March. Win of the month The first race of March produced arguably the best debut winner of the season so far, with Justifying backing up his sizzling trial form to romp home down the straight. After jumping quickly from barrier four to cross to the outside rail in front, the Caspar Fownes-trained gelding surged clear once Luke Ferraris asked him for an effort en route to a brilliant victory by three and three-quarter lengths. Smashed 'em! 🔥 Justify gelding Justifying wins comfortably on debut at Sha Tin with @LukeFerraris and Caspar Fownes... #LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) March 2, 2025 The son of Justify's win was just as impressive on the clock, running more than a second inside standard time when clocking 55.67 seconds over the 1,000m. It has also proven to be a handy form race, with runner-up Super Strong Kid and third-placed Jumbo Treasure notching strong triumphs at their subsequent starts. Ride of the month Angus Chung Yik-lai deserves a lot of credit for California Star's miraculous triumph last week. The reigning Tony Cruz Award winner took the $20 shot back to last and he was unbalanced when the maiden galloper laid into the inside rail near the 750m. That's incredible, California Star! 😳 Tony Cruz's galloper makes an almighty run from last position on the fence with @angusylchung to grab a first win at Sha Tin... #LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) March 26, 2025 Chung saved ground along the rail early in the straight before coming off the inside to make his way through the field. He then had to switch back towards the inside to spear California Star through a tight gap between two rivals passing the 100m, finding room to launch a late run to score by half a length. Bowman's winning mid-race move on M Unicorn at the Valley and James McDonald's pearler aboard Fast Network at the start of the month were also outstanding rides.
Yahoo
17-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New Zealand's 'everyone must go' tourism campaign mocked by locals heading for the exit
A New Zealand government tourism campaign titled 'Everyone Must Go' is drawing derision and mockery from residents who have criticized it as tone deaf, especially at a time when New Zealanders themselves are leaving the country in droves. In an announcement on Sunday, officials said they were spending 500,000 New Zealand dollars ($287,000) on the campaign, which is aimed at visitors from neighboring Australia, New Zealand's biggest tourism market. Like many countries, New Zealand has struggled to restore its tourism industry since the Covid-19 pandemic, and the number of visitors from Australia is still at 88% of 2019 levels. 'What this Tourism New Zealand campaign says to our Aussie mates is that we're open for business, there are some great deals on, and we'd love to see you soon,' Tourism Minister Louise Upston said in a news release. Critics disagreed, saying the slogan sounded like New Zealand was advertising a clearance sale. Others said it invited bathroom jokes. 'I think 'Everyone Must Go' might refer to the need for toilets in some of our high-tourist spots. I mean, the queues are ridiculous,' Cushla Tangaere-Manuel, tourism spokesperson for the opposition Labour Party, told New Zealand news outlet RNZ. Upston did not respond to an emailed request for comment. The campaign comes as record numbers of New Zealanders are leaving the country of 5 million, driven in part by concerns about high living costs and lack of job opportunities. Last year, the country had a net migration loss of 47,100 New Zealand citizens, Stats NZ said Monday. More than half of those migrants went to Australia, where they can live and work visa-free under a reciprocal arrangement. There were 3.3 million visitor arrivals in New Zealand last year, Stats NZ said separately on Monday, up 12% from 2023. Australia, the United States and China were the biggest sources of visitors, with the 370,000 U.S. arrivals representing a record for a calendar year. Tourism was New Zealand's biggest export earner before the pandemic, and the conservative government has looked to it as one way to boost the economy. Last month, officials said they were easing visa rules to allow digital nomads to work in New Zealand while visiting on holiday, in the hope that they would spend more time there. Opposition lawmakers say that while they would welcome more tourists, they worry about the impact on the environment and whether the country's tourism infrastructure can support them. 'We've had the digital nomad announcement, now we've got this — and the attitude of anyone, anytime, anywhere, is concerning,' Tangaere-Manuel said. In an effort to address those concerns, last year the New Zealand government nearly tripled the entry fee for international tourists to 100 New Zealand dollars ($62.20) from 35 dollars. Australians are exempted from paying the levy, the proceeds from which are funding the same campaign for their tourist dollars that has sparked the controversy. Social media users skeptical of the 'Everyone Must Go' slogan pointed out another possible use for it. 'Worth us tucking away to use at the next election,' read one comment on the social media platform X. This article was originally published on
