Latest news with #MyWish
South China Morning Post
01-05-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Noisy Boy out to enhance Hong Kong Derby form in big day for four-year-old crop at Sha Tin
Noisy Boy (outside) gets up for a Class Two success under Andrea Atzeni. Photos: Kenneth Chan More than a quarter of this year's Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) field line up this Sunday Noisy Boy is out to enhance March's Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) form and bounce back to his best in the Group Three Queen Mother Memorial Cup (2,400m) at Sha Tin on Sunday. Dennis Yip Chor-hong's four-year-old failed to beat a rival in March's Derby, unable to follow up impressive wins in a Class Three over 2,200m and a 2,000m Class Two – both at Sha Tin. The form of his Class Two victory has been well advertised, cosily beating the likes of Winning Dragon, Stunning Peach, Packing Angel, Mickley and Bravehearts. Noisy Boy reopposes Winning Dragon and Bravehearts in the HK$4.2 million feature and will hope to show something like his best as he looks to become another four-year-old to show he can be a force next campaign. He will also take on Bundle Award, who was seventh in the Derby after making up plenty of late ground and will make plenty of appeal to punters with Zac Purton up for the first time. Completing the field are Winning Dragon's Tony Cruz-trained stablemates Five G Patch and La City Blanche as they prepare for the Group One Champions & Chater (2,400m) later this month. The Derby form was heavily scrutinised on last Sunday's Champions Day, with the winner Cap Ferrat running a big race when fifth in the Group One QE II Cup (2,200m) behind the likes of Japanese superstars Tastiera and Prognosis. Rubylot, who finished a running-on fifth in the Derby, also ran with huge amounts of credit to fill out sixth in the same race. HISTORY AT SHA TIN! 👏👏@CWilliamsJockey wins the 148th @BMW Hong Kong Derby aboard Cap Ferrat for trainer Francis Lui over a fast-closing My Wish... #4YOSeries | #LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) March 23, 2025 Perhaps the best performance from a Derby runner came from My Wish in the Group One Champions Mile, who ran on gamely to finish fourth behind Red Lion, Voyage Bubble and Sunlight Power. Mark Newnham's rising star will not be seen again this season but will be targeted at both December's Group One Hong Kong Mile in December and the Champions Mile once again. Mickley and Steps Ahead will also bid to step forward from their Derby runs this Sunday as they drop back in distance for the Class Two Hillwood Handicap (1,600m). Steps Ahead only had My Wish behind him in the run in the Derby and he did not have the best of passages when trying to burrow up the rail. Despite that, he only finished half a length behind Mickley and trainer Francis Lui Kin-wai will be hopeful those placings can be reversed. A winner at Royal Ascot when trained by Edward Bethell in the UK, Mickley had a good midfield trip in the Derby but lacked a finishing kick in a race that was run at a bit of a crawl. Trainer John Size has called up Purton for the ride and it could be another big day for the Aussie, who rides in 10 of the 11 races and also has the plum ride on Bundle Award in the feature. Currently on 102 winners for the season, he is a whopping 46 ahead of the second-placed Hugh Bowman in the standings.
South China Morning Post
29-04-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Mark Newnham ‘proud' of My Wish as he maps out ambitious Group One campaign next season
Mark Newnham is ready for an exciting next campaign with My Wish (pink cap). Photos: Kenneth Chan My Wish is off for a well-earned rest but his trainer Mark Newnham is confident he has a bona fide Group One horse on his hands for next season. His four-year-old started the season winning off a rating of just 54 but has soared to incredible heights since that 1,200m success at Sha Tin. His crowning glory came back in January, when he was given a peach of a ride by Luke Ferraris to win the Hong Kong Classic mile ahead of a stacked field. My Wish ran two mighty seconds in the next two legs of the four-year-old Classic Series, bumping into a charging Rubylot in the Hong Kong Classic Cup (1,800m) before a desperately unlucky run in the Hong Kong Derby (2,000m). Classy as! 👏 My Wish staves off challengers to capture the first #4YOSeries leg - the HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Mile - with @LukeFerraris for Mark Newnham... #LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) January 31, 2025 He was forced to come from last and had to spin nearly eight-wide into the straight to make his challenge, thundering down the outside and recording the fastest final 400m sectional over 2,000m in Sha Tin history in the process. He confirmed his status as one to watch for next season when running a huge race behind Red Lion, Voyage Bubble and Sunlight Power in the Group One FWD Champions Mile and Newnham is looking ahead to some big targets. 'I thought he did us proud, like he did all season,' said Newnham. 'He's been very consistent horse right from the start of it. That'll do him this campaign, but he gives us every indication we can aim high next time around. 'He led all the way over 1,200m at the first meeting of the year, so he's done a really good job. Next season, hopefully we can aim for the [Hong Kong Mile] and then the Champions Mile again.' In the immediate future, Newnham is looking forward to the chances of Mission Strike, who has Zac Purton on for the first time in the Class Four Korea Racing Authority Trophy (1,800m). Mission Strike was always outpaced on debut at Sha Tin over 1,400m, but showed improved form over the 1,800m at Happy Valley, finishing third and a flashing-home second when given a mountain to climb from last off the turn. He took a small backwards step at Sha Tin last time, but Newnham is confident he has found the key to unlocking the best from his three-year-old. 'He was reluctant to come between horses and finish the race off last time,' said Newnham. 'He's going in the blinkers this time and his two runs over the 1,800m at Happy Valley before his last run at Sha Tin were good – I think it's a good race for him, especially back at Happy Valley. 'He seems to have reacted to the blinkers and hopefully it gives him a bit more confidence. He's only a young horse with limited experience, so it's understandable that he's still learning his craft. 'He's got enough talent to be winning races and he just needs a bit of help to get there. His slow starts have forced us into racing quieter early on. 'He drew well the other day and was closer – he didn't finish off the race like we hoped but I think that was more because of his reluctance to come between horses.'
South China Morning Post
21-04-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Young gun Luke Ferraris excited to test My Wish in strong Champions Mile
In the midst of a career-best season, young gun Luke Ferraris is excited to test four-year-old My Wish against quality opposition in Sunday's Group One Champions Mile at Sha Tin. The youngest jockey currently on Hong Kong's roster, 23-year-old Ferraris hopes to carry his momentum from an outstanding campaign into the city's second biggest meeting of the year. Ferraris' victory on Bright Inheritance at Sha Tin on Sunday boosted his haul of winners this term to 36, surpassing his previous best of 35 in 2022-23 with 24 meetings still to come. The South African will bid to upstage the likes of Hong Kong star Voyage Bubble and nine-time Australian Group One victor, Mr Brightside, when he rides My Wish in the Champions Mile. Classy as! 👏 My Wish staves off challengers to capture the first #4YOSeries leg - the HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Mile - with @LukeFerraris for Mark Newnham... #LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) January 31, 2025 He also rides consistent sprinter Lucky With You in his latest clash with superstar Ka Ying Rising in the Group One Chairman's Sprint Prize (1,200m). A revelation this campaign with four wins and as many placings, the Mark Newnham-trained My Wish was the star of the recent four-year-old series with victory in the Classic Mile and seconds in the Classic Cup (1,800m) and Hong Kong Derby (2,000m). 'It's nice to have a horse like that to look forward to,' Ferraris said of the pint-sized My Wish. 'It's been an amazing journey so far, just with his progression from when he first came into the yard to where he is now. I don't think anyone in the stable would have believed you if you told them he'd be where he is today when he first stepped out on the track. It's been an amazing team effort – credit to Mark and his team.' My Wish drops back to 1,600m after a mesmerising Derby run, storming home from last after jumping from gate 14 to fall narrowly short of gunning down Cap Ferrat. The son of Flying Artie recorded the fastest final 400m over 2,000m at Sha Tin since sectional timing was introduced in 2008 when only beaten a short head. 'He reeled off an insanely quick time in the Derby,' Ferraris said. 'The barrier was just costly, but he seems to have come through it well. His work leading up to it has been good, his trial was nice and he came through that well. It's going to be a good test.' HISTORY AT SHA TIN! 👏👏@CWilliamsJockey wins the 148th @BMW Hong Kong Derby aboard Cap Ferrat for trainer Francis Lui over a fast-closing My Wish... #4YOSeries | #LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) March 23, 2025 Ferraris is hoping for a draw between one and six after My Wish has jumped from eight or wider in his past six starts. 'I think it will be interesting with the barriers – that's going to play a big part,' the rider said. 'My Wish has got gate speed but we don't want to burn too much energy early on. The mile's probably his comfort zone at the moment. It's obviously a really tough race, but I'll be hoping for a decent barrier.' Ferraris has built a successful partnership with Lucky With You in his three rides on Frankie Lor Fu-chuen's seven-year-old, guiding him to back-to-back Class One victories before a solid third to Ka Ying Rising in the Group Two Sprint Cup (1,200m) last start. 'Lucky With You is just a soldier. He'll be running into the money,' said Ferraris, who will ride on Champions Day for the first time since 2022. As for the rest of the season, Ferraris plans to take it one meeting at a time rather than setting any specific goals. 'You can set those goals but then get frustrated at yourself when things aren't going your way, so I'm just looking to get the best out of each horse at each meeting,' said Ferraris, who sits fifth in the jockeys' championship. 'I've been doing that this season and it seems to be working, so we'll just continue with it. I think if I can keep the momentum rolling through, it should work out quite nicely. 'The support's been a lot better and more consistent and it's been good to capitalise on that.'
South China Morning Post
09-04-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Goliath, Mr Brightside and a plethora of Japanese stars headline overseas assault on Champions Day
French gun Goliath and a superstar Japanese trio headline a seven-strong overseas attack on the Group One QE II Cup (2,000m) at Sha Tin after the Jockey Club confirmed the expected fields for the three FWD Champions Day features at Sha Tin on April 27. Reigning Group One King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2,392m) winner Goliath will race at Sha Tin for the first time, while Prognosis, Liberty Island and Tastiera will jet in from the Land of the Rising Sun looking to go one better than past runner-up performances in the city. Travelling warhorse Dubai Honour will represent Great Britain in the HK$28 million QE II Cup, while star Kiwi El Vencedor and Bahrain's Calif round out the raiding party. Last month's BMW Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) winner, Cap Ferrat, and fellow Classic Series star Rubylot headline a local team also featuring Straight Arron, Ensued, Five G Patch, Moments In Time and La City Blanche. There will also be a strong international flavour in the Group One Chairman's Sprint Prize (1,200m) and the Group One Champions Mile, with Australian superstar Mr Brightside joined by fellow Australian Royal Patronage, Japan's Gaia Force, Great Britain's Lake Forest and Bahrain's Goemon in setting their sights on local star Voyage Bubble in the 1,600m feature. Group One winner Beauty Eternal is also among the Hong Kong contingent for the Champions Mile, as is Classic Mile winner My Wish, Galaxy Patch, Beauty Joy, Chancheng Glory, Happy Together and Red Lion. Japanese quartet Satono Reve, Lugal, Danon McKinley and A Shin Fencer make up the bulk of the overseas attack on superstar local sprinter Ka Ying Rising. Joining Ka Ying Rising in bidding to keep the bulk of the HK$22 million Chairman's Sprint Prize bounty on home soil are the returning Lucky Sweynesse, California Spangle, Helios Express, Victor The Winner, Invincible Sage, Lucky With You, Copartner Prance and Magic Control. In all, 20 individual Group One winners will vie for a share in HK$74 million in prize money across the three Champions Day features. 'FWD Champions Day is one of the most pre-eminent fixtures on world racing's calendar. We are delighted to have world-class representation from overseas and Hong Kong at our spring flagship meeting,' said Jockey Club executive director of racing Andrew Harding. 'With 16 visitors from around the world, including Mr Brightside and Goliath, the might of Hong Kong's team will be tested across the three Group One features. 'From Hong Kong's perspective we can't wait to see Ka Ying Rising step out. David Hayes' exceptional sprinter has won his last 11 races, and adds an increasing layer of excitement this year, while Voyage Bubble has emerged and officially stamped his claim as our premier miler and middle-distance galloper – especially in Romantic Warrior's absence in 2025. 'As well, our exciting four-year-olds – My Wish, Rubylot and Cap Ferrat – take on established stars in the FWD Champions Mile and FWD QE II Cup. FWD Champions Day is firmly established as one of world's premier racing events and this year promises to be no exception.'
South China Morning Post
23-03-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Mark Newnham left to rue what might have been with ‘brave' Hong Kong Derby runner-up My Wish
My Wish (right) falls narrowly short of Cap Ferrat (left) in Sunday's Hong Kong Derby (2,000m). Photos: Kenneth Chan Mark Newnham was left to rue what might have been after he and jockey Luke Ferraris went within a short head of orchestrating a brilliant BMW Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) victory with My Wish at Sha Tin on Sunday. After being lumped with the outside gate of 14, Newnham and Ferraris hatched a plan to take second favourite My Wish – who has done most of his racing on or near the speed – back to last. In a race run at a crawl from the 1,600m to the 800m before they rattled home, Ferraris unleashed My Wish in the home straight but the Classic Mile winner fell just short of winner Cap Ferrat despite steaming home with a final 400m of 21.39 seconds. 'Very brave. He's been the best four-year-old through the series,' said Newnham after My Wish added a Derby second to his runner-up finish in the Classic Cup (1,800m) earlier this month. HISTORY AT SHA TIN! 👏👏@CWilliamsJockey wins the 148th @BMW Hong Kong Derby aboard Cap Ferrat for trainer Francis Lui over a fast-closing My Wish... #4YOSeries | #LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) March 23, 2025 'On Thursday, we probably knew our fate but to run so close, it's disappointing. We came up with a plan of where to ride him and how to ride him. All that went to script except we got beaten a short head. 'We needed to do something from gate 14. It was no good going out there just hoping to get a spot. I thought our best chance was just to get him to relax, conserve energy and use his sprint. 'He did all those things and Luke did all the right things, we just didn't quite win. 'The winner – gate two, third on the fence, didn't come round a horse. That's the way it fell today but in the future we've got a very good horse.' My Wish holds an entry for the Group One Champions Mile at the end of next month, but Newnham isn't yet sure where his stable star will head next. 'He's a very good horse, there's no doubt about that. In all his starts, he's never run badly,' said the Australian handler. 'He's missed a place once and that was his first start at 1,000m. I think there's still improvement to come in him next year, so there's a very good future for him. 'He didn't quite get the job done today but I'm sure his turn will come.' Moreira bags brace While a third Derby victory narrowly eluded him, Joao Moreira had a fruitful afternoon at Sha Tin all the same, landing a double with victories aboard Packing Hermod and Master Trillion. Moreira may have thought he was poised to add to his Derby victories aboard Rapper Dragon (2017) and Sky Darci (2021) when Packing Angel travelled strongly into the race from midfield, but the Francis Lui Kin-wai-trained galloper couldn't quite go on with it and had to settle for a neck third. 'He ran terrific. He travelled a little bit strong – if he relaxed a little bit more the result could have been different, but that was a huge run,' said Moreira. It was a different story for stablemate Packing Hermod, who stepped back in trip for the Class Two Rapper Dragon Handicap (1,400m) after running in the first two legs of the Classic Series. Packing Hermod equals the 1400m Sha Tin track record with a slick 1m 19.92s! Joao Moreira does the riding for Francis Lui at Sha Tin... 🚀@cavaleiro83 | #4YOSeries | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) March 23, 2025 Sent off a $2.05 favourite, Packing Hermod closed strongly from a midfield position to defeat Young Champion by three-quarters of a length and stay perfect in two runs under Moreira. On a day featuring quick times across the card, Packing Hermod stopped the clock in 1:19.92 to equal Encouraging's 1,400m Sha Tin track record. Moreira was one of three big-name jockeys to jet into Hong Kong and bag a brace, with Craig Williams successful aboard Cap Ferrat in the Derby and Endeared, while Ryan Moore saluted aboard Super Express and Invincible Shield. The victory of debutant Super Express in the Class Four Luger Handicap (1,400m) was the first of a double for John Size, who also delivered with Endeared. Fownes and Hamelin break through Trainer Caspar Fownes and French jockey Antoine Hamelin teamed up for their first winner at their 35th attempt as Sky Deep broke his maiden at start six in the Class Four Sky Darci Handicap (1,400m). After consecutive seconds, including last start under Hamelin when he lost his way in the straight and hit the running rail, Sky Deep fended off Harold Win late to grab an overdue success. Three wins from his last nine rides! 🙌 An in-form @AntoineHamelin gets Sky Deep home in the Sky Darci Handicap - a contest named in honour of the 2021 @BMW Hong Kong Derby hero, who also raced for the Kwan family... 💛💚#4YOSeries | #LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) March 23, 2025 'You've got to give people a chance. It's hard in Hong Kong, but he's done nothing wrong on this horse,' Fownes said of Hamelin, who has ridden three winners from his last nine rides to move to five victories for the season. 'The horse is quite immature and has his own mind a little bit. We're trying to teach him the right way. 'It's good for Antoine. It's his first winner for me and I think this horse has a chance to win again. 'I think next season this horse will be a different horse. He'll really understand what his job is and he could be quite nice.'
