Latest news with #PingHaiComet
South China Morning Post
3 days ago
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
David Hayes desperate to keep fading trainers' championship hopes alive at Sha Tin on Saturday
For David Hayes, the equation is simple if he is to keep his faint hopes of a late charge at the trainers' championship alive. 'I need to be training more winners than John [Size] at the next few meetings to have a sneak of a chance,' said Hayes, who trails Size by eight wins with only nine meetings left this season. 'It's highly unlikely but I haven't given up, for all that I'm a realist. If he equals me or worse on Saturday, I'll hoist the white flag.' A two-time champion Hong Kong trainer, Hayes cut Size's double-digit lead to as little as four wins last month before the latter struck back to regain breathing space. After the Australian handlers came up empty at Happy Valley on Wednesday night, they turn their attention to Sha Tin on Saturday with 26 runners between them. David Hayes has a double! ✌️ Solid Shalaa makes it consecutive wins with @elliswong05 at Sha Tin, prevailing in the Members Cup over Packing Bole... 🏆#LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) May 18, 2025 Dirt specialist Solid Shalaa, who bids for a hat-trick of victories in the Class Three HKU Jockey Club Student Villages Handicap (1,200m), and the in-form World Hero are among Hayes' leading chances, while hat-trick seeker Ping Hai Comet shapes as one of Size's best contenders. The prospect of a wet track – with heavy rain forecast on Saturday – threatens to throw a spanner in the works, but Hayes said it won't be an issue for Solid Shalaa. 'He loves the dirt and if all this rain does come, he loves wet dirt as well,' Hayes said. 'I expect him to be one of the favourites and justifiably so – he's on the upgrade.' Returning from almost a year out of racing because of multiple leg injuries, Solid Shalaa followed a first-up second with a pair of fast-finishing victories on dirt under in-form apprentice Ellis Wong Chi-wang. Wong will have to produce another top ride on the Shalaa gelding, who has drawn wide in barrier 10. Rising Force, an outstanding debut winner and unlucky second last start for Ricky Yiu Poon-fai, Mr Energia and Packing Bole look to be his main dangers. World Hero, who has made all in two of his past three starts, must also overcome a wide gate in 14 in the Class Four Hong Kong University Alumni Association Challenge Cup (1,400m). 'He's in great form – he had a class rise and he did get a beautiful ride to win the other day,' Hayes said. 'He gives himself every chance by putting himself on the pace and should run well again.' Hayes will also be represented by Tomodachi Kokoroe and Harmony N Blessed in Saturday's feature, the Class Two HKU Business School And Faculty Of Engineering Handicap (1,200m). 'They are two warhorses for the stable,' said Hayes of the pair, who dead-heated for third behind Kaholo Angel at Happy Valley last start. 'They are at their marks at this stage of their careers but I'd expect them both to get prize money. You never know, if they get the right runs, they're more than capable of winning, though it's a tough class for them. 'I'd lean towards Harmony N Blessed if the going gets soft, but I'd be favouring Tomadachi Kokoroe if it isn't.' Size boasts three of the 11 runners in the race – Wunderbar, who can improve from a last-start eighth in what was his first run in four months, the consistent Raging Blizzard and Must Go, who is better known as a dirt horse. Dashing Maurison, Field Marshal, Sight Happy, Star Brose, Youth Power, Star Mac, Ariel and Supreme Mastermind are Hayes' other runners.
New Paper
5 days ago
- Sport
- New Paper
Eustace thriving, rings up 30th win
HONG KONG - David Eustace added further lustre to a burgeoning Hong Kong debut season when emerging talent Light Years Charm won the HK$2.84 million (S$466,000) Class 2 Lee On Handicap (1,400m) at Sha Tin on June 8, presenting the young trainer with his 30th winner of the campaign. By Rubick, Light Years Charm gave Eustace his first Class 2 triumph, collected a PP (Private Purchase) Bonus of HK$1.5 million and a prizemoney of HK$1.59 million, after Zac Purton patiently piloted the four-year-old to his third win from eight starts. Sold in Australia at the 2022 HTBA May Yearling Sale for A$3,750 (S$3,100), Light Years Charm took his Hong Kong earnings to HK$7.6 million. He had transferred from Brett Dodson's stables as the winner of a maiden race over 1,410m at Lismore, New South Wales in June 2024. Slowly away, Light Years Charm ($8) was allowed to settle and build momentum at the tail. Purton then angled the gelding to the outside of the eight-horse field, clocking 44.58sec for the final 800m and 22.37sec for the last 400m. "It was a perfect ride. The horse actually did jump better than he normally does, but he got squeezed at the start. Zac took his time and assessed the pace up front and the horse lengthened really well," said Eustace. "He'll definitely appreciate a break and I hope he'll get better next season. He's doing nothing wrong at the moment. He's obviously going to have to continue to improve, but hopefully he can. "It's hard to know what the ceiling is. He's only four and he's a big, raw horse. It would be wrong for me to put targets on his back. We'll see how far he gets." With 30 wins from 303 starters in Hong Kong, Eustace - who hit the ground running on Oct 1, 2024 - has made a strong impact in his first season. "Happy with how it's gone so far. They've raced well and consistently, and the team at home are doing a great job. We'll try and round the season out well," said the 32-year-old handler. With a double on June 8, Purton stretched his lead in the jockeys' championship to 52 with 118 wins for the term, well clear of Hugh Bowman, who is on 66. The seven-time Hong Kong champion jockey praised Light Years Charm after the win. "It was a really good effort. He actually didn't begin that bad, but the runner on the inside and the runner on the outside both shifted ground, so that put him on the back foot, but I just left him alone," he said. John Size edged closer to a record-extending 13th trainers' championship with a double, stretching his lead over David Hayes to eight, with 62 wins to 54 and 10 meetings left in the season. Size's Ping Hai Comet ($24) surged away in the HK$1.17 million Class 4 Lam Tin Handicap (1,600m) under Purton. Brenton Avdulla then scored on Majestic Express ($29) in the HK$1.86 million Class 3 On Yam Handicap (1,000m), earning a PP Bonus of HK$1.5 million. Antoine Hamelin notched his eighth winner of the season, striking on the Caspar Fownes-trained Sky Prophet ($96) in the HK$875,000 Class 5 Chung On Handicap (1,400m). "It's nice to get a winner today - it's hot, but it's less hot when you win," said the Frenchman. "I think the horse was in good form and didn't deserve to be at such long odds. I believed in him, I thought he was a chance, the only concern was the draw (barrier 13). "But he had a good start. He led, controlled the race and held that to the line." Britney Wong's reunion with Cheval Valiant ($36) led to victory in the HK$1.17 million Class 4 Lai On Handicap (1,000m) for Douglas Whyte and gave the 10lb-claiming apprentice a double. "He was my first win (in Hong Kong on Sept 22, 2024) and I know him very well," said Wong. "Thank you to Mr Whyte for putting me back on because I have to chase this ride. I'm happy that everything's gone well today and I've had another win. I'm very happy." Ruby Sailing ($26) landed the HK$875,000 Class 5 Chak On Handicap (1,200m) under Wong to give Manfred Man a winner across each of the past seven meetings. Wong, 26, has ridden nine of her 18 winners this season for Man. The Chris So-trained Perfectday ($60) pounced late to snare the HK$1.17 million Class 4 Kwong Tin Handicap (1,200m) under Keagan De Melo. The latter made perfect use of barrier one to sit third behind Wonderstar and Lunar Dash before striking at the post for a short-head win. HKJC
