Latest news with #Rubylot
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Hong Kong Racing Insights: 2025 Champions & Chater Cup
Hong Kong's Group 1 racing season ends at Sha Tin on Sunday, May 25, with the G1 Champions & Chater Cup going approximately 1 1/2 miles on the turf. It will be part of the World Pool, like nearly all major international races, enabling customers from 25 participating jurisdictions to wager into large, stable betting pools. Win, Place, Quinella, Quinella Place, Exacta, Trifecta, Quartet, Trio, First 4, Double, Pick 3, Double Trio, Triple Trio and Six Up bet types will be available for the whole race card, check with your favorite tote operator for details. Click here to learn more about World Pool. The top international starter appears to be seven-year-old Dubai Honour from William Haggas' barn. He has been all over the world – four times to Hong Kong already - and won the G1 Tancred Stakes at this distance as recently as April 1 at Rosehill in Australia while carrying 130 pounds. The son of Pride of Dubai can handle any ground and will be ridden by Tom Marquand. His international rating is 118. Advertisement Last year's Champions & Chater Cup was won by the globetrotting Rebel's Romance, winner of the 2022 and 2024 G1 Breeders' Cup Turf, but it has been dominated by local horses before that. Defending the home team will be Voyage Bubble, four-time Group 1 stakes winner at Sha Tin and the highest rated runner in the field at 120. The issue for Voyage Bubble is he has never contested the 1 ½-mile distance since three of his Group 1 stakes wins came at a mile and his last came in the G1 Hong Kong Gold Cup going approximately 1 1/4 miles. But, having won the G1 Stewards' Cup and the G1 Hong Kong Gold Cup, this is Voyage Bubble's chance to sweep the Triple Crown and join River Verdon as the only horse to do so. And, there is a HK$10 million bonus if he wins all three races. Voyage Bubble winning the second leg of the Triple Crown Series, G1 Hong Kong Gold Cup on Feb. 23HKJC photo David Hayes is high on Rubylot's chances after winning the Hong Kong Classic Cup for 4-year-olds then a hard-charging fifth in the Hong Kong Derby. A troubled sixth, only beaten three lengths by two Japanese superstars in the G1 QE II Cup, has given Hayes optimism that he can handle the added distance. Unfortunately, he will not be getting weight from his higher-rated rivals. Rubylot winning the Hong Kong Classic Cup on March 2HKJC photo Five G Patch is only rated 113 at the moment and will also not get any breaks in the weight-for-age event. However, he was second in last year's renewal and third the year before so the distance seems to wake him up no matter how strong the competition is. He might not be a candidate for the win but at long odds, Five G Patch is worth using underneath in vertical wagers. Advertisement The added distance of 1 1/2 miles will conduct a tour of Sha Tin's expansive turf course. While it should be a test of stamina, it provides lower-rated horses the opportunity to take some chances since their rider already has confidence in their ability to see out the distance. Unlike most of the races in Hong Kong where the assigned weight is what brings the horses together, in the case of the Champions & Chater Cup, it is the added distance that does. Dubai Honour has been traveling all over the world. Voyage Bubble's is trying to sweep the Triple Crown at a distance he has never contested. Despite their class edge, they might be vulnerable to others that should make it really difficult and a fun race to watch and wager on.
South China Morning Post
19-05-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
David Hayes hopes for a Champions & Chater upset with Rubylot against ‘horse to beat' Dubai Honour
Trainer praying for some rain to help his Classic Cup (1,800m) winner measure up at the elite level Dubai Honour is the 'horse to beat' in Sunday's Group One Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2,400m) but David Hayes is relishing the chance to try and cause an upset with Classic Cup (1,800m) winner Rubylot. Rubylot ran sixth in the first leg of the Classic Series, the Classic Mile, before defying $14 odds to come from nearly last to first to mow down My Wish and win the Classic Cup. The four-year-old ran another stormer when finishing strongly into fifth in the BMW Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) and was last seen finishing an unlucky sixth in the Group One FWD QE II Cup (2,000m) on Champions Day. Rubylot was shuffled to the back of the field after an inside trip and his rider Hugh Bowman had to take the daring route between horses, copping a sizeable bump before lashing home. Rubylot mows them down in the Hong Kong Classic Cup at Sha Tin! My Wish is brave in defeat as @brentonavdulla and David Hayes combine for victory... 🏆#4YOSeries | #LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) March 2, 2025 Hayes reports Rubylot is in flying form in the mornings as he prepares to watch the Rubick galloper have his final piece of work. 'We're up at Conghua for his final piece of work on Tuesday before Sunday's big day,' said Hayes. 'He's working like a horse that's really peaking and not going off. 'He's by Rubick so some people would say he wouldn't run a mile and a half, but if you look at the dam's side, it's a very dour European type. 'With luck, I think he could have easily placed in the QE II Cup and that's the elite level. Hugh [Bowman] is very confident he can run a placing and be competitive with the locals.' The race has been billed as a clash between the Triple Crown-seeking Voyage Bubble and top-class foreign raider Dubai Honour, with the rest of the runners making up a supporting cast. Voyage Bubble will bid to become just the second Hong Kong Triple Crown winner on Sunday after wins in the Group One Stewards' Cup (1,600m) and the Group One Hong Kong Gold Cup (2,000m), but like a vast majority of the locals he has stamina to prove on his first try at the trip. No such reservations are held for William Haggas' Dubai Honour, who is a two-time Group One winner at the 2,400m distance, most recently when flashing home to collect the Group One Tancred Stakes at Rosehill (2,400m). He is proven at Sha Tin by virtue of his narrow second in the Group One Hong Kong Vase (2,400m) back in December and Hayes is under no illusions about who is the horse to beat. A fourth Group 1 for Dubai Honour! 🏆@TomMarquand's mount protected his 100% record in Australia earlier this morning, seeing off Duke De Sessa to land the Tancred Stakes for @WilliamHaggas... — At The Races (@AtTheRaces) April 1, 2025 'Dubai Honour is the horse to beat, he's got nothing to prove compared to the local horses,' said Hayes. 'People have billed it as a clash between him and Voyage Bubble and I do see it that way as well. 'If there's a horse that can cause an upset, maybe that's us, but realistically I'd be over the moon to run in the first three. I have incredible respect for Voyage Bubble. 'I haven't looked at Voyage Bubble's pedigree but he's very good at 2,000m – if it rains then Rubylot will love it and it will make things very interesting.'
South China Morning Post
12-04-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
David Hayes reveals why he set Rubylot for QE II Cup instead of Champions Mile
Rubylot storms home down the outside to win the Classic Cup. Photos: Kenneth Chan Rubylot's Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) campaign and a slightly unlucky run in the city's most prestigious race convinced David Hayes to plot a path towards the Group One QE II Cup (2,000m) on April 27. The Australian Hall of Fame trainer was tossing up whether to drop Rubylot back to the 1,600m of the Group One Champions Mile or pit him against world-class opposition, headlined by French star Goliath and Japan's Liberty Island and Prognosis, in the QE II Cup. A brilliant winner of the second leg of the four-year-old series, the Classic Cup (1,800m), Rubylot was a beaten favourite when fifth to Cap Ferrat in last month's Derby but had an excuse when he was bumped by Noisy Boy several times. 'I think because he had been prepared for a Derby, we might as well try him against the best 2,000m horses,' Hayes said. 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 'If he measures up, great. But if he doesn't measure up, he'll be kept for shorter distances.' Hayes made another crucial call when opting to start Rubylot in Sunday's Class One Healthy Community Handicap (1,400m), rather than trial him at Sha Tin on Tuesday. That decision paves the way for an audacious bid to drop back in trip three weeks after the Derby, before jumping back up to 10 furlongs two weeks later. 'We just thought rather than trial against Voyage Bubble for no money and he loves it wet – there's a little bit of rain around – why not give him a warm-up race in this?' Hayes said. 'He's won three races at 1,400m. I think he's freshened up well and he'll run a good race. 'Coming back from 2,000m in three weeks is never easy, but I gave him a bit of sprint work at the start of the week and he responded well. 'It might be a bit short but he'll run really well. In the Derby he was bumped the whole way – he kept getting bumped, not interfered with but just put off. I think if we just get him in a rhythm and save him for one late run, he'll fly home.' With Rubylot dropping down towards the bottom of the weights with 119 pounds, lightweight jockey Karis Teetan has picked up the plum ride from the gelding's regular rider Brenton Avdulla, who teams up with top weight Beauty Joy. Dropping back from Group races for the first time since 2023, the Tony Cruz-trained Beauty Joy rarely visits the winners' enclosure but also consistently performs above expectations, including a third behind Voyage Bubble in the Group One Hong Kong Mile in December. The strongest race on Sunday's card also includes last year's Group One Chairman's Sprint Prize (1,200m) victor Invincible Sage, Group Three winners Patch Of Theta, Mugen and Taj Dragon, as well as Drombeg Banner, Mr Ascendency and Classic Mile runner-up Divano. Sitting second on the trainers' championship with 41 wins this term, Hayes will also be represented by Ka Ying Resilience, Falcon Court, Honest Witness, Positive Smile, Night Purosangue and Ariel on Sunday. Honest Witness looks capable of improving second up in the Class Four JC Campsite Reimagination Project Handicap (1,200m) after a solid debut fourth to Super Strong Kid down the 1,000m straight. Zac Purton hops aboard the Written By three-year-old on Sunday.
South China Morning Post
24-03-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
David Hayes may make Champions Mile a family affair with beaten Hong Kong Derby favourite Rubylot
David Hayes may set beaten BMW Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) favourite Rubylot for a showdown with Mr Brightside, who is trained by his sons Ben, Will and JD, in next month's Group One Champions Mile at Sha Tin. Sent off a warm $2.9 favourite for Sunday's feature, Rubylot travelled one off the rail just forward of midfield before hitting the line solidly enough for fifth under Brenton Avdulla, a length and three-quarters behind the victorious Cap Ferrat. 'It was an OK run,' said Hayes. 'He had Noisy Boy lay on him the whole way. He bumped into him several times and he just didn't get into his normal, relaxed rhythm. 'Avdulla surprised me by saying that he thought if he didn't get that he would have gone very close.' 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 Rubylot holds entries for the Champions Mile and the Group One QE II Cup (2,000m) on April 27's Champions Day, with Hayes mulling his options for his Classic Cup (1,800m) victor. Nine-time Group One winner Mr Brightside, who is expected to fly to Hong Kong on April 14, and leading local miler Voyage Bubble will await Rubylot should Hayes opt to run him at 1,600m. 'I think we'll head towards Champions Day. I'll just see how he is in the next week. I'll study what the races are going to come up like – whether I go the mile or the 2,000m is up in the air,' said Hayes, who is itching to see Mr Brightside finally make it to Hong Kong after a couple of false starts. 'Mr Brightside is booked and it'll be great to have him up here. It looks a nice race for him.' Hayes looks to have a mortgage on the third Champions Day feature, the Group One Chairman's Sprint Prize (1,200m), with gun sprinter Ka Ying Rising. Perfect tune-up for Ka Ying Rising! 😏 The world's best sprinter is first across the line this morning at Sha Tin in his trial ahead of the likes of Sword Point, Helios Express and co. 🔥@zpurton | #LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) March 21, 2025 Widely considered the best sprinter in the world, Ka Ying Rising tuned up for this Sunday's Group Two Sprint Cup (1,200m) with a trial victory last Friday. 'His trial was really good – he went around untested,' Hayes said of his three-time Group One winner. 'He will do some work Wednesday and all is looking good.' Zac Purton was aboard Ka Ying Rising for last week's trial and will return from injury to partner the four-year-old in this weekend's Sprint Cup, before turning his attention to feature success in Australia after picking up the ride aboard the Chris Waller-trained Moira for the Group One Doncaster Mile at Randwick in Sydney on April 5. While Purton will miss Wednesday night's all-dirt fixture at Sha Tin, Hayes will saddle up seven runners and he likes the chances of Solid Shalaa, who races for the first time since April last year in the Class Four Kestrel Handicap (1,200m). 'I think Solid Shalaa should go pretty close first up. He looks ready to win,' said Hayes. 'He's been off the scene a long time but he seems to have come back very well. 'He hurt his leg coming back from a tendon tear, but he's trialled very well.'
South China Morning Post
22-03-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong Football Club Horse Racing Syndicate ready to take the ‘lot' in Hong Kong Derby
Believed to be the first syndicate ever registered with the Jockey Club, the Hong Kong Football Club Horse Racing Syndicate has its sights on the pinnacle of ownership in the city in this Sunday's BMW Hong Kong Derby (2,000m). Fresh off victory in the Classic Cup (1,800m), the syndicate's finest-ever find, Rubylot, enters the Derby as favourite for trainer David Hayes and jockey Brenton Avdulla. 'We've been racing horses now for 40 years and this is by far the best we've ever had. I've been in the syndicate for 30 years myself and we've some good horses over the years, but this one is a bit special,' said Philip Nunn, the syndicate's treasurer and manager. 'We've had some good horses but a lot of it is luck. We're not big spenders but David Hayes has been very good for us. He sources our horses for us and he's reliable. Rubylot mows them down in the Hong Kong Classic Cup at Sha Tin! My Wish is brave in defeat as @brentonavdulla and David Hayes combine for victory... 🏆#4YOSeries | #LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) March 2, 2025 'I think that's the important thing – you have to have someone you can trust to get the right horses for you. We're really thankful to David for choosing Rubylot for us.' Currently featuring 12 members, the syndicate has had a string of horses over the years, most with 'lot' in their names. 'Anyone can join but we're generally Football Club members and Jockey Club members,' said Nunn. 'I think I'm right in saying we were the very first syndicate to be registered by the Jockey Club. 'We just have lots of fun. It's a good social group. We never expected to have a horse quite so good as Rubylot. 'In the old days you used to draw out a horse. You didn't buy your own horse, you entered into a ballot and then you drew out a number and you got that horse. 'The very first horse we ever had was called My Lot and he won several races. He was a really good horse, so we thought 'lot' was a good name for all our horses. 'We always try to link the 'lot' with the name of the sire or the dam. That's been our tradition over the years.' With six wins from 18 starts, including three victories this season, the group's dashing son of Rubick enters the Derby as the only galloper with a triple-figure rating on a mark of 100. A victory from Rubylot would mark a second Derby success for Hayes, who prevailed in 2003 with Elegant Fashion, and a first for Avdulla. 'He begins, switches off and he's got a change-up speed, so he's got three brilliant things going for him,' Avdulla said of Rubylot. 'It will be interesting to see how he handles the 2,000m. I think he will. 'He's a lovely moving horse and the way he finished in the Classic Cup should hold him in good stead for the 2,000m.' As Avdulla carefully positions Rubylot out of gate four from the tricky Sha Tin 2,000m start, those in the Hong Kong Football Club Horse Racing Syndicate will be watching intently from the box of Jockey Club steward Nicholas Hunsworth. 'He's one of the syndicate's main players so we'll be in his box, fortunately,' said Nunn, who did his bit for the cause by revealing barrier four at Thursday's draw – a gate Hayes described as perfect.
