Latest news with #ShaTinVase
South China Morning Post
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Helios Express digs deep to nail Invincible Sage in pulsating Sha Tin Vase finish
Helios Express (outside) rockets home to beat Invincible Sage in the Group Three Sha Tin Vase. Photos: Kenneth Chan After seven straight placings behind Ka Ying Rising, John Size's sprinter breaks through with narrow Group Three success Snapping a streak of seven consecutive placings behind Ka Ying Rising, Helios Express dug deep to chase down Invincible Sage for a heart-stopping victory in Saturday's Group Three Sha Tin Vase (1,200m). Sent off the $2.05 favourite in his bid for a breakthrough success, the John Size-trained gelding launched a withering burst from last to deny $20 shot Invincible Sage in a bob of the heads on the finishing post. Hugh Bowman took Helios Express back from the outside draw in the field of 11 and was still at the tail at the 200m, as Ben Thompson made his move on Invincible Sage from midfield to shoot to the lead. Helios Express arrived just in time for a deserved win after five seconds and two thirds behind the world's best sprinter, Ka Ying Rising, who was absent from Saturday's feature. Helios Express charges from the rear to overhaul Invincible Sage in the G3 Sha Tin Vase! 🏆 @HugeBowman #LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) May 31, 2025 'Only just,' Bowman said of the short-head margin. 'I've had a lot to do with the second horse, Invincible Sage, and they both got the soft track conditions which suited both horses and you've seen them both run to their premium. 'My horse had to overcome the [on-speed] bias. I knew that going out but I was reluctant to change [Helios Express'] pattern because with the handicap, I thought he was well in with the 123lb. 'He thoroughly deserved it. He's been chasing the champ all season and with his absence, he was the number one seed and he came out in front.' A brilliant winner of last year's Classic Mile and Classic Cup (1,800m), Helios Express delivered Size his second Sha Tin Vase triumph following the handler's success with Courier Wonder in 2021. Switched to sprinting after his four-year-old campaign, the son of Toronado was runner-up to Ka Ying Rising in Group One features the Hong Kong Sprint (1,200m), Centenary Sprint Cup (1,200m) and Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup (1,400m). 'He certainly deserves this win. He's tried very hard all season to win a decent race and finally he got it done. He found a race that was suitable for him,' Size said. Patch Of Theta, who was brown-lamped late in betting from $9.1 to $3.7, ran on strongly from second last to grab third, almost two lengths behind Helios Express. Multiple Group One winner Lucky Sweynesse ran fourth under top weight of 135lb. Size said Helios Express might not be done for the season, with a crack at the Group Three Premier Cup (1,400m) on June 22 a possibility. 'I'll see what he's like at home. After his last start [when third in the Chairman's Sprint Prize], he showed me he really wasn't looking for a break so we'll see how he pulls up after this race,' Size said. After also winning Saturday's Class Three Tai Wai Handicap (1,200m) with Masterofmyuniverse, Size gained a bit of breathing room in his battle with David Hayes for the trainers' championship. With 60 wins, Size extended his lead to seven over Hayes, who struck in the Class Five Shing Mun River Channel Handicap (1,400m) with Lucky Man courtesy of a gun ride by Bowman. Trainer David Hall bounced back from Invincible Sage's narrow defeat to claim the following race with Ka Ying Attack, ending his long winning drought at 60. Mark Newnham and Lyle Hewitson also snared doubles, teaming up to win Saturday's two dirt races with New Forest and Talents Ambition, while Luke Ferraris chimed in with a brace of his own aboard Dazzling Fit and Tourbillon Prince.
South China Morning Post
5 days ago
- General
- South China Morning Post
Hugh Bowman bullish Helios Express can strike in absence of Ka Ying Rising in Sha Tin Vase
Helios Express (purple and gold silks) finishes close behind Ka Ying Rising and Satono Reve in the Group One Chairman's Sprint Prize. Photos: Kenneth Chan Hugh Bowman has supreme confidence in Helios Express capitalising on the absence of superstar Ka Ying Rising and a light weight when the talented sprinter chases a deserved win in Saturday's Group Three Sha Tin Vase (1,200m). A brilliant winner of last year's Classic Mile and Classic Cup (1,800m), Helios Express has had to settle for five seconds and two thirds behind Ka Ying Rising in his seven starts this season. That streak includes three Group One seconds and a last-start third in the Group One Chairman's Sprint Prize (1,200m) when he rocketed home from last. With Ka Ying Rising sent for a break, the Sha Tin Vase presents a golden opportunity for the John Size-trained Helios Express to break through at Group level. While Bowman conceded the outside draw in the field of 11 was far from ideal, Helios Express' top form and weight of 123lbs has the Australian bullish. HE DOES IT AGAIN! 🚀 Ka Ying Rising makes it 12 straight wins, four Group 1s and a HK$5 million Speed Series bonus with victory in the 2025 Chairman's Sprint Prize... @zpurton #FWDChampionsDay | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) April 27, 2025 'I think he's very well placed,' Bowman said. 'Barrier 11 isn't really what I was after. In saying that, he settles back and the more he settles and finds his feet, the better he runs anyway. 'He's been unreal this season. I thought his last run was his best and on his most recent trial, I think he's in the best form he's been in all season and he's got a very attractive set up, despite the wide draw. I'm sure he'll start a short-priced favourite and deservedly so. I hope he can get it done for us.' Multiple Group One winner Lucky Sweynesse, who carries top weight of 135lbs, and fellow Group One victors Invincible Sage and Victor The Winner are among Helios Express' rivals on Saturday. 'If Invincible Sage gets moisture in the ground like he did last time, he's just a different horse,' said Bowman, who guided the David Hall-trained sprinter to victory in last year's Chairman's Sprint Prize. 'There's some worthy opposition in the race so we won't discard them, but Helios is in good order, he trialled well last week and with Lucky Sweynesse in the race, he gets the weight advantage as well.' Bowman will chase a feature double for Size on Saturday when he rides last-start Group One Champions Mile winner Red Lion in the Group Three Lion Rock Trophy (1,600m). The consistent galloper caused a massive upset when narrowly beating subsequent Triple Crown hero, Voyage Bubble, at $90.8 on Champions Day. However, the elite-level success has thrust him into the role of Lion Rock Trophy top weight. 'That makes it very hard. You're giving good horses a lot of weight,' Bowman said. 'Barrier one will help him – he'll have less work to do in the early stages. But I would think he's probably going to have to run better than he ran last start to win with the weight. That's my honest opinion.' Second in the jockeys' premiership with 64 wins, Bowman will also ride Lucky Man, Straight To Glory, Prestige Hall, Precision Goal, Excel Wongchoy and Size's promising sprinter Crossborderpegasus at Sha Tin. 'Crossborderpegasus is an exciting young horse who's progressing well,' Bowman said of the winner at three of four starts. 'He continues to have a habit of laying in, which hasn't improved and is a little concerning. But if he can start to get his race sense going, he's got points in hand.'
