Latest news with #SkyJewellery
South China Morning Post
05-04-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Matthew Poon keen to deliver more Joy for Ricky Yiu at Sha Tin on Sunday
Still buzzing from his unlikely Group Two Chairman's Trophy (1,600m) victory aboard Straight Arron, Matthew Poon Ming-fai is hoping to deliver more success for trainer Ricky Yiu Poon-fai at Sha Tin on Sunday. A week after landing the biggest success of his career aboard $34.5 chance Straight Arron, Poon will look to strike with the Yiu-trained Dragon Joy in Sunday's Class Three Wu Yee Sun And Lee Woo Sing Alumni Handicap (1,600m). After jumping from double-figure alleys in four straight runs, Poon hopes the benefit of gate two can help Dragon Joy improve on a last-start 12th under Karis Teetan where not a lot went right. 'Of course barrier two helps a lot. The last two times I rode him, I drew outside and this time I've drawn inside, so I think it will make some difference,' said Poon, who piloted Dragon Joy to a win and then an eighth from his two runs before his ninth under Teetan. Matthew Poon wins his first Group 2! Straight Arron returns to form in the Chairman's Trophy at Sha Tin for Ricky Yiu... 👏#LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) March 30, 2025 'I think the key also is to just let him jump and if he can be closer, I'll just let him do it. I don't think I'll chase him too much, but I've got an inside draw and I won't be too far back. 'He's only a young horse and he keeps improving. He can handle the work and you can see when I won on him, he finished off really well. I still think he can keep improving.' Four-year-old Dragon Joy faces the likes of Star Mac, Sky Jewellery and Flying Luck in Sunday's finale and Poon is eager to further repay Yiu's faith in him. 'I can't thank the Ricky Yiu stable [enough]. Ricky has given me a lot of good support this season. I need to do my best to get the best results for him,' said Poon, who also rides Little Squid for Yiu this weekend. Monster run, Dragon Joy! 😳 Matthew Poon sweeps home on Ricky Yiu's charge to overhaul Markwin in the Class 3 - restricted to four-year-olds - at Sha Tin this afternoon... #LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) January 12, 2025 Also among Poon's book is the Mark Newnham-trained Snowfield in the afternoon's Class Two, the Faculty Of Education Alumni Handicap (1,600m). A Group One winner over 1,500m and 1,600m in his native Brazil, Snowfield was sixth over 1,400m in his Hong Kong debut and he should enjoy the step up in trip.
South China Morning Post
23-02-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
John Size takes lead in trainers' premiership with Sha Tin four-timer
John Size has surged to the top of the trainers' premiership with his first four-timer of 2025 at Sha Tin on Sunday. While he was forced to settle for placings in both of the afternoon's Group Ones, Size enjoyed victories with Sky Jewellery, Crossborderpegasus, Juneau Pride and Brilliant Express. The haul moved Size to 32 winners for the season and above David Hayes in the title race by virtue of having more seconds than his fellow Australian. It was Hugh Bowman in the saddle for the wins of Sky Jewellery and debut winner Crossborderpegasus, with the jockey atoning for his luckless last-start defeat on Sky Jewellery to celebrate his 200th Hong Kong win aboard the promising youngster. Super win, Sky Jewellery! 🚀 John Size's young gun secures a second victory to see @HugeBowman reach 200 career wins in Hong Kong... 🍾#LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) February 23, 2025 The Australian ace made amends after Sky Jewellery was fourth as the $1.5 favourite at Happy Valley, when he was badly held up for clear running from the 250m to 100m. Biding his time near the tail of the field, Sky Jewellery stormed home in the straight to run down South Star by a neck in the Class Four Citigold Private Client Handicap (1,400m). 'He was obviously unlucky last start and he's shown a lot of potential,' Bowman said of the three-year-old, who is already being touted as a 2026 Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) prospect. 'Up in distance today was fine but he had to overcome [barrier 13] and he did it in style.' Bowman didn't have to wait long for his 201st victory in the city, with three-year-old Crossborderpegasus prevailing in the very next race, the Class Four Citigold Handicap (1,200m). 'He did enough to get home and that's the main thing. It was good,' Size said after Crossborderpegasus backed up his impressive trial form to beat fellow debutant Ahren by three-quarters of a length. After Brenton Avdulla booted Juneau Pride home in the Class Three Citi Wealth Advisory Services Handicap (1,400m), Alexis Badel delivered the goods aboard Brilliant Express in the Class Three Citi Insurance Services Handicap (1,400m). 'He's starting to work it out and there seemed to be no competition for the front today, so it looked like they gifted it to him,' Size said after Brilliant Express led throughout to notch his second consecutive success. John Size caps a treble! 🔥 The Master trainer wins his third race this afternoon as Juneau Pride is all out for victory with @brentonavdulla at Sha Tin...#LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) February 23, 2025 'Still, he did it and he's run some time, so we'll go forward confidently.' Size confirmed Howdeepisyourlove will head to Dubai for the Group One Al Quoz Sprint (1,200m) down the Meydan straight on April 5. 'They ran well,' Size said after stablemates Helios Express, Howdeepisyourlove, Beauty Eternal and Red Lion filled the four spots behind Ka Ying Rising in the Group One Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup (1,400m). 'Those four horses seem to turn up all the time, but as is the case, we have dominant horses here in Hong Kong and they're expected to win and mostly they do. 'I think Howdeepisyourlove can go to Dubai. He looks OK for that.' Avdulla and Badel joined Bowman with doubles on the day, with Avdulla also snaring the Class Four Citi Ultima Handicap (1,600m) aboard Mister Dapper and Badel taking out the Class Three Citi Investment Services Handicap (1,200m) atop Triumphant More. Shinn works his Magic A patient ride by Australian jockey Blake Shinn helped Magic Control score his third victory down the Sha Tin straight in the Class Two Citi Private Bank Handicap (1,000m). Known for racing on the speed in his Hong Kong career so far, the Cody Mo Wai-kit-trained gelding settled second last under Shinn and launched a strong run down the centre of the track to easily account for James Tak by a length and a half. Smart sprinter, Magic Control! 🔥@blake_shinn's on the board early at Sha Tin as Cody Mo's speedster roars to a third win in Hong Kong ahead of a quality Class 2 field... #LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) February 23, 2025 'That wasn't the plan to sit back but the speed was fast and he wanted to settle and with the weight [135 pounds], he needed all the favours and we had a good run and he displayed a great turn of foot,' Shinn said. A Group Three winner when known as Archo Nacho in Australia pre-import, Magic Control added to his strong 1,000m record at Sha Tin which also includes seconds in the Group Three National Day Cup and Group Three Bauhinia Sprint Trophy. Mo said the four-year-old would step back up to 1,200m in a Class One sprint on March 9, while the Group Two Sprint Cup (1,200m) on March 30 is another possible target. Blowout victory leaves So smiling Punters were reeling early at Sha Tin on Sunday as Carryon Smiling left his trainer Chris So Wai-yin grinning from ear to ear with a knockout victory at $84.7 in the second section of the Class Four Citi Wealth Handicap (1,400m). The second-roughest winner of the season, Carryon Smiling broke his maiden at start six after an uninspiring start to his career. Carryon Smiling kicked off a superb day of racing action at Sha Tin with a shock 83/1 victory in the opener under @kdemelo01! 👏#LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) February 23, 2025 'Well that was a big improvement,' said So after Carryon Smiling sliced through traffic from near the back of the field under Keagan de Melo. 'But for me, I thought he should run better. Two runs ago when he was sixth he was only beaten about three lengths and in his last trial you could see he was improving. 'Honestly, I think the horse needs further and he needs some equipment to help because Keagan said he is still very green.' It wasn't all doom and gloom for punters, with the following eight favourites winning on the 10-race card.
