Latest news with #TonyCruz
South China Morning Post
03-06-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Scratching gives Son Pak Fu chance to chase eighth Valley 1,200m success in loaded Class Two
Happy Valley will see Class Two action for the first time in three weeks on Wednesday night and a course-and-distance specialist entered the fray on Tuesday to make the Wan Chai Gap Handicap (1,200m) all the more interesting. With last-start Valley 1,000m winner Glory Elite scratched because of a tendon injury, Son Pak Fu was brought off the bench and given the chance to add to his seven career victories – all over 1,200m at the city circuit. Son Pak Fu's latest success came in a Class One over the Valley 1,200m in February, while he was fifth in the most recent six-furlong Class Two at the city circuit on March 19. The Tony Cruz-trained six-year-old carried 135 pounds in that fifth-placed finish and will again lump a big weight of 134 pounds, although the gelding should be given every chance to run on under Matthew Chadwick in a race that shapes to have plenty of pace. Last-start course-and-distance winner Harmony N Blessed will be one of the gallopers on pace as he looks to add to his fighting recent success, while Tomodachi Kokoroe – whose four Hong Kong wins have come over the Valley 1,200m – looks another with the potential to push forward. Son Pak Fu dives late to claim Copartner Prance! Tony Cruz's charge gets the Class 1 win under a supreme @mattLchadwixk ride at Happy Valley... 💥#HappyWednesday | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) February 26, 2025 But in a race littered with gallopers who come into their own over the city circuit's six furlongs – Aurora Lady, Gustosisimo, Wonder Kit, Kaholo Angel and Brave Star are also multiple winners at the track and trip – it is a couple of young gallopers stepping into unfamiliar territory who could prove hardest to beat. Trainer David Eustace is confident Colourful King will enjoy the step up in trip after impressing over the Valley 1,000m with two wins and a second, while Horsepower is rising in distance and grade after an eye-catching last-start success. 'This time we need to try 1,200m (because) at the moment there are no more 1,000m races at Happy Valley,' trainer Frankie Lor Fu-chuen said of Horsepower. HK Racing News Get updates direct to your inbox Sign up Best Bets Racing News By registering you agree to our T&Cs & Privacy Policy Error: Please enter a valid email. The email address is already in use. Please login to subscribe. Error, please try again later. THANK YOU You are one the list. 'I've trialled him once over 1,200m [and] he trialled good. I think he needs to relax in the early stages and then he can finish strongly. '[Zac Purton] said he was more relaxed now in the 1,200m trial. That's why I think he will handle 1,200m now.' In other news, the Jockey Club has granted Brenton Avdulla a 'leave of absence from Hong Kong for personal reasons,' meaning the Australian rider will miss the Valley meeting on June 11.
South China Morning Post
14-05-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Californiatotality digs deep for fifth win of the season as Tony Cruz hits another milestone
Californiatotality (inside) and Alexis Badel get on top late to win at Happy Valley. Photo: Kenneth Chan The impressive Californiatotality continued his march up the ratings with his fifth win of the campaign at Happy Valley on Wednesday night. In a well-run Class Two Choi Hung Handicap (1,650m), Tony Cruz's improver sat midfield under Alexis Badel behind the pace set by Telecom Fighers and stalking $2 favourite Soleil Fighter. Badel was hard at work against the rail at the end of the back straight and Californiatotality looked in trouble, but the Zoustar gelding responded well to his urgings and once in the clear, he scuttled up the rail to beat Soleil Fighter by a neck. And bigger targets could now await the four-year-old, who ran in two legs of this year's Classic Series. Tony Cruz double at Happy Valley! ✌️ Five wins this season for the 4YO by Zoustar, who captures consecutive Class 2s with @AlexisBadel in the plate...#HappyWednesday | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) May 14, 2025 'He's a versatile horse – this distance was a bit short but he had a good gate and had every chance to win,' said Cruz. 'His next run will be in the Group Three Premier Plate on June 22 at Sha Tin over 1,800m. There's nowhere else to go with the horse – 1,800m is the perfect distance for him.' The win means Californiatotality is two-from-two at Class Two level and he has the same record under jockey Badel, who was full of praise for his willing partner. 'He's lovely. He actually surprised me. I didn't have such [high] expectation and he did very well,' said Badel. HK Racing News Get updates direct to your inbox Sign up Best Bets Racing News By registering you agree to our T&Cs & Privacy Policy Error: Please enter a valid email. The email address is already in use. Please login to subscribe. Error, please try again later. THANK YOU You are one the list. 'He had a good draw [in barrier two], so I had cover and he travelled lovely and waited for a signal and he quickened when I needed him to do it. It was a promising win.' Too good, Tony Cruz! 🍾 That's 500 wins at Happy Valley as a trainer for Hong Kong's legendary horseman as Hong Kong International Sale graduate Kingly Demeanor makes all in the opener with Keith Yeung... #HappyWednesday | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) May 14, 2025 The win was part of a double for Cruz, with Kingly Demeanor winning the opening Class Five Yue Wan Handicap (1,800m) to give the trainer his 500th winner as a handler at the city circuit. Keith Yeung Ming-lun took the speedy five-year-old to the front soon after the break and never looked back, making all the running for a cosy victory. It was another landmark for Cruz soon after he rung up a combined 2,500 Hong Kong wins as a jockey and trainer – not that the 68-year-old keeps count. 'It's great to get to 500,' Cruz said. 'This is where I started my career and I've had a lot of winners here as a jockey and trainer, so it's great. 'I had no idea I was close to 500 wins, so thank you for keeping count.' Ricky Yiu's Sure Joyful strikes a second win this term! Matthew Poon's productive season continues with a 33rd success for the campaign... 🔥#HappyWednesday | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) May 14, 2025 Meanwhile, Ricky Yiu Poon-fai and Matthew Poon Ming-fai teamed up for a double with Sure Joyful and Hayday saluting. Their good night kicked off with Sure Joyful's gutsy win in the Class Four Wu King Handicap (1,650m), fending off a stern late challenge from Midori Fuji. And things got even better later on the card when Hayday crossed over from stall 10 and made all the running in the second section of the Class Four Tin Sau Handicap (1,200m). It continued an exciting period for jockey Poon, who will fly to Australia to ride Klondike in the Group One Doomben Cup (2,000m) on May 24 for joint-trainers John O'Shea and Tom Charlton. Jockey Lyle Hewitson also got in on the act with his own double on Wednesday night, first riding Season's Wit through the field to win the Class Three Choi Wan Handicap (1,000m) before striking on King Lotus for trainer Mark Newnham in the first section of the Tin Sau Handicap. Newnham himself slotted a double in the final race when Crimson Flash kept on kicking to win the Class Three Hoi Lai Handicap (1,200m).
South China Morning Post
13-05-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Alexis Badel hopes Californiatotality can carry hot Sha Tin form over to Happy Valley
The Frenchman rode a treble at the city circuit last month and aims to add to his strike rate with seven rides on Wednesday night Alexis Badel is hoping tough four-year-old Californiatotality can keep the good times rolling for him at Happy Valley on Wednesday night. The Frenchman rode a treble at the city circuit on April 23 and topped up his tally last week by winning on Day Day Victory to enhance his recent strike rate. And Wednesday could be another fruitful evening for Badel, who rides the improving Californiatotality in the feature Class Two Choi Hung Handicap (1,650m). The Zoustar gelding has won four times this season at Sha Tin but was only half a length away from winning at the Valley in January, losing out to Speed Dragon in the Class Three Cleveland Handicap (1,800m). Three-way finish! 📸 Californiatotality edges past Steps Ahead and Pray For Mir in a thriller under @AlexisBadel and Tony Cruz in the Class 2 Hong Kong Lions Cup... 🏆#LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) April 20, 2025 Most recently, he enjoyed a midfield trip in the Class Two Hong Kong Lions Cup (1,800m) and thundered home to deny a stacked field that included Bundle Award and the reopposing Helene Feeling. That was only Badel's second race ride on Tony Cruz's galloper and he is confident of another bold showing. 'He ran a really good race at Sha Tin last time and finished off very strongly,' said Badel. 'That form looks strong and he ran well at the Valley in January on his only visit there this season. 'He is only a four-year-old so I think he can rate even higher yet – we have a nice draw to work with and he is on a lovely racing weight, too. It's a competitive race but I'm expecting him to run a very big race.' Tactical Command does it again! Mark Newnham's sprinter scores back-to-back wins at the Valley under @AlexisBadel... 🔥#HappyWednesday | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) March 12, 2025 The 35-year-old also gets back into the saddle on Tactical Command, a horse he knows very well after partnering him to three of his four career successes. The Mark Newnham-trained galloper has thrived over the course and distance in recent starts, whizzing home off a midfield trip to win the Class Four Kwai Chung Handicap (1,200m) three starts ago. He followed that up three weeks later, once again having to do things the hard way from behind horses. Badel was hard at work a long way from home, but the five-year-old hit overdrive in the final 100m and was going away to win easily by a neck. Tactical Command disappointed at Sha Tin subsequently, but Badel was not on board that day and he had excuses after he sat out the back in a race where nothing that travelled in rear managed to get involved in the finish. Back at his favoured Happy Valley, where he has notched three victories, Badel is confident he can bounce back to his best. 'He has run really well at Happy Valley this season, both his recent wins he has shown a good attitude to come through late and win,' Badel said. 'Drawing stall 12 is never easy and I will have to speak to the trainer, but I think we will drop in and hope to finish off well again. 'He was a bit disappointing last time but he is definitely capable of bouncing back – I think he has a good chance.' Badel also rides Wukong Jewellery in the final race for John Size, who is just one triumph away from being only the second trainer to reach 1,600 winners in Hong Kong. Wukong Jewellery makes his local debut on the back of two runs in Australia, where he ran third over 1,300m at Sandown before winning second up over 1,423m at Sale.
South China Morning Post
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Tony Cruz celebrates 2,500 Hong Kong wins as a jockey and trainer after Sha Tin double
Legendary figure reaches another big milestone after Liveandletlive and Winning Ovation win Sunday's final two races Tony Cruz's status as a legend of Hong Kong racing elevated to a new level again on Sunday when he reached 2,500 wins as a jockey and trainer with a double at Sha Tin. A winner of 946 races in his time in the saddle which included six Hong Kong championships, Cruz hit the new milestone when striking in Sunday's final two races with Liveandletlive and Winning Ovation. The now 68-year-old made a seamless transition to training with two championships and a swag of Group One wins with some of the city's top gallopers, headlined by champion Silent Witness who won 17 consecutive races. 'I'm very happy with that. It's great,' Cruz said after training his 1,554th winner. Tony Cruz is INCREDIBLE! 👑 Winning Ovation brings up the legendary figure's 2,500th win in Hong Kong as both a jockey (946 wins) and trainer (1,554 wins) with success in the finale under @AlexisBadel... #LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) May 4, 2025 Cruz was quick to deflect praise to jockeys Angus Chung Yik-lai and Alexis Badel for their rides on Liveandletlive and Winning Ovation, respectively. A two-time winner in Britain under the same name, Liveandletlive broke through for his first Hong Kong success at start seven when leading all the way in the Class Three Chatham Handicap (2,000m). Chung controlled the race from the front on the $9.75 chance and he lifted when challenged by Gold Master to prevail by a nose in a thrilling finish. 'I must give credit to Angus on Liveandletlive – he rode a perfect race,' Cruz said. '[Gold Master] went past him, but he fought back just on the wire. All credit to Angus.' Liveandletlive's best previous run in the city was a close third to Steps Ahead in February. The Muhaarar four-year-old had excuses on his start before Sunday's victory, running seventh to Winning Wing after knuckling over at the start and unbalancing Chung. Another British import, Winning Ovation, capped Cruz's day to remember with an impressive triumph in the Class Three Austin Handicap (1,400m). Settling third on the fence from gate one, the three-year-old was hooked off the inside by Badel and pounced on pacesetter Yuen Long Elite to take control at the 150m. He soared clear at his second local start to beat heavily-backed $3.2 favourite Yuen Long Elite by a length. 'The jockey, Alexis Badel, rode a perfect race. The barrier draw was a benefit – if we didn't have that, we might not have won the race,' Cruz said. Winning Ovation won at Salisbury and finished midfield in Royal Ascot's Group Two Coventry Stakes (1,200m) when known as Nascimento pre-import. Elsewhere on Sunday's card, trainer Chris So Wai-yin was in awe of Hong Lok Golf's fifth victory at start six in the Class Two Hillwood Handicap (1,600m). On his first start over a mile, the emerging four-year-old dug deep to beat Pray For Mir by half a length in a tight finish. 'Wow,' So said. 'In the straight when I saw [Pray For Mir], I thought he would beat us. But I spoke to Harry [Bentley] and he just said that he wasn't that worried. 'The last 100m, he did it easy. I was just a bit worried because he was stepping up from 1,400m to 1,600m and for some horses it's a big challenge.' So will consider setting Hong Lok Golf, who was an unlucky second on his only career defeat in February, for upcoming features such as the Group Three Lion Rock Trophy (1,600m) on May 31. 'We now have the choice whether to give him a break or another run. There's Group races coming at the end of May, but we will decide,' So said.
