Wandering Eyes

Addressing your thoughts, questions and statements about Hong Kong racing. Have something to say? Send a tweet to @SCMPRacingPost.Half a dozen winners for Zac Purton at Sha Tin, what a performance and he was a bit stiff in the last race – @mgnuss20Let’s state the bleeding obvious – Purton is in the form of his life.His haul of six winners at Sha Tin on Sunday was a career-best – he’d had five winners in a day on a handful of occasions but this set a new benchmark.Any thoughts about Joao Moreira… View the full article

Hong Kong-born venture capitalist Johnny Hon Sei-hoe struck gold at Qatar’s Al Rayyan Racecourse at the weekend, with Global Spectrum taking out the Group Two Al Biddah Mile at the prestigious HH The Amir Sword Festival.The 47-year-old Hon is the founder and chairman of London-based corporate finance company Global Group Capital Management and has also been involved in producing movies in Hong Kong.He has had one horse in Hong Kong, the Manfred Man Ka-leung-trained Ultimate Power which had five… View the full article

Trainer Paul O’Sullivan will unveil the first of a new wave of potential stable stars on Wednesday as he looks to launch into the second half of the season.The New Zealander has struggled this season with a host of horses at the peak of their ratings, compounded by the death of budding stable star Win Beauty Win in a freak stable accident in September, but has always maintained that his second half would be more fruitful than his first.With two winners in two meetings, O’Sullivan is beginning… View the full article

Two-time Group One winner Pakistan Star has been transferred to the stables of Paul O’Sullivan.The enigmatic galloper, who was voted Hong Kong’s most popular horse last season, has struggled to recapture his best form this campaign under Tony Cruz, prompting owner Kerm Din to make the move.In a coup for O’Sullivan, the six-year-old will be transferred to his stable this week along with Din’s other horse, Pakistan Friend.The New Zealand trainer, who is beginning to find form after a slow start… View the full article

Management at Santa Anita Park, after discussions with the California Horse Racing Board related to an increased number of fatalities at the track this season, announced it would close the main track for training Feb. 26. View the full article

Riding high off his first win of 2019 in the Feb. 2 Red Hedeman Mile Stakes at Sunland Park, Hustle Up went gate to wire to keep his win streak alive and scored by one length in Sunland's $100,000 Mine That Bird Derby. View the full article

Horses' test results February 23 & 25 View the full article

Santa Anita Park has suspended training on its main track Monday and Tuesday in order to renovate the track, it was announced on the Arcadia oval’s Friday overnight entry sheet. “There will be no training on the main track on Monday and Tuesday due to renovations,” the statement read. “The training track will be open until 10:30 a.m.” The move comes one day after a Saturday morning training session which saw two fatal injuries to racehorses, including GI Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner Battle of Midway (Smart Strike). Sunday morning training was held as usual, with 173 horses working over the main track. View the full article

Owners, trainers found support for boycott over reduced prize money from racegoers View the full article

Live Oak Plantation’s Win Win Win (Hat Trick {Jpn}) continued his preparations for a stretch-out attempt in the Mar. 9 GII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby Sunday morning, breezing a bullet five furlongs from the gate in :59 1/5 with Antonio Gallardo aboard at the Oldsmar oval. Win Win Win was last seen establishing a new seven-furlong track record in the local Pasco S. Jan. 19, stopping the clock in a blistering 1:20.89. “He is one of those kind of horses that does what you tell him to do,” said trainer Michael Trombetta. “If I want him to work a half-mile in :52, he does it, and if I need him to work faster than that he’ll do that, too. I’ve made several trips [to Tampa Bay Downs] to watch him work [since the Pasco], and he is doing everything I would have hoped for.” Win Win Win has won three of his four career starts, notching maiden and allowance wins at Laurel Park before finishing second in that venue’s Heft S. Dec. 29. With all four starts coming at sprint distances, the homebred colt will be asked to navigate a two-turn trip for the first time in the Tampa Bay Derby. “We’ve been putting some nice gallops and nice breezes under him and he is doing everything he’s supposed to, so I’m as anxious as anyone else to see what he will do,” Trombetta said. View the full article

The four finalists were revealed for the People’s Choice Award, a fan-voted accolade recognising the most compelling 2018 moment in horseracing, the Dubai Racing Club announced on Sunday. G1SW Conquest Tsunami (Stormy Atlantic)-a survivor of the San Luis Rey Downs fire; trainer Eve Johnson-Houghton who saddled Accidental Agent (GB) (Delegator {GB}) to win the G1 Queen Anne S. at Royal Ascot; Australian supermare Winx (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}); and legendary jockey Yutaka Take are the four finalists for 2018. Voting will be open until Feb. 28 and the award will be presented at the HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Horseracing Excellence Awards ceremony on Mar. 28, just two days prior to the $35-million Dubai World Cup night. View the full article

A Group 2 winner as a 3- and 4-year-old, including in this contest last year, Win Bright turned in three off-the-board efforts after that tally, but opened his 2019 campaign with a win in the G3 Nikkan Sports Sho Nakayama Kimpai on Jan. 5. Cutting back 200 metres on Sunday, he left from stall one and promptly perched in fourth in the strung out field as Maltese Apogee (Jpn) (Goshawk Ken {Jpn}) rattled off fractions of :23.50, :46.70 and 1:09.90. Positions were largely unchanged until the home straight when champion juvenile filly and G1SW Lucky Lilac collared the tiring Maltese Apogee and forged to the front, covering the mile in a sharp 1:33.60. Switched off the rails for his run, Win Bright unleashed a stirring turn off foot and caught the Sunday Racing colourbearer in the final few jumps to win by a neck, as Stelvio, who had unleashed a similar rally farther out in the course, was third, only a head behind. Several also-rans who were aiming for a run on Dubai World Cup night on Mar. 31, namely G1SW Suave Richard (Jpn) (Heart’s Cry {Jpn}) who is pointing to the $6-million G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic and $6-million Dubai Turf hopeful Deirdre (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}), ran fourth and sixth, respectively. Pedigree Notes… One of four winners from five to race out of the three-time winner Summer Eternity, Win Bright is also a full-brother to G1 Hanshin S. bridesmaid Win Fabulous (Jpn). MGSW & MG1SP Hakusan Moon (Jpn) (Admire Moon {Jpn}) sits under the unraced third dam, herself a half-sister to Japanese champion juvenile filly Silksky (Jpn) (Minsky). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Sunday, Nakayama, Japan NAKAYAMA KINEN-G2, ¥119,640,000 (US$1,081,071/£827,216/€953,061), Nakayama, 2-24, 4yo/up, 1800mT, 1:45.50, fm. 1–WIN BRIGHT (JPN), 126, h, 5, Stay Gold (Jpn) 1st Dam: Summer Eternity (Jpn), by Admire Cozzene (Jpn) 2nd Dam: All for Guelain (Jpn), by Jade Robbery 3rd Dam: Miss Guelain (Jpn), by Maruzensky (Jpn) O-Win Inc.; B-Cosmo View Farm (Jpn); T-Yoshihiro Hatakeyama; J-Masami Matsuoka; ¥62,794,000. Lifetime Record: 17-7-2-0. *Full to Win Fabulous (Jpn) (Stay Gold {Jpn}), G1SP-Jpn, $717,278. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. 2–Lucky Lilac (Jpn), 117, f, 4, Orfevre (Jpn)–Lilacs and Lace, by Flower Alley. O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm (Jpn); ¥25,228,000. 3–Stelvio (Jpn), 126, c, 4, Lord Kanaloa (Jpn)–L’Archetto (Jpn), by Falbrav (Ire). O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm (Jpn); ¥16,114,000. Margins: NK, HD, 1 1/4. Odds: 6.00, 7.60, 3.60. Also Ran: Suave Richard (Jpn), Epoca d’Oro (Jpn), Deirdre (Jpn), Maltese Apogee (Jpn), Happy Grin (Jpn), Meiner Sage (Jpn), Siberian Superb (Jpn), Toruk Makto (Jpn). Click for the JRA chart or the JRA Video. View the full article

Trainer Robert "Butch" Reid Jr. canceled plans to run Maximus Mischief in Saturday's $400,000 Xpressbet.com Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park following a subpar workout Feb. 24. View the full article

How We Roll #4's Sippin Fire was named Washington horse of the year Feb. 23, along with champion 3-year-old and champion 3-year-old colt or gelding. View the full article

Sippin Fire (Harbor the Gold) has been named Washington state’s horse of the year, champion 3-year-old and champion 3-year-old male for 2018, it was announced at the Washington Thoroughbred awards held Saturday night at Emerald Downs. Other winners included Psycho Sister (Freud; champion older filly and mare and turf runner); Invested Prospect (Abraaj; champion sprinter); Hit the Beach (Harbor the Gold; champion older horse); Bella Mia (Harbor the Gold; champion 3-year-old filly); Baja Sur (Smiling Tiger; champion 2-year-old and champion 2-year-old male); and Money Inthe Stars (Abraaj; champion 2-year-old filly). Rick and Debbie Pabst were named Washington’s leading breeder for the fifth time, while Atta Boy Roy was named leading sire of 2018. View the full article

Trainer Allen Milligan recorded the 1,000th victory of his career in the fifth race Feb. 23 at Oaklawn Park with Soul P Say. View the full article

Connections of a 2-year-old colt christened Tyson Fury (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}) hope he can be as much of a knockout on the track as his namesake boxer is in the ring. The former world heavyweight champion has given his blessing to owner Phil Cunningham of Rebel Racing and Newmarket trainer Richard Spencer naming the son of Iffraaj out of the dam Za Za Zoom (Ire) after him. Spencer revealed he and Cunningham approached Fury–who was most recently in action in December when fighting to a dramatic draw with Deontay Wilder in Los Angeles–on the venture when they met him on Saturday. “We met him yesterday, which was great,” Spencer told Press Association Sport on Sunday. “Phil Cunningham is friendly with one of his team, so that is how the link up came about and how we got to meet him. He’s given us permission to name a horse after him, which is great. By the sounds of it Tyson might come up and have a look at the horse and hopefully come to the races. That would be great.” Tyson Fury the horse is highly regarded and has been given an entry in the 2020 G1 Investec Derby. “He’s only a 2-year-old, he’s only cantering, but he’s doing everything nicely,” said Spencer. “He’s got a Derby entry for 2020. We think he’s a nice horse and we rate him. He’s a big horse, so he’s going to need a bit of time. I’d say all being well he’ll be out in the middle of the year.” View the full article

Archie Watson hopes MGSW Soldier’s Call (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) can make it back-to-back wins at Royal Ascot by claiming a first top-level victory in the G1 King’s Stand S. this coming June. The Lambourn handler has first earmarked an outing in the Listed Westow S. at York in May for the son of Showcasing, who ended last season finishing down the field in the Listed Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Churchill Downs in November. After providing Watson with his first winner at the Royal meeting in the Listed Windsor Castle S., the Clipper Logistics-owned 3-year-old subsequently claimed victories at Group 3 and 2 level–as well as finishing third on his first start at the top table in the G1 Prix de l’Abbaye. Watson said, “Soldier’s Call is back in with me, and I’m very happy with him. He went back to his owners and has done very well–and I think he has strengthened up. He has got a very good mind on him and has gone straight back into a routine very easily. We will probably kick him off in the at the Dante meeting at York in the Westow S., with a view to run him in the King’s Stand S. a month later. I would prefer to start to him off in an easier race against his own age group rather than run him in the [G3] Palace House S. or [G2] Temple S., where he might have a hard race.” View the full article

It’s universally understood that horse racing is a roller coaster. You’re on top, you’re on the bottom, you’re back on top, again, and things never do travel in a straight line. But perhaps no trainer has experienced such a wild swing of fortune within such a short period of time as Jerry Hollendorfer did Saturday. Battle of Midway (Smart Strike) broke down during a morning workout Saturday at Santa Anita and had to be euthanized. It’s a terrible thing when any horse breaks down, but all the more worse when it’s a horse of Battle of Midway’s stature. He won the 2017 GI Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile and finished third in the GI Kentucky Derby in career that also saw him capture the GIII Affirmed S. He was retired to stud at the end of 2017, but had fertility problems and was returned to Hollendorfer’s barn. He to action late last summer and launched a six-race campaign that included three wins, most notably the GIII Native Diver S. and a hard-fought score over the highly regarded McKinzie (Street Sense) in the GII San Pasqual S. Feb. 2. He was preparing for the Dubai World Cup, where he certainly would have been among the favorites. Hollendorfer has been around a long time, which means he’s been through this before. It happens to all trainers. It’s not that he’s become hardened or used to horses breaking down; he’s realized the only way to stay sane in this sport is to always try to keep an even keel. “Nobody says much here. We’re kind of a quiet barn,” he said Sunday morning. “But the feeling was there and it was recognizable. We deal with it the best we can. When a terrible thing happens, there’s nothing you can do about it. You can continue to dwell on it or you go ahead and try to do your very best. We chose to keep going. We’re not quitters.” Maybe that’s because you know the next highlight, the next joyride, is right around the corner. Back in February of 2018, Hollendorfer claimed a then 4-year-old filly named Vasilika (Skipshot) for $40,000. There was nothing remarkable about her career up to that point. She was a solid upper-level turf claimer, but had never run in a stakes race. Twenty-one days later, she made her debut for Hollendorfer and finished second, but it was an improved effort and a sign of things to come. She won her next eight starts, including the GI Rodeo Drive S. The streak ended when she was fourth in the GI Matriarch S. Dec. 2, but she rebounded to win the GIII Megahertz S. Jan. 21. She was favored in Saturday’s GII Buena Vista S., and even though there was a pall cast over Hollendorfer’s barn, he and his team knew this was no time to get swallowed up in their sorrow. Vasilika did what she usually does. She won by 1 1/2 lengths. Since the claim, she is 10 for 12 with five graded stakes wins. It’s not too early to project that she is Eclipse Award material. “The whole barn was down because of what happened with Battle of Midway,” Hollendorfersaid. “So it made up for it a little bit, but it doesn’t erase the big blow of losing Battle of Midway. It certainly helped. Any time something negative happens, anything that comes along that is positive always helps. We know these horses get hurt and sometimes have to be euthanized. It’s just a part of what we do, but it doesn’t make it any easier that we know that.” Hollendorfer is among the last people who would brag about what has been a terrific accomplishment, his handling of Vasilika. Again, it’s about never letting yourself get too high or too low. “It was a real good claim,” he said. “I can’t remember all the good claims we’ve made but certainly she would be among the best. We try to keep a low profile in my barn. If we do something well, we accept that, and if something goes wrong, we accept that also. We’re not too big on bragging about our accomplishments.” A lot has been made of the fact that three horses had to be euthanized at Santa Anita over a 16-hour period. During training hours Saturday, an unraced horse named Just Forget It (Old Topper) also had to be put down. Hollendorfer refused to blame the track. “If I would have thought there was anything wrong with the track, I certainly wouldn’t have worked Battle of Midway yesterday,” he said.. “I worked some other horses, too, including Gunmetal Gray (Exchange Rate), who I’m preparing for the [GII] San Felipe. You can pick anything out and criticize it, but before you go out in public and say something you should have all your facts in line. I don’t have enough facts to tell you the track is bad. I worked a lot of horses today and will work more tomorrow. I wouldn’t take any out to that track if I thought they weren’t going to make it back to the barn.” The World’s Unluckiest Jockey Jockey Jorge Calderon hadn’t won a race at the current Delta Downs meet. He didn’t win any races anywhere in 2018 either. In fact, the last time Calderon won a race was in 2013. Not that he hadn’t had plenty of chances. If you start with 2014, Calderon had lost at least 247 straight races. So imagine his joy Friday night at Delta Downs when he booted Wildly Grand (Grand Appointment) across the wire two lengths ahead of his nine rivals. The thrill of victory? No, it turned out to be the agony of defeat. The stewards ruled that Calderon’s mount ducked in nearing the sixteenth-pole causing another horse to check. She was placed fourth in what was a fairly obvious call. And poor Calderon is highly unlikely to get the mount back as Wildly Grand was claimed by trainer Dale White Sr., who does not use the snake-bitten jockey. The World’s Hottest Jockeys The Ortiz Brothers, particularly Irad, lit up Gulfstream last week. From Sunday Feb. 18 through Saturday’s card, they combined to win 30 of the 70 races run at the track. On Thursday, Friday and Saturday, they won 18 of 35 races–or more than half the races carded. While Jose is having a good meet, Irad is on a mission. During the six racing days last week, he, alone won 21 races, including a six-bagger on Monday. View the full article

Queen Victoria had a problem–the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII, had taken a pioneering interest in the merits of Irish fillies. The 19-year-old prince had begun a brief but passionate dalliance with Nellie Clifden, an Irish actress, while he was spending 10 weeks with the Grenadier Guards in Kildare. A concerned Queen decided hastily to arrange a visit to Ireland to check on the future king, and a military procession was ordered on the plains of Ireland’s military headquarters, The Curragh. It was 1861 but The Curragh had a familiar problem–it badly needed a new stand. The Queen’s stand was hurriedly erected, and The Curragh military procession formed a centrepiece of an 11-day visit to Ireland. The warm welcome was The Curragh’s first marketing coup. In 1868, Queen Victoria’s government enacted The Curragh of Kildare Act which preserved the use of The Curragh for horse racing and training forever more. In a few short months, The Curragh will welcome patrons back, 158 years later, to another new stand. This, make no mistake, is the defining moment of this generation for the Irish bloodstock industry. Costing over €72 million, it now stands as a gravity defying vision and a testament to the support of its investors: Coolmore, the Aga Khan, Moyglare Stud, JP McManus, Godolphin, the Turf Club and Horse Racing Ireland. Beyond the glimmering cantilevered venue itself, what has gone under the radar has been the complete overhaul of The Curragh gallops funded by the overwhelmingly generous support of Eva Maria-Bucher Haefner of Moyglare Stud. The stated aim is to return The Curragh training grounds to what they once were and what they should always be: the definitive place to train horses in Ireland. But build it and they’ll come? The Curragh is about to find out. A recent ticket price increase by the Gaelic Athletic Association, Ireland’s largest spectator sport (one spot ahead of racing), should cause The Curragh management to take stock. The GAA increased ticket prices by 33% in a sport where 2018 attendance receipts were already down by 14%. The Football Association of Ireland also ended up in crippling stadium debt which is not expected to be repaid until the end of 2020 when their over ambitious plan to sell year 10-year tickets for up to €32,000 fell flat on its face. Cash in or reach out? We do not know yet what approach Curragh management will take. Regrettably, if you wanted to buy hospitality at the new Curragh for your nearest and dearest this Christmas, you would have been disappointed. The Curragh does not release its ticket offerings until Feb. 28. Ahead of that announcement, it is clear that the Irish public wants and expects value. But what do the investors want from The Curragh development? I’d suggest something very simple: people to go racing. They have invested to protect the legacy of the sport they love in Ireland, not to extract profit from Irish racegoers—that goal is achieved if people come, and continue to come, in increased numbers to The Curragh. Let’s hope that Feb. 28 is a date of celebration for racegoers. To have the masses embark on that journey along the N7, as anyone who has seen Jumps Girls will understand, perhaps The Curragh needs some girl power. Last year due to innovative and committed marketing, the All-Ireland ladies’ football final attracted an incredible 50,141 spectators (16,000 more than the 2016 figure). This made it the highest-attended women’s sport final in the world. It was also nearly 10 times the attendance for the Irish Derby at The Curragh in 2018 during its redevelopment. The Ladies Gaelic Football Association (LGFA) sets the marquee example for The Curragh in empowering growth in a minority Irish sport. Helen O’Rourke, CEO of the LGFA, sent a letter to every club prior to the 2018 final that could more aptly described as a rallying cry. It plainly stated a message that should resonate with Irish racing stakeholders: “Increased attendances… at the All-Ireland final, ensure benefits…. right across the board, if we can get more people through the gates of the various grounds, this immediately creates more media attention and makes our product even more attractive to potential sponsors”. It asked that clubs used the day to “build tradition that for all of our members, the All-Ireland finals in September represent an annual trip” and commit to bringing “30 people or more” from each club. The LGFA is acutely aware that a rising tide lifts all boats. Racing can learn from the collective ownership message of the LGFA in the importance of creating a success story of the new Curragh and the benefits it can bring to everyone. There will be teething problems that initially present themselves (ParisLongchamp may remind The Curragh to build a few more bathrooms) and the challenges outside Curragh management’s control (including the worrying trend of Racing TV’s inability to show live races on a busy day). However, this should not shake Irish racing from effective planning for what a precious opportunity we have. The marketing success of the LGFA has sparked a strikingly simple but compelling wider plan for Irish women’s sport to which racing should pay attention. The all-inclusive movement 20×20 aims to shift Ireland’s cultural perception of women’s sport by 2020 with: 20% more media coverage of women in sport by the end of 2020; 20% more female participation by the end of 2020; and 20% more attendance at women’s games and events by the end of 2020. This coordinated planning and grassroots-up approach is what Irish racing needs. Why accept regression and stagnation when others see opportunity for sport? In a world of increased urbanisation, if people can’t see racing, they won’t want to be part of racing. The Curragh needs to reward those who stayed with them during the redevelopment with discounts to the new Curragh. The Curragh needs to reinvent how they engage with a booming Dublin and attract a new generation. Could the railway station that fell into disuse in the early 2000s be revitalised (even Queen Victoria could get a railway built direct to the back of her stand in 1861)? The Curragh needs to see itself for what it now is, a world-class sporting venue, a venue that can boldly attract people to the track. It should not be an ever-diminishing after-thought in the media landscape, but without determined optimistic planning that’s what it may become. Today, the only legacy of the old Curragh that remains is the Queen’s Room. Repositioned brick-by-brick overlooking the parade ring to welcome winning connections for generations to come. If you ever get the chance to venture into the Queen’s Room, look out the oddly low window. That was so that diminutive Queen Victoria could cast a watchful eye over the Prince of Wales during the procession (and who could blame her for making sure of his whereabouts?). Today’s Curragh has its window of opportunity. Let’s hope we have the 20×20 vision to grasp it. What do you think? Reach out to @JackCantillon or Jack@Tinnakill.com and Gary King at garyking@thetdn.com. View the full article

Cash is King LLC and LC Racing’s Maximus Mischief (Into Mischief) has been ruled out of Saturday’s GII Xpressbet Fountain of Youth S. at Gulfstream Park following a sub-par work in Hallandale Sunday morning. “The horse didn’t breeze too good, so he is out of the Fountain of Youth,” trainer Butch Reid told the Gulfstream press office. “He just kind of went through the motions. The jockey wasn’t happy with the way he galloped out. All things considered, we’re going to go back to the drawing board and look for another spot.” Maximus Mischief breezed a half-mile in :49.02 under jockey Jose Ortiz at Gulfstream Park Sunday. An 8 3/4-length debut winner at Parx last September, Maximus Mischief was tabbed a ‘TDN Rising Star’ after a six-length allowance tally Oct. 20 and he became a graded stakes winner with a 2 1/4-length victory in the Dec. 1 GII Remsen S. He suffered his first loss when third in the Feb. 2 GII Fasig-Tipton Holy Bull S. in his Sagamore Farm and WinStar Farm’s Global Campaign (Curlin), named a ‘TDN Rising Star’ after a 1 1/16-mile allowance victory at Gulfstream Feb. 9, remained possible for the Fountain of Youth after working five furlongs in 1:01.85 (4/9) at Palm Meadows Sunday. “He went in company, but it was a nice, controlled work,” said trainer Stanley Hough. “We were happy with it.” Hough both the Fountain of Youth and the Mar. 9 GII Tampa Bay Derby were under consideration for Global Campaign’s next start. “He likes this track [Gulfstream] and it’s close to home, so we’re leaning toward that way, but we’ll talk it over,” Hough said. “Global worked good and came back good, so I think he’s prepared to go either place. We’re going to see how the week goes and try to do the best thing for us and the horse. As far as the work today, it was very satisfying.” Also at Palm Meadows Sunday, last year’s juvenile filly champion Jaywalk (Cross Traffic) put in her final work ahead of her sophomore debut in next Saturday’s GII Davona Dale S., going four furlongs in :50.55 (22/31). “She worked this morning and went good,” trainer John Servis said. “Everything went perfect. The race is Saturday, so I was just letting her stretch her legs a little bit and put a little wind in her. She came out of it good and looks fine.” Owned by Cash is King and D.J. Stable, Jaywalk has been away from the races since winning the Nov. 2 GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. She also won last year’s GI Frizette S. most recent trip to the post. View the full article

All is now set for the Jockey Club’s showcase event at Conghua Racecourse next month after Saturday’s full dress rehearsal.It was cold, wet and windy for the set of five barrier trials as the Jockey Club replicated all that happens on a race day – perfect conditions given it is just about the worst-case scenario for the event on March 23.Everything from the parade, to the broadcast, to post-race speeches and welcoming of VIPs was simulated to iron out any issues ahead of the big day.The track… View the full article

Australian jockey Zac Purton showed he is the undisputed king of Hong Kong racing, turning in a career-best day which saw him take home six winners at Sha Tin on Sunday.With rival Joao Moreira suspended, Purton flexed his premiership muscle to punters with the dominant performance, taking his season total to 78 – 26 clear of his nearest rival.Such has been the rich vein of form Purton finds himself in, his last 38 rides have returned 16 winners.The stunning day out sees Purton join the likes of… View the full article

Tianchi Monster catapulted himself into BMW Hong Kong Derby calculations at Sha Tin on Sunday and trainer Chris So Wai-yin hopes the four-year-old’s 2,000m form will work in his favour in his bid to get a start in the prestigious race.Tianchi Monster’s fast-finishing victory in the Class Three Tai Hing Handicap (2,000m) will push his rating up to somewhere in the mid-to-high 80s, putting him in the bottom bracket of Derby hopefuls.“The owner told me earlier this season that we would aim for the… View the full article

The traditionally measured Tony Millard couldn’t hide his excitement after Refined Treasure’s victory at Sha Tin on Sunday and the trainer believes now is the time to put the “fragile” speedster on the fast track to Group racing.Refined Treasure couldn’t have been more impressive in winning the Class Two Sam Shing Handicap (1,000m) after striking trouble in the run and Millard was effusive in his praise.“The way he won today, he shouldn’t have won but he’s just that good that he wins,” he said… View the full article