BMW Hong Kong Derby: Fun Facts & Other Miscellany

[Wandering Eyes]

The hard handicapping is over, the personal interest stories have all been told, so it’s time to lighten things up a bit with some fun facts, statistics and assorted other miscellany ahead of Sunday’s BMW Hong Kong Derby at Sha Tin Racecourse.

–Trainers with by the last names of Cruz, So, Hall, Gibson, etc. may want to consider changing their first names prior to Sunday’s appointed post time. You see, in the seven runnings of the Derby since 2012, a guy named John has sent out the winner all but one of those times (Size–2012, 2015 and 2018; and Moore–2014, 2016 and 2017). Gibson (Richard) interrupted the streak with Akeed Mofeed (GB) in 2013. Going back to the Moore-trained Collection in 2009, it’s seven out of the last 10.

–If contemplating opposing the market leaders, best have a re-think. Going back to 2007, when Vital King (NZ) scored at a whopping $11 (10-1), the race has been won by the favourite on seven occasions, including four at odds-on. Since 1999 when the Ivan Allan-trained Holy Grail defeated Commander Charlie (Holy Grail was 184-1 and the quinella returned $18,872.50), the betting choice has come home first 11 times, with no winner (other than Vital King) paying north than 11-2. By the way, the 1999 tierce: $499,350. Raise your hand if you had it!

–Attention Harmony Victory (gate 1) (gulp), Enrichment (5) and Dark Dream (8) fans–recent history says you’re in trouble, as none of those stalls has produced a Derby winner (though 9 have placed) since 2000. Conversely, even with the short run to the first corner, horses leaving double-digit gates have been successful no fewer than eight times, so Furore and Waikuku backers, worry not! Four Derby winners have emerged from stall number four (take heart if you are backing 72-1 Mr So and So).

–For as dominant as they are locally, leading rider Zac Purton (Luger) and Joao Moreira (Rapper Dragon) have just the one Derby victory to their credit from eight and five rides, respectively. Ryan Moore earned his first Derby wings last year atop Ping Hai Star, while the jockey in this year’s field with the most Derby starts is Craig Williams, who has a single second placing on Momentum in 2001. The jockey with the most Hong Kong Derby appearances? Gerald Mosse, with a record of 3-2-1 from 24 starters.

–Channeling Zac Brown Band: too obscure a reference, that? Derek Leung (who rode Beauty Generation to win the 2016 Hong Kong Mile) and Vincent Ho have their first Derby rides Sunday and should either win, they would become the first ‘homegrown’ (i.e. Chinese) rider to do so since Tony Cruz teamed with Makarpura Star back in 1995.

–The password is ‘Cosmopolitan’: The 14 horses in the Derby were bred in a half-dozen different countries–Australia (5), Brazil (1), England (2), Ireland (2), New Zealand (3) and USA (1).

 

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