The Hong Kong end of season rating review is used as an opportunity to re-examine the ratings of all horses in training in advance of the next racing season
John Size collected his 11th champion trainer title and Zac Purton his third champion jockey trophy at the end of an action-packed 11-race card today (Sunday, 14 July) at Sha Tin, which capped a captivating 2018/19 Hong Kong racing season.
Karis Teetan reached a Hong Kong milestone in race three at Sha Tin on Sunday when Have Fun Together became his 300th winner. The 17/1 shot took the Class 4 All You Wish Handicap (1400m) to help himself and trainer Caspar Fownes to a treble apiece.
John Size had a two-win lead over John Moore going into Hong Kong’s 2018/19 season finale at Sha Tin on Sunday afternoon. When the last horse crossed the line 11 races later, that advantage had extended to three and an 11th premiership was his.
New Zealand-bred superstar Beauty Generation claimed the Hong Kong Horse of the Year award for the second year in a row at a sparkling ceremony held at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel tonight, Friday, 12 July.
John Size goes into the final meeting of the Hong Kong season with a two-win advantage over rival John Moore in what has developed into a thrilling battle for the trainers’ championship.
Zac Purton is playing down his chances of making history at Sha Tin on Sunday when he will need to ride five winners to top Joao Moreira’s record of 170 wins in a Hong Kong season.
Zac Purton arrived at Happy Valley on Wednesday night knowing that he must maintain his impressive momentum if he is to stand any chance of surpassing Moreira’s record of 170 wins in a Hong Kong season. A double during the evening took his tally to 166.
Hong Kong racing will offer record prize money of HK$1.3 billion for the 2019/20 season. Lucrative increases to FWD Champions Day’s three Group 1 races and the BMW Hong Kong Derby feature among the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s upward adjustments revealed on Tuesday.
John Moore is in voluble mode, confident in his expressions, bullish in what he sees as the probability that his stable warriors will deliver an eighth champion trainer title.
Leading rider Zac Purton had to settle for second in Sunday afternoon’s feature at Sha Tin as Classic Unicorn (116lb) made it two from two in the afternoon’s feature, the Class 3 Members Cup Handicap (1000m).
Zac Purton has Joao Moreira’s single season record back in his sights after a blitzing six-timer at Sha Tin on Sunday took the champion jockey to within striking range.
A son of Kodiac topped the Hong Kong International Sale (July) held at the Sha Tin Racecourse Parade Ring on Friday night as 20 lots sold for an aggregate of HK$48.8 million.
Chris So’s exciting youngster Classic Unicorn (116lb) will aim to build on his impressive debut win when he takes his place in the Class 3 Members Cup Handicap (1000m) at Sha Tin on Sunday.
Aldo Domeyer has made a rapid advance since arriving in Hong Kong at the start of May and he annexed his first Hong Kong treble when the promising Not Usual Talent took the finale at Happy Valley on Wednesday night.
Zac Purton followed a four-timer at Sha Tin last weekend with a double at Happy Valley on Wednesday night that began with victory on the promising Reliable Team. Frankie Lor’s three-year-old made it two from two
Zac Purton has conceded that Joao Moreira’s record of 170 wins in a season is likely beyond his reach but the champion jockey is certainly not easing down through the final four fixtures as he continues to stack up a mighty personal best.
John Moore has December’s G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint on Aethero’s agenda after Hong Kong’s potential next big thing toyed with his rivals in the Class 3 Riding High Together Handicap (1200m) at Sha Tin on Monday.
