Month: December 2023

‘One Of The Best’: Hong Kong Jockey Club Lights Up World Stage With International Races

Hong Kong Jockey Club's Chief Executive Officer Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges has praised the 2023 Longines Hong Kong International Races (HKIR) as “one of the best days of racing” Hong Kong has hosted.

 “In my humble opinion, I've been here now for 25 years and this was one of the best – if not the best – days of racing we have had in Hong Kong,” Engelbrecht-Bresges said.

“If I look at the situation after Covid, after we had last year already a good meeting, but today Hong Kong racing has established (itself) again on the global stage and has shown what sporting entertainment means.

A crowd of 65,252 – the largest Longines HKIR attendance since 2019 – flocked to Sha Tin.

On a day when Hong Kong racing shone on the international stage as local champions – Lucky Sweynesse (Hong Kong Sprint), Golden Sixty (Hong Kong Mile) and Romantic Warrior (Hong Kong Cup) – won three of the four elite Group 1 contests, France also extended its successful association with the “Turf World Championships” with Junko (Hong Kong Vase).

“When you look at the sporting performances, it was a fantastic win by Junko and Andre Fabre, who is one of the greatest supporters of Hong Kong racing,” Engelbrecht-Bresges said.

 Engelbrecht-Bresges thanked international and local owners, trainers and jockeys as well as Club staff for the staging of an unforgettable meeting.

 “I would like especially to thank the connections, because this would not be possible without the tremendous support from horsemen around the world,” Engelbrecht-Bresges said.

 Addressing Hong Kong's effort to win three of the four HKIR Group 1s for the second year in a row, Engelbrecht-Bresges said: “We had a sprint race where we had the best sprinter in the world (Lucky Sweynesse) establish himself after there was doubt. And I have witnessed this year two absolutely amazing performances, if you look at Equinox in Dubai and I had the pleasure to see Equinox in Japan.

 “I'm not saying the performance of Golden Sixty is the same as Equinox, but in the Mile I have very seldom seen the performance of a horse, an 8-year-old first time up drawn gate 14, and it was an absolutely brilliant ride by Vincent (Ho).

 “There was a lot of doubt how it would play out and it was a tactical masterpiece how the horse was positioned. When the horse accelerated, when you could hear the crowd cheering for the local champion, this was something which, in my view, was unforgettable.

 “Then probably the most exciting 2000m race (Hong Kong Cup) I have seen this year. Similar to the Cox Plate, where you had really top horses fighting it out at the top of the straight. That a Hong Kong horse (Romantic Warrior) won is good, but when you look at the form of Luxembourg, again sporting wise it was a fantastic performance.”

Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges
Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, chief executive officer of the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC photo)

 Hong Kong Jockey Club Executive Director, Racing Andrew Harding described Sunday's race meeting as “truly remarkable” with Ho's Longines International Jockeys' Championship as one of several highlights of the week.

 “The week indeed has had so many remarkable threads. I take Vincent's victory on Wednesday night (Dec. 6) in a field of literally superstars and it speaks to the depth of the Club's commitment to developing local talent,” he said.

 “We were proud of what we were able to achieve during the dark days of the pandemic. Today showed that in December Hong Kong is the place to be and that the eyes of the racing world turn to us.

 “I'm just so proud that we were able to show the world that Hong Kong is Asia's world city and we were able to give our visitors a fantastic week.”

Engelbrecht-Bresges thanked Club staff in staging the flagship meeting and for allowing Hong Kong to shine.

“We have a team dedicated to excellence and that makes the Jockey Club proud. It has shown today and the whole week that Hong Kong is back on the global stage and that Hong Kong racing is one of the global racing products which I feel as a city we should be proud of.”

Turnover on the meeting was HK$1.697 billion, which included a commingling turnover record for a 10-race Hong Kong meeting of HK$429.6 million.

The post ‘One Of The Best’: Hong Kong Jockey Club Lights Up World Stage With International Races appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Handicapping Contest Winner Tom Congalosi Prepares For New Venture In Horse Ownership At Horseshoe Indianapolis

With the close of racing for the 2023 season at Horseshoe Indianapolis comes a new venture for one individual. Tom Congalosi was the winner of the $30,000 ownership option of an Indiana yearling through Road to Louisville, a contest sponsored by Horseshoe Indianapolis and Indiana Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (ITOBA). Tom is now the owner of a new filly named Highspeed Justice, now in training for the 2024 racing season in Indiana.

“Never have I ever dreamed of owning a Thoroughbred horse,” said Tom. “Yet today we own Highspeed Justice, purchased at the yearling auction at Horseshoe Indy in October. Pictures after the auction show an owner with the biggest smile possible. You have to wonder about life and the many little coincidences that occur throughout. What a wonderful opportunity. Thank you, Eric (Halstrom), Pat (McGhee), Tim (Eggleston), and the entire Horseshoe Indy team for making this possible.”

Tom and his wife, Pat, reside in Georgetown, Ky. The retired supply chain manager has followed horse racing for decades and has had friends that have dabbled in ownership, but this is the first time he had crossed over into the sport as a participant.

Tom is the second winner of a horse from the Road to Louisville contest, which spanned 16 weeks from mid-January to the Kentucky Derby the first Saturday in May. Each week, horseplayers were tasked to select horses in a mock $2 Win-Place-Show format with points accumulating toward the final. Jeffrey Hampton was the overall winner of the $1,000 grand prize but did not opt in for the $30,000 horse option. Therefore, Tom, who finished second, was the recipient of $500 as prize money along with the option to purchase an Indiana yearling at the ITOBA Fall Sale in October. That's where Tom took the plunge into horse ownership when Highspeed Justice, a daughter of Harry's Holiday, was sold to him for $6,700. The remaining balance of the option will go into an account to pay for expenses for the filly, who sold as the fifth horse in the sales ring.

Prior to the sale, Tom chose Tim Eggleston to train his new acquisition. Highspeed Justice is currently at Eggleston's farm in southern Indiana and began her training regime at the beginning of December.

“We started with our Quarter Horse yearlings first and got them broke and then started in on our Thoroughbred yearlings the first of December,” explained Eggleston. “So far, we really like the filly Tom (Congalosi) bought at the sale. She seems very sensible and is getting settled in. I think he got a nice value for the price, and we are excited to see what she can do next summer.”

As far as venturing into unknown territory, Tom is adjusting to his new role in racing. The longtime horseplayer has a deep passion for the sport that appears to be expanding with the addition of Highspeed Justice.

“Tom (Congalosi) has been great so far,” added Eggleston. “He's really trying to educate himself on being an owner and trying to understand all the things that go on behind the scenes with the filly. He and his wife, Pat, plan to come up to the farm to see her over the winter, so we are excited to have him as part of our team.”

Tom and Pat are currently taking care of small details, from licensing to designing their silks, in preparation for the racing season at Horseshoe Indianapolis in 2024.

“We are excited to be part of ITOBA and joining the many members that have built careers around the horse breeding and racing industry. You're never too old to learn. We look forward to the Spring meet and watching High Speed Justice win her way to, wait a minute, I'm getting ahead of myself,” Tom laughed.

The Road to Louisville contest, with the horse option began in 2022 with Tony Bradshaw of Louisville, Ky. earning the $30,000 option toward the purchase of an Indiana yearling. He was able to get Jailhouse Justice from the ITOBA Sale, his top choice of the horses he looked at, for $8,000. Jailhouse Justice raced three times this season. At the conclusion of the meet, the contract ended, and Bradshaw opted to stay in as a partial owner with trainer Tony Granitz. Jailhouse Justice, who turned in an impressive start over the turf near the end of the meet, is slated to run at Tampa Bay this winter before returning to Indiana next spring.

The 22nd season of live Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing begins with a special Monday, April 8 racing program at 12 p.m. for the Total Solar Eclipse Day in the area. Racing extends through Thursday, Nov. 14. For more information on live racing at Horseshoe Indianapolis, visit www.caesars.com/horseshoe-indianapolis.

The post Handicapping Contest Winner Tom Congalosi Prepares For New Venture In Horse Ownership At Horseshoe Indianapolis appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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OBS Winter Mixed Sale Catalogue Online

The catalogue for the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Winter Mixed Sale is now online at www.obssales.com. The two-day sale is set for Jan. 23 and 24.

There are 248 yearlings cataloged by a diverse group of proven and promising sires, as well as mares in foal to an outstanding roster of up-and-coming sires. Supplemental entries are being accepted until Jan. 12. For supplement information and entries, visit JanuaryEntryForms.

The sale's first session begins at Jan. 23 at noon with hips numbers one through 122, plus supplements, catalogued in the Consignor Preferred Session. The Horses of Racing Age Session, catalogued as hips 201 through 265, plus supplements, begins immediately following the conclusion of the Preferred Session.

The Open Session, with hips 401 through 643, plus supplements, will begin Jan. 24, also at noon.

The Under Tack Show for the Horses of Racing Age Section is set for Jan. 22 at 9 a.m.

OBS will again offer online bidding during the Winter Mixed Sale. For complete information on registration and online bidding, visit obs-online-bidding.

The post OBS Winter Mixed Sale Catalogue Online appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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