Hong Kong Jockey Club | Horse Racing Free Tips

Medaglia d’Oro Gelding Golden Sixty Extends Hong Kong Win Streak To 13

Golden Sixty extended his unbeaten run to 13 straight wins with victory in Sunday's Group 1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup at Sha Tin.

However, Hong Kong's highest rated horse was forced to spare no effort as he scrambled to add a third consecutive Group 1 to his glittering record which now stands at 16 wins from 17 starts, four shy of Silent Witness' record 17 consecutive wins.

Dropped out to his customary position at the rear of the field, the Medaglia d'Oro gelding began his surge in the straight but the challenge from Furore on the inside required jockey Vincent Ho to call on everything that Golden Sixty could give and, it proved just enough as he prevailed by a short head, the smallest margin of any of his wins.

“I was quite confident that I would stay ahead of them but we fought hard – it wasn't easy, it was a bit unexpected to be that close. I was just worried about the horse to the inside of him because Golden Sixty laid in a bit, he would have won easier if he didn't do that,” Ho said.

“Once he went past Exultant he wanted to lay in – it made it difficult for me but it's still a victory,” the 30-year-old added.

Sunday's win was both a first in the Gold Cup for trainer Francis Lui and jockey Vincent Ho.

“I think you can't really change the horse's character – when he passed the third horse (Exultant), Golden Sixty thinks he has finished the job, but there's another horse on the inside,” Lui said.

Now rated 131, Golden Sixty is only two wins shy of Beauty Generation's single-season record of eight and, he has the first two legs of Hong Kong's Triple Crown in the bag after claiming last month's G1 Stewards' Cup.

“I will think about the third leg of the Triple Crown, we also have a race in April in mind,” Lui said referencing FWD Champions Day.

The third and final leg of the Triple Crown is the G1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup on 23 May and, if successful stepping up to 12 furlongs in three months' time, he could become the second horse after River Verdon in the 1993/94 racing season to win the Triple Crown.

Horse of the Year Exultant battled into third place under Zac Purton, while Glorious Dragon sealed fourth under Matthew Poon behind him, the second of the Lui-trained runners.

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HKJC Granted Additional Simulcast Days

The Hong Kong SAR Government has granted the Hong Kong Jockey Club permission to increase its maximum number of simulcast days per year by 14 days, from 23 to 37, and for simulcast days to take place during the summer beginning this year. This new arrangement will address the demand of Hong Kong residents to bet on overseas races during the nation's summer break in racing, and should also help curtail illegal betting. The HKJC said the change will also promote the globalization of horse racing.

A statement from the Hong Kong Jockey Club on Wednesday read, “During the summer break of Hong Kong's racing, it is the peak season of overseas racing particularly in Europe, and the illegal and offshore bookmakers have taken advantage of this time gap to lure Hong Kong people to place bets on overseas races. As such, the approval of extra simulcast days in the summer will effectively address the existing illegal gambling issues while at the same time generate additional betting duty as well as charities donations, and create additional job opportunities which will benefit the Hong Kong community as a whole.”

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Magical 1000 Wins For Moreira

Hong Kong champion jockey Joao ‘Magic Man’ Moreira became only the third jockey in Hong Kong history to ride 1,000 winners on the island. The Brazilian was successful aboard Incanto Prepared (NZ) (Per Incanto) in the Class 4 Uranus H. over 1650 metres at Happy Valley on Wednesday. He joins 13-time champion Douglas Whyte (1813) and fellow champion Zac Purton (1209) in this elite millennial club.

“I can only describe it as a dream come true because I never dreamed that, to be honest, and I would never think that I could get to that mark in Hong Kong, knowing the place is such a tough place,” Moreira told the Hong Kong Jockey Club notes team. “I didn’t get there by myself–I had great support behind my back, pushing forward in all ways.

“Of course, good horses make the jockeys’ life much easier and I would describe the horses as the ones who make my life such a special life. I really enjoy doing what I do and I’m very pleased and glad to get to such a mark, a mark I never dreamed to get to–it’s very meaningful.

“I must dedicate this to my family, my wife [Taciana], my kids, my brothers and sisters and my mum, who are no doubt cheering for me to get to this mark and without their support, I would say I could never reach to this mark. Support is always the main thing behind the scenes.”

Moreira currently is on top of the Hong Kong jockey standings with 56 wins this season. Earlier in his career, he hit the 1000-win mark in South America, and was also a four-time Singapore champion reinsman from 2010-2013. He earned his first Hong Kong laurel in 2014/15 and repeated twice more so far, in 2015/16 and 2016/17.

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‘Happy To Get Out Of The Bubble’: Soumillon Emerges From COVID-19 Quarantine To Ride In Hong Kong

Sidelined from two of the most prestigious meetings in the world because of COVID-19, Belgian ace Christophe Soumillon is anxious to make up for lost opportunities – and time – when he resumes with a full book of rides at Sha Tin on Sunday, Dec. 20.

Diagnosed with COVID-19 shortly before the Breeders' Cup meeting at Keeneland on Nov. 7, the 10-time French champion surrendered a winning ride on Tarnawa in the US$4 million Breeders' Cup Turf.

Salting the wound, Soumillon also watched Order Of Australia – another confirmed mount – post an upset victory in the US$2 million Breeders' Cup Mile.

Unable to gain clearance to leave quarantine as scheduled in Hong Kong because of health protocols, Soumillon then forfeited the ride on Normcore, who claimed the HK$28 million LONGINES Hong Kong Cup under Zac Purton.

Compounding the situation, Soumillon also lost the winning ride on Lucky Patch at Sha Tin at the same meeting.

But, exhibiting an attitude which has impressed his peers and Hong Kong Jockey Club officials, Soumillon is squarely fixed on future positives rather than pondering negatives from the past.

“I knew they (Normcore and Lucky Patch) were gonna run well, probably win. I was ready to see, even a bit, Admire Mars fighting with Golden Sixty. That didn't happen,” he said after the Happy Valley trials this morning (Dec. 18).

“But, anyway, I came here to try my best. I knew had some good rides. Last Wednesday, at Happy Valley, I lost five winners, so the same.

“I'm coming here to compete and do my best. Unfortunately, the rules are the rules.

“I get positively tested in the US.

“I already lost this year the Breeders' Cup, I could win the French Derby, I could win the Arc. I could win many big races and I couldn't be on the horse at the right time some times because we didn't take the greatest decision and sometimes because you get the COVID-19.

“But some people are very sick and couldn't get back well after getting the disease, so it doesn't matter.

“I work enough to know that if I keep going like this, I will find other big winners in the future.

“I lost something, but I learnt different things so it's gonna make me stronger at the end of the day.

“Hopefully I'm gonna get some good rides on some very good horses, that's the target at the end.

“I just want to go back riding races, going to the winners' circle and doing what I do best.”

Such is Soumillon's appeal among owners and trainers, he is fully booked through Jan. 1, 2021, starting with a complement of 10 rides on Sunday.

“Really happy to get out of the bubble, finally I can do what I really love every day – riding horses and competing with other jockeys,” he said.

“Very excited to be racing on Sunday and my feelings are very good. I'm fit and well and ready to go.”

Proving every cloud has a silver lining, Soumillon has used the time in isolation pro-actively, building fitness and spending hours poring over replays and form.

“Because I was locked up for more than two weeks now, maybe three (weeks), I've had the time to look at the races properly and analyze every horse's trackwork and the way they are improving a lot,” he said.

“It was quite good in that way.

“My first two race days are fully booked and it's the same now until the first of January, so I feel a lot of good support from the owners and trainers.

“I just hope now I can do my job again, like I did before.”

Soumillon is hopeful Ballistic King is among his best chances to add to his tally of 110 Hong Kong winners in the Class 2 Bellflower Handicap (1400m).

“We didn't have the best draw (barrier 9), but the horse looks in form,” he said.

“He got beat not far away the last few races, just hoping he can jump out of the gates quite well.

“He looks a bit of a one-paced horse but he looks in form. I think he's going to run good.”

Synonymous with Hong Kong top-liners Viva Pataca, Bullish Luck, Good Ba Ba and Perfect Partner, Soumillon will belatedly start a two-month contract, grateful to be heading back into the fray.

“The opportunity is great, but unfortunately I got the disease,” he said.

“Now I'm fine, I'm 100 percent right I just hope things will go back as they to normal.”

Soumillon partners Bella Baby, Smart Thinker, Glenealy Generals, King Dragon, Resolute, Speed Fay Fay, Super Power Man, Winning For All, Perfect To Great and Ballistic King.

Sunday's 10-race fixture kicks off at 1pm with the Class 5 Sunflower Handicap (1000m).

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