Tag: Hong Kong

‘It Could All Happen Again’: Marquand A Live Chance In IJC Title Defence

The Longines International Jockeys' Championship (IJC) is the premier event of its kind in the world, and with good reason, as it brings together 12 of the most-accomplished riders from all corners of the globe vying for the winner's share of the HK$800,000 (£81,120/$102,320) prizemoney on offer.

The IJC, the true start of Longines Hong Kong International Races festivities, takes place annually at iconic Happy Valley Racecourse on Hong Kong Island, its tight turns and unique configuration offering up additional challenges, especially for jockeys based outside of Hong Kong.

Britain's Tom Marquand is one of four previous IJC winners in the mix Wednesday evening, joining Ryan Moore, Zac Purton and Karis Teetan, and looks to record his second victory in the event. The 25-year-old reinsman, whose wife Hollie Doyle finished on the IJC podium in 2020 (third) and again in 2021 (second) and also takes her chances this time around, is looking forward to perhaps winning the title outright, after sharing the spoils with Silvestre de Sousa 12 months ago.

“Last year was a bit turbulent but it's fantastic to be back,” said Marquand, who just last month won his first Breeders' Cup race in his first ride aboard Big Evs (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) in the Grade I Juvenile Turf Sprint. “It was great to win with Silvestre. You'd always rather win it on your own, but it's better to take it home with someone else than not at all.

“It looks like I've got a good enough book of rides that if things fall right it could all happen again, but it's a tough evening of racing and it's highly competitive.”

Marquand has two of his rides in the four-race competition for trainer Caspar Fownes, who has posted more wins at Happy Valley than any other trainer, and one each for Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro)'s conditioner Francis Lui and Ricky Yiu. The latter sends out top-weighted and 79-rated Splendid Living (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) in the third leg–carded as race seven–a Class 3 (80-60) over the 1650 metres. The 6-year-old gelding has a record of 4-3-1 from 10 runs over course and distance, but will need his best with the big weight and a tricky draw in 10.

Doyle is one of two females in the field and is joined British transplant and now Australian-based Rachel King. The 33-year-old showed that she could mix it with foreign riders in Japan's World All-Stars Jockeys, going down by a point to Mirai Iwata.

“Last time I was here I went and watched some races at Happy Valley, I'd just ridden in an amateur ladies' flat race in Macau,” King said.” So, it's been a bit of a journey to where I am now.

“I'm really looking forward to it, hopefully I'll have a few decent rides in there as well. Zac (Purton) was giving me a few little pointers, there are plenty of good people to learn from. I'll just try to get as much information as I can.”

Kazakhstan-born Bauyrzhan Murzabayev also makes his first IJC appearance off a strong season in France, during which he rode 60 winners–including 12 in black-type competition–for the legendary Andre Fabre. Like Marquand and Doyle, the four-time German and three-time Czech champion, jets in from Japan, where he is riding on a short-term contract for the second straight season.

“I am very lucky to have spent a year riding for Andre Fabre, who for me is a great trainer,” says Murzabayev. “I learned a lot from him and it was a good experience.

“I think I learn new tracks and places pretty quickly. But if somebody had told me 10 years ago 'you will be riding in all these top races,' I'm not sure I would have believed them.”

Also participating are Moore, James McDonald, Mickael Barzalona and Yuga Kawada from overseas, while Lyle Hewitson and Vincent Ho join Purton and Teetan in representing Hong Kong.

The IJC begins with the evening's fourth race at Happy Valley at 8.10pm local time (12.10pm GMT, 7.10am US Eastern Time). Click here for the race card.

 

The post ‘It Could All Happen Again’: Marquand A Live Chance In IJC Title Defence appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Jockey Club Meeting Serves As HKIR Appetizer

While two-time Horse of the Year Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) and Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) are not taking part in Sunday's Jockey Club races, the majority of the jurisdiction's remaining top gallopers will line up to take their chances in the trio of local lead-ups to the Longines Hong Kong International Races in three weeks' time.

One horse not missing in action this weekend is champion sprinter Lucky Sweynesse (NZ) (Sweynesse {Aus}), who is somewhat remarkably in search of a first victory in his third start of his current preparation. The 5-year-old, who won the G2 Jockey Club Sprint at a remarkable $4.50 (7-2) last year and was a troubled sixth in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint, has been second at each of his two starts this term under handicap conditions and carries a five-pound penalty here, but is still far better off in the weights and should be able to strut his stuff with regular rider Zac Purton up.

After giving some consideration to prepping in the G2 Jockey Club Mile, the connections of Golden Sixty ultimately decided to go first-up in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile, a race he won in 2020 and 2021. California Spangle (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) lowered his colors on international day last December and will be tough to reel in facing just four rivals Sunday. Hugh Bowman rode the 5-year-old to a weight-carrying victory in the G2 Sha Tin Trophy H. when returning to action Oct. 15, but having been injured in a spill last weekend, Matthew Chadwick takes over in the saddle for trainer Tony Cruz.

Having only recently cleared quarantine following his historic victory in the G1 W S Cox Plate, Romantic Warrior is also in absentia this weekend, leaving a field of nine to contest the G2 Jockey Club Cup over the 2000 metres. Chadwick has the call aboard last year's HH The Amir's Trophy hero Russian Emperor (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) for Douglas Whyte and should strip fitter for his comebacking 10th in the Sha Tin Trophy. Sword Point (Aus) (American Pharoah), an impressive course-and-distance winner in Class 2 in July, also makes his second start of the season after finishing sixth, beaten under a length, at the top of C2 over 1800 metres Oct. 22. He'll tote 123 pounds this time after carrying 135 on his return to the races.

The post Jockey Club Meeting Serves As HKIR Appetizer appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

‘It Could Open the Doors for More Asian Owners in Ireland and Britain’

Hong Kong-based owner Sean Wee Gan, who recorded a Group race breakthrough with Inquisitively (GB) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}) at Newmarket this month, has revealed that the classy 2-year-old will not race again in Europe and will continue his career in Hong Kong.

Wee Gan purchased Rascal Recknell (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) for 215,000gns through Inquisitively's trainer Kevin Philippart de Foy and bloodstock agent Sam Wright at the Tattersalls Autumn Horses-In-Training Sale off the back of that success.

Wright, who bought the G3 Cornwallis S. winner Inquisitively on behalf of the owner after the colt finished third for trainer Ollie Sangster in the Windsor Castle S. at Royal Ascot, says there is an opening for more Asian owners to buy and race younger horses in Europe before shipping them to Hong Kong.

Wright said, “This experience could open the doors for more Asian-based owners to run horses in Ireland and the UK, particularly as two-year-olds, before bringing them over to Hong Kong. “We could see more people doing that in the future. I do think that there's good value, particularly in Ireland and the UK.”

Reflecting on the Cornwallis win, he continued, “This is the first horse I have bought Sean. I was introduced to Sean when I visited Hong Kong and it was decided after I found this horse at Royal Ascot that, once he was purchased, he would be transferred to Kevin Philippart De Foy.

“I worked with Kevin at Christophe Clement's in 2015 and 2016. Once that decision was made, we basically left it up to Kevin to decide if we'd race him or just keep him ticking over. Kevin put some good works into Inquisitively and said that he could go on to be quite competitive in black-type races.

“As we saw, he went straight for a listed when the horse was still a maiden but he delivered. After York, the weather took a change and it was hard to find nice ground but we took a chance and ran him at Newmarket and I'm glad it all paid off.”

Inquisitively is not the first horse that Wee Gan has sourced from Europe. One of his first horses, Carbon Fibre (Ire) (Helmet {Aus}), whose name was changed to First Responder when he arrived in Hong Kong, was bought out of Michael O'Callaghan's yard after he finished second to Ten Sovereigns in a Curragh maiden.

That was a contributing factor in Wee Gan's interests being piqued with Inquisitively as he had been following the progress of Ten Sovereigns ever since the multiple Group 1 winner made that scintillating debut.

Wee Gan said, “We were very lucky that Sam found us a good horse. After I saw Inquisitively finish third at Ascot, I became very interested because, at the same time, I had been tracking the progeny of Ten Sovereigns.

“My first horse in Hong Kong raced under the name First Responder. Before that, when he was trained in Ireland, he was named Carbon Fibre and finished second to Ten Sovereigns at the Curragh. Not to mention that the sire of Ten Sovereigns is by No Nay Never, who is very popular in Hong Kong.”

On future plans for Inquisitively, he added, “This horse is destined for Hong Kong. I kept him in Britain because he is such a young horse, he's only a two-year-old and, in Hong Kong, we don't have two-year-old races.

“I have learned from my experience. I had a horse last year from Ireland and he came here as a two-year-old. The trainer was keeping him on ice as he couldn't race against older horses. That's why I kept Inquisitively in the UK, because he can have a few races before he comes to Hong Kong. We were lucky that he won the listed at York and then the Group 3 at Newmarket.”

In many ways, Rascal Recknell boasts a similar profile to Inquisitively being an unexposed two-year-old. He will eventually be shipped to Hong Kong with Wee Gan explaining how he is on the search for more equine talent.

He said, “I told Sam to try and get me another one like Inquisitively. This horse is owned by a syndication but the next ones I might own myself.

“I have two horses of my own in Hong Kong. They are all called Coulourful something. We had a runner last week called Colourful Prince (NZ) and we also have Colourful Emperor (Ire).

“Then I have horses with a syndicate. We are all St John Ambulance members. The first horse, who we have now retired, was called First Responder. When Inquisitively comes to Hong Kong, he will be called Fast Responder.”

The post ‘It Could Open the Doors for More Asian Owners in Ireland and Britain’ appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Longines HKIR Draw Entries From a Dozen Countries

The 2023 Longines Hong Kong International Races meeting to be held at Sha Tin Racecourse Sunday, Dec. 10, has attracted some 189 entries–including a whopping 68 from Japan–from a total of 12 racing jurisdictions. The four Group 1 races, collectively deemed the 'World Turf Championships, will offer record prizemoney of HK$118 million (£12.4 million/€14.3 million/A$23.8 million/US$15.1 million).

The entries include no fewer than 55 Group 1 winners from around the globe, including Sunday Racing's exciting Japanese Triple Tiara winner Liberty Island (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}), who was given the option of the G1 Longines Hong Kong Vase over the 2400 metres or the 2000 metres of the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup, the world's richest turf race at the distance at HK$36 million. Though her participation in Hong Kong hinges on her performance in the G1 Japan Cup just two weekends prior, she would in all likelihood face defending champion Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), fourth in the Oct. 7 G1 Turnbull S. at Flemington and current ante-post favourite for Saturday's G1 Cox Plate at Moonee Valley. Sunday's high-quality renewal of the G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) could also produce a runner or two for the Cup in the form of Do Deuce (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}), Jack d'Or (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}) and/or Tastiera (Jpn) (Satono Crown {Jpn}).

Aidan O'Brien has 13 horses under his care that are among the HKIR entries, including G1 St Leger hero Continuous (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}), who is also penciled in for a start in the Japan Cup and has entries for both the Cup and the Vase. Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) and Cox Plate entrant Victoria Road (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) are also possible for the Cup, while Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) may try to regroup in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile after struggling in the bottomless ground on Champion Day at Ascot Oct. 21. The Hong Kong-owned and Ralph Beckett-trained Kinross (GB) (Kingman {GB}), a likely marquee ride at the meeting for Frankie Dettori, is entered for the Mile, where he could clash with two-time winner and multiple Horse of the Year Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro), as well as the talented California Spangle (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), who served notice with a weight-carrying victory in the G2 Sha Tin Trophy H. when first-up for nearly six months on Oct. 15.

 

Highfield Princess (Fr) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) has eschewed a return trip to America for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint in favour of an appearance in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint. The 6-year-old mare could square off there with champion local sprinter Lucky Sweynesse (NZ) (Sweynesse {Aus}), who endured a luckless passage in last year's renewal in finishing sixth to Wellington (Aus) (All Too Hard {Aus}). The latter is now conditioned by Jamie Richards, in his second season in Hong Kong, and who has assumed training duties with the retirement of Richard Gibson. Simca Mille (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}) is a potential HKIR raider from France, having defeated fellow Vase entry Sisfahan (Fr) (Isfahan {Ger}) in the G1 Grosser Preis von Berlin in August.

Since the easing of COVID-related travel restrictions, the connections of Australian-based horses have been more willing to consider HKIR as a post-Melbourne Cup Carnival option, and such is the case this year, as 23 horses have been entered across the four races. The lot is headed up by last year's Melbourne Cup upsetter Gold Trip (Fr) (Outstrip {GB}), four-times Group 1 winner Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars {Aus}) and the ultra-consistent Annabel Neasham-trained Zaaki (GB) (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}), each of whom are among the 12-strong Cox Plate field on Saturday.

A relatively bulky 10-horse entry from North America includes the Bill Mott-trained multiple Grade I winners War Like Goddess (English Channel) and Casa Creed (Jimmy Creed), while trainer Mark Casse is also represented by a pair in Fev Rover (Ire) (Gutaifan {Ire}) and Get Smokin (Get Stormy).

Three-time Group 1 winner Sharp 'n' Smart (NZ) (Redwood {GB}) is the lone entrant from New Zealand, while Singapore's best Lim's Kosciuzsko (Aus) (Kermadec {NZ}) and Famous Jonathon (NZ) (Deep Field {Aus}) from Macau have also been entered.

 

The post Longines HKIR Draw Entries From a Dozen Countries appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights