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Soumillon Off Sunday Mounts In Hong Kong Pending More COVID-19 Tests

The Hong Kong Jockey Club has been informed by jockey Christophe Soumillon that he has been requested by the Department of Health to undergo further COVID-19 tests.

It is unknown at this stage when the testing will be completed and when Soumillon will be released from quarantine.

Soumillon was licensed by the club on the basis that he would undergo a mandatory 14 days' quarantine under the compulsory quarantine of persons arriving at Hong Kong from foreign places regulation (Cap. 599E). Soumillon arrived at Hong Kong on Nov. 26 and commenced this 14 days' quarantine.

Despite having cleared his initial COVID-19 test on his arrival, he has yet to receive an unconditional release from quarantine in order to ride on this coming Sunday.

The Club has taken advice from its chief medical officer. Given these circumstances the stewards have decided to stand him down from Sunday's riding engagements. The club is in the process of informing the relevant connections. The change of riders will be published in due course.

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Tommy Barrow, 88, Passes; Rode Handicap Star Hillsdale To Major Wins In 1959

Jockey Tommy Barrow, best known for his handling of multiple stakes winner Hillsdale in the late 1950s, died Nov. 18 in Louisville, Ky., at the age of 88.

Barrow rode the Detroit and New England circuits until owner Clarence Smith and trainer Marty Fallon gave him an opportunity to ride Hillsdale, an Indiana-bred purchased by Smith while the horse was in training at Fair Grounds in New Orleans, according to Whitney Tower in Sports Illustrated.Tower described Barrow as a “five-foot 6 1/2-inch stringbean.”

Barrow made the most of it, riding against top jockeys like Eddie Arcaro and Bill Shoemaker and winning big races aboard the son of Take Away, including a sweep of what became known as Santa Anita's Strub Series (the Malibu, San Fernando and Santa Anita Maturity – the latter race, which became the Charles H. Strub Stakes, was Barrow's first “hundred-grander.” They also teamed up to win the Hollywood Gold Cup Handicap at Hollywood Park, then headed east for an eventual match with top 3-year-old Sword Dancer and reigning champion handicap horse Round Table in the Woodward at Aqueduct.

Coming into the stretch of the Woodward, Hillsdale held a narrow advantage over Round Table and Barrow allowed his horse to drift off the rail a bit, thinking Arcaro and Sword Dancer would have to go wider still. But Arcaro waited until there was a narrow opening along the rail and pushed Sword Dancer through, going on to a hard-fought win over Hillsdale in what would be his final race. The defeat denied Hillsdale championship honors that year and he retired with earnings of nearly $650,000.

Born Thomas Gorie Barrow on Aug. 19, 1932, in Orlando, Fla., and raised on a farm in nearby Arcadia, Barrow rode Quarter Horses as a boy until someone introduced him to Thoroughbreds. He left home for the racetrack at 15, according to Marty McGee writing in Daily Racing Form, and won with his first mount on Sept. 21, 1948, at defunct Lincoln Downs in Rhode Island. Over the years he won riding titles at Churchill Downs in Kentucky, Rockingham Park in New Hampshire, Detroit Race Course and Hazel Park in Michigan and Gulfstream Park in Florida.

Barrow rode into his late 50s, primarily in the Midwest and New England, but never had the opportunity to ride another horse like Hillsdale, retiring in 1991 with 2,627 victories from 21,061 mounts, according to Equibase.

Barrow had resided in an assisted living facility for several years in Louisville, Ky.

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AAEP Honors Regulatory Vet Dr. Mary Scollay With 2020 Distinguished Service Award

The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) honored a longtime volunteer leader within the association and strident advocate for the welfare of racehorses and the integrity of racing when presenting the 2020 Distinguished Service Award to Mary Scollay, DVM.

The Distinguished Service Award honors exemplary service to the AAEP or a similar organization to the benefit of the horse, horse industry or profession of equine veterinary medicine. Dr. Scollay was recognized Dec. 9 during the AAEP's 2020 Annual Convention & Trade Show, held virtually.

A 1984 graduate of the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Scollay is currently serving her fourth term on the AAEP's Racing Committee, having initially joined the committee in 1997. She contributes to racing broadcasts as an On Call veterinary spokesperson and is co-author of several consequential AAEP white papers on racehorse health and welfare as well as related reference documents for equine veterinarians. Beyond her racing contributions, Dr. Scollay also serves on the AAEP's Professional Conduct & Ethics Committee, and she previously chaired the Infectious Disease Committee and served on the Equine Welfare Committee.

Dr. Scollay is executive director and COO of the Lexington, Ky.-based Racing Medication and Testing Consortium, which focuses on research, education and advocacy for science-based initiatives that promote the health and safety of racehorses and the integrity of competition. Prior to joining the RMTC in 2019, Dr. Scollay spent 11 years as the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission's first equine medical director and 13 years as senior association veterinarian at Calder Race Course and Gulfstream Park in south Florida. While in Florida, she conceptualized and developed the forerunner to The Jockey Club's Equine Injury Database, to which she has served as a veterinary consultant since its launch in 2008.

“With her unwavering philosophy that the health and welfare of the horse remains paramount above all else, Dr. Scollay has provided many years of outstanding service to the veterinary profession, steadfast dedication to the equine industry, and deep commitment to the mission of the AAEP,” said nominator Dr. Patricia Marquis.

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Zac Purton Claims International Jockeys’ Championship; Hollie Doyle First Woman To Win IJC Race

Zac Purton has claimed ultimate honors in the HK$800,000 (US$103,200) LONGINES International Jockeys' Championship on Wednesday at Happy Valley after clinching a tense contest from Joao Moreira in a dramatic finale to the four-race series.

Tied with Moreira on 18 points heading into the deciding race of the contest, Purton collected an invaluable two after dead-heating for third aboard Flying Bonus with Wind N Grass (Tom Marquand).

Moreira, who needed to finish ahead of Purton in the championship-deciding contest to add another accolade to his bulging collection, crossed the line in sixth place on Cue The Music, failing to improve his score.

On a landmark evening when Hollie Doyle became the first woman in history to win a leg of the of International Jockeys' Championship on David Hayes' Harmony N Blessed, Purton totaled 20 points under the 12-6-4 point format to deny Moreira (18).

Doyle and Alexis Badel were tied for third with 12 points each after Badel's victory on Gallant Crown.

Hong Kong's reigning champion jockey, Purton posted a treble at the meeting while also earning HK$500,000 (about US$65,000) – the richest prize in racing for competition of this type – as LONGINES IJC champion.

Tony Millard pocketed the HK$200,000 (US$25,800) bonus as the most successful trainer of the series after notching a double with Gallant Crown and Gift Of Lifeline in the third leg, who was ridden by Purton in the pair's first successful collaboration since 2015.

Now a two-time champion after success in 2017, Purton was elated with the timely success ahead of the prestige LONGINES Hong Kong International Races at Sha Tin on Sunday, Dec. 13.

“In a competition like this when there's so much on the line, it certainly feels nice to have won it again, it's another moment that I'll cherish,” he said.

“I didn't start off too well but we built into it after that. Like I've been saying for quite some time now, barriers win races and unfortunately for me it seems have been going on for months.

“I've been drawing such bad barriers, every meeting, it's making so difficult to be competitive.

“Then I come here tonight and, as I said, they weren't the best rides in the race but the barriers gave them the chance to be competitive. I just needed a bit of luck and things went my way.”

Moreira set the early tone with a measured ride on Gouten Of Garo in the opening race of the contest, logging maximum points in the Class 4 contest for trainer David Ferraris.

“This horse actually surprised all of us,” Moreira said. “On paper, he didn't look like he was much of a chance.

“But David has done his job very well and he sent his horse out in great shape and he just delivered what he has got best.

“Up in class, we were not that confident. But I am pleased to be wrong.”

Badel was chuffed to land the second leg for Millard with Gallant Crown, who staved off Fearless Fire (Purton) and Maldives (Pierre-Charles Boudot).

“I'm glad to win for him (Millard), he's been a great supporter so far all this season and I'm glad he had such an important win tonight,” said the Frenchman, who is relishing his third stint based in Hong Kong.

“He (Gallant Crown) is a very good horse to pick up, he showed 1650 (meters) was perfect for him.”

Purton thrust his way into contention with a clinical display on Gift Of Lifeline in the third leg, prevailing in his first ride for Millard since June of 2017.

Moreira claimed a vital six points by finishing second on Smiling City for a share of the lead ahead of the finale as defending champion Karis Teetan earned four points with third placing on Helene Wisdom Star.

Hollie Doyle drives Harmony N Blessed to victory in the final leg of the IJC.

Doyle, only the third woman to contest the International Jockeys' Championship after Emma-Jayne Wilson (2007) and Chantal Sutherland (2009), delivered strongly supported Harmony N Blessed – but much of the focus was on the action behind her as Purton and Moreira dueled to the line.

“It's amazing,” Doyle said. “It's just great to be here and it's the icing on the cake.

“He's a very, big strong horse. I think he's got a good future ahead of him.”

The 12 jockeys involved in the contest – six from Hong Kong and six from Great Britain and Europe – all praised the Hong Kong Jockey Club's balanced ride allocation.

The system was devised by Australian expert form analyst Dominic Beirne.

“There have been a lot of good story lines out of tonight and I think the new system gave a lot of jockeys in the room a bit of confidence,” Purton said. “I could feel the enthusiasm in the room and everyone was keen to go out there and give themselves a chance.

“Hollie winning a race was another highlight and Tony winning the trainers' bonus and me being able to seal it for him. Hopefully we broke ice there and we can put our long run of outs behind us and just get on with business.”

On a glorious evening for Purton, he posted his 1200th win in Hong Kong after saluting on Run The Table in the Class 5 Australia Handicap and Speedy Optimist in the Class 5 Brazil Handicap, although he had to share honors in the latter after a dead-heat with Frenchman Alexis Badel aboard Great Harvest.

Purton is only the second jockey to reach the 1200-win milestone in Hong Kong. Record-holder Douglas Whyte (1813) is the other.

A four-time winner of the Hong Kong jockeys' championship, Purton rode his first winner in the jurisdiction in 2007.

Racing continues on Sunday with the glittering LONGINES Hong Kong International Races at Sha Tin.

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