Year: 2021

Loves Only You wins the 2021 Group 1 FWD QEII Cup. As the end of Loves Only You’s storied racing career approaches and the next chapter of her life beckons, trainer Yoshito Yahagi has his eyes firmly fixed on Sunday’s (12 December) HKD$30 million Group 1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m) at Sha Tin, hopeful of a fairy tale end for his globetrotting mare. “I’m just concentrating on her race in Hong Kong, so I don’t feel sad at the moment but probably after the race I will be sad,”…

Pixie Knight moves stylishly at Sha Tin. Hidetaka Otonashi hopes genetics plays a decisive role in the HKD$24 million Group 1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) at Sha Tin on Sunday (12 December) when the Japanese prodigy seeks to emulate the heroics of his sire, Maurice. A mercurial talent, Maurice annexed the Group 1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (1600m) in 2015 before adding the Group 1 Champions Mile and Group 1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m), demonstrating extraordinary talent while competing at home and abroad. Otonashi believes Pixie Knight has…

Christophe Soumillon puts Lei Papale through her paces Friday morning. Christophe Soumillon returns to the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races with a score to settle this Sunday (12 December) at Sha Tin after missing out on riding in last year’s end-of-year showcase due to an unfortunate COVID-19 mishap. Engaged to ride Normcore in the 2020 Group 1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m) and more, Soumillon was forced to watch on the sidelines as the grey captured Hong Kong’s most lucrative race under the hands of Zac Purton. While he missed…

Dubai Honour works on the dirt at Sha Tin. A firm Sha Tin track is the biggest concern British trainer William Haggas has for his exciting youngster Dubai Honour in the Group 1 HKD$30 million LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m) on Sunday (12 December). A question mark over the visitor’s ability to cope with fast ground is also shared by Dubai Honour’s jockey Tom Marquand who had success at Happy Valley on Wednesday night (8 December), riding one winner to finish second in a four-way tie in the LONGINES International…

Mogul wins LONGINES Hong Kong Vase last year. Last year’s Group 1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m) winner Mogul returns on Sunday (12 December) to defend his title and leads a three-pronged attack on International Day at Sha Tin from the formidable Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore training and riding combination. Mogul, a four-year-old son of Galileo, has not won in four starts since last year’s Hong Kong success. However, that victory was his third from as many runs right-handed at 2400 metres on good ground and jockey Moore believes…

Golden Sixty is bidding for 16-straight wins. Gearing up for his toughest test to date and the chance to create history, Hong Kong’s Horse of the Year Golden Sixty will step away from barrier two in Sunday’s (12 December) HKD$26 million Group 1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (1600m), much to the satisfaction of trainer Francis Lui at Thursday morning’s (9 December) barrier draw at Sha Tin. “He is all ready and we’re hoping that luck will come to my team and my owner – and to me too,” Lui said.…

Ebaiyra hits the Sha Tin dirt for a workout. One of the great training careers of the modern era will officially come to an end on 31 December when Alain de Royer-Dupre heads into retirement, the winner of more than 70 Group 1s around the world, including 19 French Classics. The man who will be forever identified with the careers of a stellar trio in Dalakhani, Pride and Zarkava, will send out Ebaiyra on Sunday (12 December) in the Group 1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m). All three of the…

Wellington streaks to Group 1 success last season. Richard Gibson hopes it will be a case of history repeats in the HKD$24 million Group 1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) at Sha Tin on Sunday (12 December) after his mercurial speedster Wellington drew gate 11 in a field of 12. Pitting his stable flagbearer against elite Japanese talents Pixie Knight, Resistencia and last year’s winner Danon Smash – as well as the best Hong Kong can muster – Gibson was hoping for a softer draw. The Englishman was fatalistic after…