Put Faith in Heroic Purton to start 2023 with a Flash January 3, 2023 NO PRIZES for guessing reigning champion Zac Purton is the jockey to follow when racing resumes for the first time in 2023 at Happy Valley on Wednesday. The five-time HK champion, who celebrated his 40th birthday yesterday, has surprisingly only six rides on the nine-race programme, but all can be given first-rate chances. With a [...]
Chung to build on recent success with Villa Fionn January 3, 2023 WITH a field consisting of some pretty ordinary middle-distance performers, and many looking past their sell-by dates, division one of the Tsun Yip Handicap (11:45am) over the extended mile at Happy Valley won’t take much winning. Newcomer Eighteen Palms will be the focus of attention, especially with Zac Purton in the saddle, after leading all [...]
Keefy can land knockout blow in third Beautyverse duel December 23, 2022 ROUND three of the match-up between KEEFY and Beautyverse sees the two exciting four-year-olds go head-to-head in the Poinsettia Handicap (9.45am) over a mile. The scores stand at one apiece, after the former South Australian Derby winner Beautyverse beat Keefy on his debut over a mile last month, but the latter then gained revenge in [...]
Ho to bring home the festive cheer on Dinkum and Warrior December 23, 2022 FROM a personal view there was no Christmas cheer at Happy Valley on Wednesday, when both selections finished runner-up, but both should have won! Hopefully the gods of fortune will smile more kindly when racing at Sha Tin gets underway with a Christmas Eve 10-race programme on Saturday, with eight races on turf, and two [...]
EP: 175 Kempton, Wetherby & Hong Kong December 23, 2022 It’s always a very busy period for horseracing over Christmas weekend and this year is no different. Expect to see some equine superstars on display again this year. The King George at Kempton is one of the feature races on Boxing Day, alongside the likes of the transferred Long Walk Hurdle with the Rowland Meyrick [...]
December 26th – Punter Podcast Summary December 23, 2022 You can now hear all of City AM racing editor Bill Esdaile’s weekend tips in a short, summary episode of the Punter Podcast alongside Chris Barnett. The full weekend preview is also available on the City AM website. The Punter ‘The Punter’ has been City AM’s dedicated sports betting section for over a decade with [...]
Juneau can come home in a Flash to deny in-form Purton December 20, 2022 NOT A week seems to go by in Hong Kong racing when reigning Champion Jockey Zac Purton hasn’t ridden another hatful of winners. With 13 victories already this month, and over the hill and far away from his rivals in the Jockeys’ Championship with 64 winners, it’s odds-on the five-time champion will surpass the all-time [...]
Bowman to hit the sweet spot on Five G Patch December 20, 2022 BANK on the combination of joint leading trainer Tony Cruz and legendary jockey Hugh Bowman to bring some pre-Christmas joy to bettors when they team-up with FIVE G PATCH in the Venus Handicap over 11 furlongs (11.15am) at Happy Valley on Wednesday. 11-furlong contests are few and far between in Hong Kong – they are [...]
Currie and Shum looking for a Handsome reward December 16, 2022 TAKE a chance with old campaigner HANDSOME BO BO to surprise in the feature race of the day, the Lukfook Jewellery Cup Handicap (8.35am) over five furlongs. With around £250,000 in prize money for this Class Two contest, it’s understandable why some of the fastest speedsters in the city are taking each other on. Taking [...]
De Sousa standing up to rival Ho in championship race December 16, 2022 BEST advice on the ten-race card at Sha Tin in Hong Kong on Sunday is to support in-form jockey Silvestre de Sousa, who can’t stop riding winners at present. The former UK Champion is in the middle of a purple patch, having completed a treble at Happy Valley on Wednesday and homing in on second-placed [...]