More Christmas cheer for King of Kempton December 16, 2022 WHILE most people are looking forward to opening their presents on Christmas Day, Paul Nicholls will be hoping to unwrap his biggest festive gift at Kempton Park shortly after 2.30pm on Boxing Day. The 13-time Champion Trainer has won the Ladbrokes King George Chase an astonishing 12 times, five with the brilliant Kauto Star, and [...]
De Sousa to make family proud with E Brother and Savvy Chic December 13, 2022 FORMER three-time UK Champion Jockey Silvestre de Sousa can provide some pre-Christmas cheer for his wife Vikki and children, who have come over to Hong Kong for the festive period, by riding a double at Happy Valley. It’s easy to understand why the Brazilian-born rider is one of the most sought-after pilots in the territory. [...]
Gallant Ho can atone for Sixty disappointment December 13, 2022 BANK on jockey Vincent Ho to bounce back from his heart-wrenching defeat aboard Golden Sixty at Sha Tin last Sunday with at least a couple of winners on the nine-race programme at Happy Valley today. There having been plenty of grandstand jockeys’ quick to apportion the blame to Ho for being caught napping and too [...]
Reaching for the Stars… December 13, 2022 THEY say that racehorse ownership is a mug’s game. Well, I’m the mug then, as I agreed just over two years ago to back trainer Mick Appleby at the Sales in Newmarket and buy a four-year-old called King Of Stars. He’d failed to win any of his eight races for Joseph O’Brien in Ireland, but [...]
Leave no Stone unturned in Lucky quest for Hong Kong riches December 9, 2022 IF EVER a horse has been specifically trained to win the LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (6.10am) over a mile and a half, it is Japanese raider Glory Vase who seeks to win the contest for the third time. His prep run in the G2 Sapporo Kinen, over an inadequate ten furlongs in August, was an [...]
Romantic has the heart to land HK Cup December 9, 2022 IT IS the annual early-morning alarm call for racing enthusiasts, when Hong Kong hosts its star-studded LONGINES International Race meeting at Sha Tin on Sunday morning. With around £11millon in prize money up for grabs in four Group One races, this is truly a spectacular occasion – and no wonder challengers from all over the [...]
EP: 173 Cheltenham & Hong Kong December 7, 2022 The December Gold Cup and the International Hurdle at Cheltenham headline the weekend jumps racing in the UK, weather permitting. There are four Grade 1 races with an international feel at Sha Tin racecourse this weekend and City AM Racing editor Bill Esdaile joins Wally Pyrah to preview the best of Sunday’s stellar card in Hong [...]
Packing Famous to provide Purton with another claim to fame December 6, 2022 IF ZAC Purton hasn’t broken enough records already this season, the reigning five-time Champion Jockey has a chance of becoming the most successful pilot in the history of the LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship by winning his fourth title in the four-race series. Another treble last Sunday saw the Zac-Man climb up to 54 winners for [...]
Bowman and Hayes’ strength to be Forte-fied December 6, 2022 HAPPY Valley will be the centre of attention in Hong Kong on Wednesday, when the inner-city track hosts its flagship event of the year, the LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship, worth around £50,000 to the rider who accumulates the most points in the four-race series. With so much money at stake, it’s not surprising that some [...]
Royal Bomb set to blast home for Fownes and Bowman December 2, 2022 TRAINER Caspar Fownes and jockey Hugh Bowman are starting to build a formidable partnership. The combination has only paired up twice so far this season, but with a 100% strike-rate. With Fownes’ stable in the middle of a purple patch, and Bowman presently riding winners for fun, unpredictable and frustrating character ROYAL BOMB is worth more than [...]