Pearle of a chance for De Sousa to continue his fine form May 7, 2024 SILVESTRE de Souza has had a remarkable start to the 2024 season, and that was the case even before he rode Elmalka to victory in last Sunday’s Group One 1000 Guineas. I expect him to remain in the same strain of form at Ascot this Saturday aboard PEARLE D’OR in the Victoria Cup (2.40pm), who [...]
In-form Atzeni set to Boom in more winners May 7, 2024 HAPPY Valley in Hong Kong hosts another nine-race programme today, jam-packed with highly competitive handicaps and featuring the £200,000 Graham Handicap (2.45pm) over the extended mile. The unseasonably rainy weather has continued to be an important factor in determining winners over the past month, with Sha Tin last Sunday continuing the trend of favouring gallopers [...]
Chung’s claim can give Legend a Sporting chance May 7, 2024 FINDING winners at the Valley looks tricky, with a number of leading contenders having form profiles that show they are best when coming from behind and charging late on, which goes against the grain at present for producing winners. The likes of Smart Beauty in the D’Aguilar Handicap (12.40pm) over the extended mile and rejuvenated [...]
Prepare for Unbelievable result in the Queen Mother Memorial Cup May 3, 2024 SURFACE conditions will once again ride soft when racing gets underway with an 11-race programme, featuring the Group Three Queen Mother Memorial Cup (9.05am) over a mile-and-a-half, at Sha Tin on Sunday. It is difficult to remember – certainly it’s more than 10 years – when so much rain in the territory has caused the [...]
Two Superb rides for Purton as he chases 100 winners for the season May 3, 2024 REIGNING champion jockey Zac Purton, who has been champion on six previous occasions, could reach another milestone in Hong Kong on Sunday, when he has good prospects of reaching his ninth century of winners in the territory. The Zac-Man, who has broken nearly every record in Hong Kong racing history since moving to the city [...]
EP: 269 Newmarket & Hong Kong May 3, 2024 The first two classics of the season take place this weekend as Newmarket hosts both the 1000 and 2000 Guineas. Saturday sees the return of the unbeaten City Of Troy as he embarks on his 3-year-old career over a mile for trainer Aidan O’Brien where he will be sent off the hot favourite. Sunday’s fillies [...]
Lessons from the trading floor helping to drive World Pool May 2, 2024 RAIN is lashing down and the skies are gloomy, sound familiar? Well, this interview isn’t taking place in London, but almost 6000 miles away in Hong Kong ahead of FWD Champions Day, one of two major international horse racing fixtures in the territory. Oh yes, and it’s also nearly 30 degrees. I am here to [...]
Take two against odds-on Troy in the 2000 Guineas April 30, 2024 IT WAS only last weekend at Sandown that we witnessed Willie Mullins become the first Irish trainer since the great Vincent O’Brien to win the UK Jump Trainers’ Championship, but focus now turns to Newmarket’s Rowley Mile with the first two Classics of the Flat season upcoming. Vincent O’Brien won the 2000 Guineas (3.35pm) four [...]
French raider Ramatuelle to rise to the top in filles’ Classic April 30, 2024 AS IS always the case with the 1000 Guineas, there has been a lot of hype surrounding the good two-year-olds from last year and, on Sunday at 3.40pm, we’ll see whether or not they can live up to it. Unsurprisingly, Aidan O’Brien’s first string, Ylang Ylang, is right there at the top of the market [...]
Fownes’ Valley runners set to be poetry in Motion April 30, 2024 FOLLOWING all the excitement of world-class racing at Sha Tin last Sunday, it’s back to Happy Valley in Hong Kong today, with the city-track hosting a nine-race programme, featuring the France Galop Cup (2.45pm), a handicap over six furlongs. When is it going to stop raining in Hong Kong? Weather conditions didn’t make it easy [...]