Put a few Bob on Olinger to spring a Champion surprise January 16, 2024 WITH less than 60 days until the Cheltenham Festival, attention is quickly turning to those four golden days in March and in the coming weeks I’m going to be putting up a few long-range pointers that are likely to shorten up considerably come race day. The art to picking ante-post selections has changed somewhat in [...]
Jonbon can Bridge the gap in Ascot’s Clarence House January 16, 2024 HOPEFULLY the temperature rises a bit before the weekend because the Clarence House (3.37pm) at Ascot could be a belter. We’ll have to wait to see if El Fabiolo and JONBON turn up, but let’s hope they do because if both are at their best it could be a real spectacle. The former is clearly [...]
California can Cruz home at Happy Valley January 16, 2024 HAPPY VALLEY provides another highly competitive mid-week programme, with eight races on the ‘C’ track, featuring the Hong Kong Club Challenge Cup (12.40pm), a handicap over five furlongs. The Zac Purton fan club suffered a serious reverse at Sha Tin last Sunday, when their champion, returning after a short New Year break, failed to find [...]
John Size heading towards a Blizzard of winners January 16, 2024 SUPPORTERS of the all-conquering John Size stable are having their patience pushed to the limit at present. The stable of former 12-time HK champion trainer Size is renowned for starting every season slowly, before the wheels start to turn in December and winners begin to roll in at regular intervals. This season, however, it hasn’t [...]
Size’s Nine can make it a Magnificent return for Purton January 12, 2024 HONG KONG racing fans will be rubbing their hands with glee in anticipation of reigning champion jockey Zac Purton returning to action for a 10-race programme at Sha Tin on Saturday morning. The territory’s go-to jockey took a mini-break during the New Year festivities and went on holiday to recharge his batteries on the ski [...]
Teetan may have found a new Star for Hong Kong’s Galaxy January 12, 2024 THE OLD adage that jockeys are the world’s worst tipsters has probably proved a useful saying to remember, but it’s hard to dispute that jockey Karis Teetan has made the right choice when he continues his association with GALAXY PATCH in the feature race on the card, the Pok Oi Cup (8.05am), a handicap over [...]
EP: 247 Kempton, Warwick & Hong Kong January 12, 2024 The Grade 2 Silviniaco Conti Chase and the Lanzarote Hurdle are the racing highlights at Kempton on Saturday, plus we can look forward to Rare Edition running in the final race of the day, whilst Warwick is the venue for a Grade 2 novice event as well as the rescheduled Veterans Chase. City AM Racing [...]
Malina and Dundee hold Major chances in Warwick Classic January 9, 2024 THERE is some quality racing this weekend, with Kempton, Wetherby and Warwick all staging Grade Two chases, but perhaps the biggest betting race is Saturday’s Wigley Group Classic Handicap Chase (3.00pm) at Warwick. This 3m5f marathon is quite a unique staying test as it requires accurate jumping around a tight track, with Warwick’s famous row [...]
Impose Toi stands out for Henderson in the Lanzarote January 9, 2024 KEMPTON hosts some quality action on Saturday too, with the big betting race on the card being the Coral Lanzarote Hurdle (2.40pm). There’s only been one winning favourite of this contest in the past 10 runnings, but, having had a good look at the race, I must admit I do think market leader IMPOSE TOI [...]
Derek Leung may have Encountered January Cup winner January 9, 2024 HORSE racing enthusiasts are in for a treat at Happy Valley today. The iconic city track hosts an eight-race programme, including their feature race of the season, the Group Three January Cup (1.45pm), a handicap run over nine furlongs, which is worth around £420,000 in prize money. With so much money on offer, it’s not [...]