EP: 243 Cheltenham, Doncaster & Hong Kong December 15, 2023 The two-day Cheltenham ‘Christmas Meeting’ culminates on Saturday with a host of competitive races, the highlight being the December Gold Cup Handicap Chase, run over an extended two and a half miles. Doncaster also stages jumps racing in front of the TV cameras on Saturday afternoon where Rare Edition is due to line up for [...]
Ridoto and Hurricane look storming bets in December Gold Cup December 12, 2023 WHEN I was looking back through the recent winners of Saturday’s December Gold Cup (1.50pm) at Cheltenham, one statistic stood out like a sore thumb. Favourites have a terrible record in the race and you have to go all the way back to 2009 and Poquelin to find the last market leader who emerged victorious. [...]
Back Bonttay to Nurse a way through Cheltenham nightcap December 12, 2023 LUCCIA is the big draw in Saturday’s finale at Cheltenham, the 2m4f mares’ handicap hurdle (3.35pm), and while she heads the market there are reasons to take Nicky Henderson’s mare on. While she has run well on both her starts this season – well-fancied when sent off 11/8 and 6/1 – connections will surely be [...]
McDonald Missile to become latest winning Moment December 12, 2023 FOLLOWING all the high drama and excitement for racegoers at the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races meeting at Sha Tin last Sunday, it’s back to the city-track at Happy Valley for a nine-race programme, starting at 10.40am today. One of the highlights last Sunday, other than the magnificent performance of the ‘people’s champion’, Golden Sixty, [...]
Purton and Newnham set for success with Scotch Tycoon December 12, 2023 BANK on reigning Champion Jockey Zac Purton to provide rookie trainer Mark Newnham with another winner when the combination team up with in-form SCOTCH TYCOON in the second division of the Kwun Tong Handicap (1.10pm) over six furlongs. The former Australian handler Newnham had plenty of success in his home country, notably when assisting legendary [...]
Sixty puts in Golden performance December 11, 2023 HONG Kong’s champion miler Golden Sixty lit up the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races at Sha Tin Racecourse on Sunday with a mesmerising performance in the Group One LONGINES Hong Kong Mile. Ridden by regular pilot Vincent Ho, who was following up his victory in Wednesday’s International Jockeys’ Championship, the eight-year-old produced a blistering turn [...]
Serifos given positive Prognosis ahead of Hong Kong Mile December 8, 2023 ALL THE eyes of Hong Kong will be focused on local equine heroes Golden Sixty and Romantic Warrior when they step out onto the turf in a bid for glory on Sunday. Legendary local superstar Golden Sixty, winner of 25 of his 29 starts, including an unmatched nine Group One wins, bids to win the [...]
Sweynesse out to make it second time Lucky in Hong Kong Sprint December 8, 2023 HORSE racing enthusiasts will need to set their alarm clocks early if they want to catch sight of some of the world’s best racehorses competing for glory in Hong Kong on Sunday. Sha Tin hosts its flagship event of the season, the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races, featuring four contests worth around £12 million in [...]
EP: 242 Hong Kong International Meeting, Sandown & Aintree December 8, 2023 The Tingle Creek Chase and re-arranged Fighting Fifth Hurdle are the highlights of Sandown’s Saturday meeting, whilst they race over the Grand National fences at Aintree in the Becher Chase on the same afternoon. On Sunday, the international meeting is the biggest and most exciting raceday at Hong Kong’s Sha Tin racecourse, where the world’s [...]
Highfield aiming to be Princess of Sha Tin December 8, 2023 A TOP sprint in Europe rarely takes place without Highfield Princess and her trainer John Quinn is hoping she can give Great Britain a first win in the Group One LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint at Sha Tin on Sunday. It is a race local horses have dominated by winning all but six of the 23 [...]