griffin race

Sent off the 35-100 favorite in Sunday's 1000-meter Chairmen's Day Plate at Hong Kong's Sha Tin Racecourse, Chancheng Prince (Carpe Diem) made light work of four other rivals to score by 3 1/4 convincing lengths (video). The event was restricted to so-called griffins, Southern Hemisphere 2-year-olds and Northern Hemisphere 3-year-olds that are unraced prior to their arrival in Hong Kong. With second-leading rider Joao Moreira taking the reins for the first time, the gray colt hopped slightly at the start, then raced prominently on the stands' rail. Sent into the...

Sent off as the 11-2 fourth choice in a field of six for Sunday's Yau Ma Tei Plate, the first griffin race of the year in Hong Kong, Sunny Star (Flatter) flopped out of the gates, but came with a stinging rally inside the final 200 meters to open his account at first asking, defeating 6-5 favorite Smiling Face (GB) (Acclamation {GB}) by 2 1/4 lengths. Chancheng Prince (Carpe Diem) raced prominently throughout and stuck on gamely for third. Sunny Star hopped in the air just as the gates flew...