Hong Kong

A total of 162 nominations from 10 racing jurisdictions, including no fewer than 61 Group 1/Grade I winners, have been received by the Hong Kong Jockey Club for the HK$95-million Longines Hong Kong International Races at Sha Tin Racecourse Dec. 13. "We are delighted to have such strong nominations for our four Group 1 races in December," said Andrew Harding, Executive Director, Racing for the HKJC. "Considering the current climate in regard to the COVID-19 situation, it just reiterates that the Longines Hong Kong International Races are recognised the world...

Beauty Generation (NZ) (Road To Rock {Aus}) and Hot King Prawn (Aus) (Denman {Aus}), two of the five highest-rated horses in Hong Kong, are the heavyweights in a pair of Group 2 races Sunday at Sha Tin Racecourse, but face younger and well-handicapped rivals who figure to take all the beating. On a rating of 130, the 8-year-old Beauty Generation remains Hong Kong's top-rated galloper and he will--once again--have to deal with rising superstar Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro), this time in the Oriental Watch Sha Tin Trophy H. (1600m)....

Sunday's G3 Celebration Cup H. was billed as something of a David versus Goliath matchup between Classic series sweeper Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) and multiple Hong Kong Horse of the Year Beauty Generation (NZ) (Road to Rock {Aus}). But, in receipt of a whopping 17 pounds from the 8-year-old, Golden Sixty--having his first start since winning the BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) in March--kicked in with what has become his trademark finishing speed to post a facile success, as Beauty Generation and Champion's Way (Aus) (Hinchinbrook {Aus}) hit the...

The 2019-2020 racing calendar in Hong Kong was widely referred to as a "season like no other," and with good reason. Racing was threatened first by significant social unrest in and around Hong Kong, on one occasion, at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, no more than a few kilometres from the stables at Sha Tin Racecourse. Having canceled just one meeting due to the protests, the local racing product was later confronted by COVID-19, a pandemic that shut down operations--at least for a time--at the vast majority of worldwide...

Exultant (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) was named 2019/2020 Horse of the Year in Hong Kong Thursday in a virtual ceremony, as stricter social distancing protocols within the context of a third wave of coronavirus in the region put pay to the scheduled live proceedings. Bred by Ballygallon Stud, Exultant won four of his seven trips to the post during the season, calling on all his class and stamina for victories in the G1 FWD Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2000m) and a successful defence of his title in the G1 Standard Chartered...

Group 3 winner Berlin Tango (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), a George Strawbridge homebred, has been sold to Hong Kong, Racing Post reported on Tuesday. In the care of trainer Andrew Balding, the newly gelded bay won at second asking at Ffos Las last July and was third in both the Listed Stonehenge S. at Salisbury in August and Doncaster's Listed Flying Scotsman S. in September. He returned this March to fill the runner-up spot in the "Road to the Kentucky Derby" Conditions S. at Kempton before taking the G3 Unibet Classic...

It has been a season of upheaval in Hong Kong, the racing product threatened first by social unrest and then the coronavirus. But for the most part, the Hong Kong Jockey Club has been able to stay the course and Tuesday, it announced across-the-board increases in prize money for the 2020-21 season, including a 20% bump for its domestic centrepiece, the BMW Hong Kong Derby. "At a time when prize money levels are being cut worldwide, the prize money increases announced by the Hong Kong Jockey Club are very welcome...

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...

Like a championship-level pugilist deep into the 12th round of a heavyweight bout, Exultant (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) was a spent force entering the final furlong of Sunday's G1 Standard Chartered Champions and Chater Cup (2400m) at Sha Tin. But, calling on the resiliency, determination and toughness that have come to characterise his time in Hong Kong, the 6-year-old willed himself to the wire to win the 12-furlong affair for the second year running. His second Group 1 win of the season--he was exiting a similarly tough victory in the Apr....

Just two trainers account for the seven runners signed on for Sunday's final Group 1 of the season in Hong Kong, the Standard Chartered Champions and Chater Cup over the metric mile and a half. One of them, the legendary Tony Cruz, sends out the three top-rated runners, including Exultant (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), who--with a successful defence of his title--could earn front-runner status for local Horse of the Year. As strong as even in 2019-2020, the 6-year-old was third when looking for the repeat in the G1 Longines Hong Kong...

The first of two sessions of the Hong Kong International Sale took place Saturday morning in the parade ring at Sha Tin Racecourse, having been postponed from Hong Kong Derby weekend in mid-March owing to the COVID-19 outbreak. Some 16 lots, purchased in Europe and South America, were scheduled to go under the hammer before five withdrawals earlier in the week left 11 ready-to-run gallopers to be offered. Owner Kerm Din, who campaigned one of the HKIS's most notable graduates in the form of 'TDN Rising Star' and MG1SW Pakistan...

Sunday's Standard Chartered Champions and Chater Cup (2400m) at Sha Tin Racecourse is the last of 12 Group 1 events on the annual racing calendar in Hong Kong, one that has been significantly impacted first by social unrest in the region and more recently--and currently--by the COVID-19 pandemic. In many ways, Exultant (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) is emblematic of racing in the Special Administrative Region--a racehorse possessed of an iron constitution, showing up with his 'A' game time and again. One that can deliver his best even when the deck is...