Longines Hong Kong International Races

For the second time in four years, Zac Purton, Hong Kong's leading jockey in each of the last three seasons, hoisted the trophy following the Longines International Jockeys' Championship held Wednesday evening at Happy Valley Racecourse. But a fair bit of the spotlight shone upon Hollie Doyle, who capped a fairytale season with a victory in the fourth and final leg of the series, good for a share of third place in the competition. The 24-year-old, who along with her partner Tom Marquand was part of a six-strong European contingent,...

Barree Stable's Singapore-based Inferno (Aus) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) has been scratched from Sunday's G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint at Sha Tin after being found to be lame in his left front leg by Hong Kong Jockey Club veterinarians Tuesday. Very little went as planned for Inferno on his trip over to Hong Kong. The air conditioning in the horse float that transported Inferno from Kranji Racecourse to Changi Airport about 30 minutes away broke down and the horse was subjected to the heat for three hours. He then had...

Former jockey Cash Asmussen is the owner of a Hong Kong International Races-related accomplishment that will never be surpassed. Asmussen, who remains hands-on at the age of 58 at the Asmussen Horse Center in South Texas trying to raise the next generation of equine stars, has not only called the shots aboard a couple of rare American-bred HKIR winners, but shortly after his retirement in 2001, he also helped select a Keeneland September yearling on behalf of the Hong Kong Jockey Club who would go on to create history. Heady...

Hot King Prawn (Aus) (Denman {Aus}), recent winner of the G2 Jockey Club Sprint, and his John Size stablemate Waikuku (Ire) (Harbour Watch {Ire}) signaled their readiness for the Dec. 13 Longines Hong Kong International Races with victorious barrier trials at Sha Tin Dec. 4. Waikuku, runner-up to the re-opposing Admire Mars (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Ire}) in last year's G1 Hong Kong Mile and a latest third in the G1 FWD Champions Mile in April, came with a wide run from far back on the turn and kept on well...

It has been 12 months since Ballydoyle's Magic Wand (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was just beaten to the wire by Japan's Win Bright (Jpn) (Stay Gold {Jpn}) in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup, but that outfit's globetrotting Magical (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) will try to turn the tables as the marquee name among 15 foreign raiders for the Longines Hong Kong International Races at Sha Tin Racecourse Sunday, Dec. 13. No fewer than 17 international Group 1 winners are set to compete. "The Longines Hong Kong International Races is firmly established...

Prepping for his Group 1 debut in the Longines Hong Kong Mile in three weeks' time, Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) confirmed his status as the top horse in Hong Kong with yet another breathtaking victory--his 13th from 14 career runs--in Sunday's G2 Jockey Club Mile at Sha Tin Racecourse. Last year's Classic Series sweeper was simultaneously winning his 10th race on the hop, joining the likes of his contemporary Beauty Generation (NZ), Co-Tack (Aus) and Silent Witness (Aus) to take as many consecutive races. In the day's other main...

G1 Irish 2000 Guineas hero Romanised (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) is still a potential candidate for the G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile at the Longines Hong Kong International Races in mid-December at Sha Tin. Although third when favoured after a slow beginning at Dundalk on Monday, the 5-year-old won the G2 Minstrel S. earlier this year and was sixth in the G1 Prix du Moulin in September. Also a winner of the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois, the Ken Condon trainee's performance has not discouraged his connections. "I think...

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...