The Hong Kong International Races attract race goers, owners trainers and jockeys from around the world. This year as well, two past champions rose to the top again and we saw new-trainer-on-the-block best his elders in Hong Kong.
Frankie Lor is being spoken for as the potential new champion trainer in the Hong Kong racing mix after two of his charges won at the highest levels.
SW makes a sweeping review of all the four races which comprise the #HKIR as well as details of the top three winners in each race. We are also sharing race videos for you to enjoy the experience firsthand.
Glorious Forever claimed the flagship HK$28m Cup under Silvestre de Sousa, by defying his elder brother Time Warp and two highly credentialed Japanese challengers to lead throughout in the Cup in a performance which fulfilled the promise he’s shown for some time.
The Archipenko gelding held out late-closing Japanese filly Deirdre to win by a length with his brother and regular recent adversary Time Warp a short-head back in third place.
Three-time British champion jockey de Sousa is no stranger to major race success but this was his first Group 1 in his temporary home and was achieved with clinical precision, aligned to Lor’s instructions. A slow first 800 metres in 50.56s was vital in securing the all-the-way win.
“Everything was in my favour. Everything went to the plan." said a very pleased de Sousa.
Full Finishing list with Trainer & Jockey 2018:
1st Glorious Forever (F. Lor,S. Sousa), 2nd Deirdre (M. Hashida,C. Lemaire), 3rd Time Warp (A. Cruz,Z. Purton).
The soon to retire trainer John Moore whose previous star miler was at the top of the World’s Best Racehorse Rankings (Able Friend) has produced another. The trainer infact proclaimed his second protoge Beauty Generation superior, after Zac Purton steered him to an imperious three-length success.
Japanese-trained mare Vivlos ended her career with a sterling effort when running down the outside to claim second from Southern Legend who came in third for trainer Caspar Fownes.
Riding with supreme confidence, Purton eased past Comin’ Through and Southern Legend and was able to slot over to the rail before the 800m.
The sight of the reigning Hong Kong champion jockey sitting high in the saddle at the 400-metre mark told his pursuers Purton still had plenty of horse under him, and, under a hand ride, Beauty Generation streaked away for one of the easiest victories in recent Hong Kong International Races history.
1st Beauty Generation (J. Moore,Z. Purton), 2nd Vivlos (Y. Tomomichi,W. Buick ), 3rd Southern Legend (C. Fownes,D. Whyte).
Mr Stunning has yet again swept up accolades given to the winner of the Sprint.
Defending champion D B Pin came in second, as he did in 2017 when Mr. Stunning won the Sprint for the first time.
The new trainer on the block, Frankie Lor claimed his first Gr.1 win.
It was also a first Gr.1 win in Hong Kong for Mauritian jockey Karis Teetan who, 12 months earlier, had watched the race from the grandstand and was overwhelmed with his breakthrough at the top level.
The favourite Hot King Prawn wilted to finish ninth after being pressured in front. “He just didn’t race at his best today,” was all jockey Joao Moreira could offer immediately post race.
The race was delayed five minutes after Pingwu Spark, who could not be loaded into the starting gates, was scratched. Mr Stunning and D B Pin were two of the last horses to be loaded but fleet-footed from the start and emphatic at the end.
1st Mr Stunning (F. Lor,K. Teetan), 2nd D B Pin (J. Size,S. Clipperton), 3rd Beat The Clock (J. Size,R. Moore).
The exciting race to finish by Exultant and Lys Gracieux created a gripping drama worthy of the best Godfather movie. Elation greeted the sight of Exultant’s head flashing past the post, a neck to the good over Lys Gracieux claiming the Vase.
The Joao Moreira-ridden Japanese filly headed Exultant with 150 metres to go, only for Hong Kong’s newest hero to fight back under Zac Purton, scoring by a neck in 2m 26.56s.
The Irish import became only the third Hong Kong-trained galloper to claim the mile and a half feature following Indigenous (1998) and Dominant (2013).
With a Gr.1 in the bag, Exultant could head overseas later in the season, although winning trainer Tony Cruz was cautious about making any certain plans so soon after the race.
The front pair drew two and a half lengths clear of third-placed Eziyra, trained by Dermot Weld.
The Andre Fabre-trained Waldgeist started favourite on the back of his fourth in the Gr.1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in October but fared no better than fifth.
1st Exultant (A. Cruz,Z. Purton), 2nd Lys Gracieux (Y. Yahagi,J. Moreira), 3rd Eziyra (D. Weld,C. Lemaire)