Eustace eyes extended hot streak at Sha Tin ahead of LONGINES Hong Kong International Races

By Paul Ryding

David Eustace is aiming to maintain a rich vein of form at Sha Tin on Sunday (7 December) that has seen him climb the trainers’ standings in recent weeks, hoping it extends to next week’s HK$130 million LONGINES Hong Kong International Races meeting.

Five wins from the last four Sha Tin meetings have ignited the second-season handler’s campaign after a slow start, and one of his best chances of adding to his seasonal tally of eight wins is Swift Ascend in the day’s sporting highlight, the Class 2 Chatham Handicap (1200m, dirt).

The Lord Kanaloa gelding struck three times – his only three wins – in quick succession at the beginning of the 2024/25 season and made a sound start to the current campaign with a fast-closing fifth place last month. Eustace believes the timing is right for the six-year-old to make his bow on the dirt.

“I always wanted to do it (run him on dirt), but probably the right opportunity hadn’t presented. This race was three weeks after his really good first-up run,” Eustace said.

“Kick-back is something that a lot of horses may not enjoy early on when they’re not used to it, but they do get used to it. His run style is going to be the most concerning part of it,” he added. “He’s a horse who does sit midfield or worse, so the draw will be important.”

Swift Ascend (117lb) was drawn in barrier seven, and will be ridden for the first time by Harry Bentley on Sunday.

Eustace hopes his surge will extend to next week’s LONGINES Hong Kong International Races, where he saddles the 2024 BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) winner Massive Sovereign in the HK$40 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m). It’s a challenge that will provide the second-year trainer with his first taste of the jurisdiction’s showpiece meeting, though it pits his runner against the great Romantic Warrior.

“I’m very happy with Massive Sovereign,” Eustace said. “It’s a big assignment. But all we can do is get him to the races in as good a shape as we can. You never know, it’s a horse race.”

Another of the stable’s leading chances on Sunday in the Class 3 Mody Handicap (1650m, dirt) is Loch Tay (132lb), who provided Richard Kingscote with his first winner of the season last month. Having his first run on the dirt, the three-year-old chestnut enjoyed a wonderful trip to prevail by three-quarters of a length at odds of 20/1.

“He’s a good travelling horse. He got himself in a good pitch that day and responded well to pressure,” Kingscote said. “We had an OK draw that day, so hopefully at the weekend we can get another good sit, and hopefully we can come forward.”

Meanwhile, the soon-to-be-named 2025 LONGINES World’s Best Jockey, James McDonald, believes Galaxy Patch, his mount in the HK$36 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (1600m), has come on for his half-length victory in last month’s G2 BOCHK Private Wealth Jockey Club Mile (1600m). Speaking after the six-year-old’s final barrier trial ahead of the race, McDonald was excited about the Wandjina gelding’s prospects.

“The thing about Galaxy (Patch) is, I feel he’s improved since the other day. He seems to have got a bit of confidence out of that (win), and he didn’t trial as good as what he trialled for me this morning leading into that run. So, it just shows that he’s taken a good step forward, and I think I’m on the right horse there,” McDonald said.

Sunday’s (7 December) 10-race fixture at Sha Tin starts at 1pm with the Class 5 Ashley Handicap (1650m, dirt).