Harry Bentley hopes for flying start on Victor The Winner

By Leo Schlink

Fresh from an impromptu riding cameo in Great Britain, Harry Bentley hopes to spark a successful start to the 2025/26 Hong Kong season when he partners Victor The Winner in the HK$3.72 million Class 1 HKSAR Chief Executive’s Cup Handicap (1200m) at Sha Tin on Sunday (7 September).

Pitted against fellow Group 1 winners Ka Ying Rising and Lucky Sweynesse, G1 Centenary Sprint Cup (1200m) winner Victor The Winner will jump from barrier eight for Bentley and trainer David Eustace, having won the 2023 HKSAR Chief Executive’s Cup for Danny Shum and Karis Teetan.

Bentley, 33, will ride Victor The Winner – a seven-time course and distance victor – for the first time.

“I galloped him on Tuesday (2 September) and he felt very well. Naturally, we’re taking on the likes of Ka Ying Rising, so it’s going to be a very tough ask for anyone but ‘Victor’ has got the minimum weight of 115 (pounds), which I’ll be doing.

“You have got to give any horse with that sort of weight some sort of a chance and I’m happy with the ride, pleased to have picked him up and we’ll give it a good crack.”

Sunday’s HKSAR Chief Executive’s Cup is headed by the world’s highest-rated sprinter Ka Ying Rising (135lb), who is attempting to win the race for the second time.

Ka Ying Rising concedes weight to all 11 rivals – Lucky Sweynesse (126lb), Lucky With You (116lb) and Beauty Waves, Victor The Winner, Copartner Prance, Raging Blizzard, Magic Control, Bottomuptogether, Divano, Gorgeous Win and Harmony N Blessed – who have all been assigned 115lb.

Ka Ying Rising (2024), Victor The Winner (2023) and Lucky Sweynesse (2022) are all attempting to become the first horse to win the HKSAR Chief Executive’s Cup twice.

Six-time champion jockey in Qatar, Bentley has three rides this Sunday apart from Victor The Winner – Flying Akeed, Golden Fairy and Yoda’s Choice.

The Englishman had no intentions of riding during the off-season but ended up taking part in six races at York on 20 August after accepting trainer Michael Bell’s offer to partner Spicy Marg in the G1 Nunthorpe Stakes (1000m).

“I wasn’t planning to take any rides and it was purely a holiday and pure relaxation and I got the offer to ride in the Nunthorpe and it seemed like too good an opportunity to turn down,” Bentley said.

“It was great to be back at York again – it’s one of the best tracks in the country – and it was just good to get my eye in actually, especially being a World Pool meeting. It is well covered here in Hong Kong and it’s good for the profile, if nothing else, before the season kicks off here.”

Sunday’s (7 September) season-opening meeting at Sha Tin starts with the Class 5 Grassy Hill Handicap (1200m) at 1pm.