Hong Kong: Joyful Trinity, Contentment clash again in Chinese Club Challenge Cup
Joyful Trinity and Contentment, third and fourth in the Group 1 Hong Kong Mile on Dec. 12, will share top weight of 133 pounds in Sunday’s $386,941 Chinese Club Challenge Cup at Sha Tin Racecourse in Hong Kong.
The Group 3 Chinese Club Challenge Cup is run at seven furlongs and is the top race on the 11-race Sha Tin program which begins at 12:30 a.m. Eastern, or 9:30 p.m. Pacific on Saturday.
Joyful Trinity closed from ninth in a field of 14 to finish a length behind Beauty Only in the Hong Kong Mile. Contentment was in fourth throughout the race and was beaten 1 1/4 lengths.
Zac Purton has the mount on Joyful Trinity for the first time on Sunday.
“Hopefully with a smaller field he’s not going to have to give them as much of a start this time,” Purton told Sha Tin publicity. “He’s been running well this season. His run in the Hong Kong Mile last time was great.”
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Contentment is winless in four starts at the current Hong Kong season, while Joyful Trinity has one win in five starts – the Grade 3 Celebration Cup Handicap in October. Contentment was fourth in that race.
Two other runners in Sunday’s field of eight ran in the Hong Kong Mile – Sun Jewellery, who was 12th, and Beauty Flame, who was 13th. Sun Jewellery will carry 119 pounds in the Chinese Club Challenge Cup, while Beauty Flame has been assigned 128.
John Size, the leading trainer in Hong Kong, told Sha Tin publicity that Sun Jewellery was found to be ill after the Hong Kong Mile.
“Before that race, his preparation was quite good,” Size said. “He was going well, but it did look like he had some excuse on the day, so we’ll try again and hope he goes better this time.”
Sun Jewellery was the champion miler in Hong Kong for the 2015-16 season.
Size also runs Contentment, a Group 1 winner in Hong Kong, who is proven at seven furlongs.
“The horse is good, there’s nothing wrong with him and I’m sure he’ll run well,” Size said.