Skalleti has come a long way. He's roughly 6,000 miles from home, spending this week at Sha Tin Racecourse in Hong Kong, and after 12 wins, two seconds, and a third from 16 starts, the 5-year-old gelding who began his career on the margin of French provincial racing starts Sunday in the $3.61 million Hong Kong Cup.
Zac Purton has claimed ultimate honours in the HK$800,000 LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship tonight (Wednesday, 9 December) at Happy Valley after clinching a tense contest from Joao Moreira in a dramatic finale to the four-race series.
There has been something mesmerising about the sight of Vincent Ho sitting and waiting to pull the trigger aboard Golden Sixty during his inexorable rise to superstar status.
Aidan O’Brien is satisfied with reports out of Sha Tin as his stable’s travelling trio Magical, Order Of Australia and Mogul wind up for Sunday’s (13 December) HK$95 million LONGINES Hong Kong International Races, but believes the task of winning will be as tough as ever.
Ricky Yiu heads to Sunday’s (13 December) LONGINES Hong Kong International Races with a three-pronged assault across the four-race HK$95 million showcase spearheaded by Voyage Warrior, who will look to secure his trainer a fourth G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) success.
Champion British jockey Ryan Moore believes Magical is primed to forge rare new territory for Aidan O’Brien in the HK$28 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m) when the Irish globe-trotter vies for an eighth G1.
Two starts into her career, Shamani is attracting attention in Australia. After finishing third in her debut in October, Shamani was the 9-5 winner as the favorite of a maiden race at Wyong Racecourse on Nov. 26. The 4-year-old Southern Hemisphere filly is likely to be a slightly better price when she has her debut against winners in a one-mile handicap at Wyong on Thursday.
Exultant is already proven as one of the best stayers Hong Kong has ever produced but this Sunday (13 December) at Sha Tin he has the chance of creating a significant slice of history by becoming the first locally-trained dual winner of the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m).
Rising British star Tom Marquand will use vital experience gleaned on tight-turning tracks in England and Australia to offset a lack of familiarity with Happy Valley’s famed contours when he tackles the LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship on Wednesday, 9 December.
Hong Kong Selections for Wednesday, December 9, 2020 at Happy Valley.
