Racing over extended distances works well for Lovcen, who won his second Grade 1 in Sunday’s $2.61 million Japanese 2000 Guineas for 3-year-olds at Nakayama Racecourse.
Lovcen won the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes at 1 1/4 miles in December, his final start at 2. After finishing third in a Grade 3 at 1 1/8 miles at Tokyo Racecourse on Feb. 15 in his first start this year, and first career loss, Lovcen led or disputed the pace throughout the 2000 Guineas at 1 1/4 miles on turf.
By Leo Schlink
Master trainer John Size delivered a timely reminder of enduring skill and patience with a quartet highlighted by the triumphant return of Sky Jewellery and the stunning Hong Kong debut of Nautical Force at Sha Tin on Sunday (19 April), as Zac Purton powered to the 100-win milestone for the tenth consecutive season.
By Paul Ryding
Champion jockey Zac Purton goes for a hat-trick of wins on the fast-improving Aerovolanic at Sha Tin on Sunday (19 April) as he homes in on 100 winners for a 10th straight season.
A tally of 98 winners this term looks almost certain to yield him a ninth Hong Kong jockey championship (he currently sits 49 wins clear of second-placed Hugh Bowman), and the Australian takes a book of seven rides to Sunday’s 11-race fixture with a chance to bring up the century.
By Maddy Playle
Harry Eustace believes a different preparation can unlock an improved performance from Docklands in the HK$24 million G1 FWD Champions Mile (1600m) on 26 April.
The six-year-old is no stranger to Hong Kong as he has run in the last two editions of the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (1600m), including a smart fourth-place finish behind Voyage Bubble in December.
Paul Lally:
R1: 2-10-11-4
R2: 8-7-11-2
R3: 6-1-10-4
R4: 8-7-2-13
R5: 3-9-11-5
R6: 1-4-11-5
R7: 10-12-9-7
R8: 6-3-5-4
R9: 3-7-1-4
R10: 10-5-3-2
R11: 4-6-8-13
Best Bet R9 N3 Everyone’s Star
Longshot R4 N8 Voyage Boss
Play R11 QQP 4-6-8
Tom Wood:
R1: 10-1-2-3
R2: 1-7-3-11
R3: 1-2-6-11
R4: 7-13-2-10
R5: 11-9-3-6
R6: 12-5-11-3
R7: 5-1-10-9
R8: 3-11-6-5
R9: 3-4-1-10
R10: 5-2-10-1
R11: 4-3-8-2
NEWMARKET, England -- Over the last several months, the 3-year-old filly Azleet has been repeatedly schooled in the starting gate, an effort to eliminate occasional bad starts from 2025.
There is more work to do in that regard, but there can be no criticism of Azleet’s ability once a race is underway.
In Wednesday’s Group 3 Nell Gwyn Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Newmarket Racecourse, Azleet overcame a tardy start, and traffic issues in the opening quarter-mile, to record a surprise win.
Paul Lally:
R1 5-3-4-1
R2 9-4-6-7
R3 7-12-1-5
R4 4-11-9-3
R5 2-1-7-4
R6 11-4-8-3
R7 3-6-5-4
R8 8-3-2-5
R9 9-12-1-4
Best Bet R4 N4 Harmony Galaxy
Longshot R5 N2 Le Zonda
Play Race9 QQp 1-9-12
Tom Wood:
R1: 1-3-5-4
R2: 9-1-7-6
R3: 7-1-4-10
R5: 9-3-4-1
R6: 9-11-4-8
By Declan Schuster
Hugh Bowman gave Romantic Warrior the tick of approval this morning (Tuesday, 14 April) as Danny Shum’s galloper continues his preparation for the HK$30 million G1 FWD QEII Cup (2000m) on FWD Champions Day (Sunday, 26 April) at Sha Tin.
Aiming to secure a record-extending fourth FWD QEII Cup after wins in 2022, 2023 and 2024, Romantic Warrior finished an untested second in a barrier trial over 1600m on Sha Tin’s turf under Bowman today in 1m 36.13s behind Numbers with Rubylot third.
