Thu, 10/23/2025 - 08:24

Luke Middlebrook's Hong Kong Selections and Analysis for Sunday, October 26, 2025

Hong Kong Jockey Club
Sha Tin turf racing.

Sha Tin Selections
(Sunday, October 26, 2025) 

Wed, 10/22/2025 - 11:19

Australia: Via Sistina needs a Cox Plate repeat to retain her crown

The 2024 Cox Plate at Moonee Valley Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia, was the third of a record-equaling seven Group 1 wins for Via Sistina in the country’s 2024-25 racing season.

For those achievements, Via Sistina was named Australia’s Horse of the Year.

To stay in the discussions for this award, Via Sistina needs a win in Friday’s Group 1 Cox Plate at about 1 1/4 miles, Australia’s leading weight-for-age race.

So far this year, Via Sistina has won once in three starts, in the Group 1 Winx Stakes at seven furlongs in August

Tue, 10/21/2025 - 11:37

Hong Kong Selections for Wednesday, October 22, 2025

Paul Lally:

R1 2-11-10-12

R2 9-11-8-5

R3 6-7-11-3

R4 7-3-5-11

R5 6-2-1-3

R6 5-2-4-9

R7 8-4-11-5

R8 5-11-9-2

R9 8-6-1-4

 

Best Bet R6 N5 Colourful King

Longshot R3 N6 Happy Park

Play R8 QQP 5-9-11

 

Tom Wood:

R1:       2-10-8-1

R2:       3-9-2-8

R3:       3-1-11-7

R4:       6-3-4-12

R5:       6-1-12-2

R6:       5-9-2-4

Tue, 10/21/2025 - 10:47

High-flying Zac Purton seeks 1,900th Hong Kong win at Happy Valley

The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Zac Purton has ridden the most winners in Hong Kong, China racing history.

After describing Ka Ying Rising’s win in Saturday’s (18 October) G1 The Everest (1200m) as “the biggest moment of his career”, Zac Purton will chase another landmark on Wednesday night (22 October) as he searches for an astonishing 1,900th Hong Kong win with seven rides at Happy Valley. 

Mon, 10/20/2025 - 09:10

Luke Middlebrook's Hong Kong Selections and Analysis for Wednesday, October 22, 2025

Selections for Wednesday's racing program from Happy Valley.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club

Happy Valley Selections
(Wednesday, October 22, 2025)

Mon, 10/20/2025 - 08:42

My Wish storms to Sha Tin Trophy glory as LONGINES HKIR credentials mount

The Hong Kong Jockey Club
My Wish claims the G2 Sha Tin Trophy on Sunday (19 October) under jockey Alexis Badel.

By Paul Ryding

My Wish underlined his mounting HK$36 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (1600m) credentials with a scintillating performance to scoop the HK$5.35 million G2 Sha Tin Trophy Handicap (1600m) on Sunday (19 October).

The five-year-old remained on course for his long-term target at the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races on 14 December as he continued his rise through the grades under trainer Mark Newnham, after scooping his second Group prize of the season.

Sun, 10/19/2025 - 14:51

Japan: Embroidery likes Shuka Sho's distance for second G1 triumph of year

The Japanese Oaks at 1 1/2 miles in May was too far for Embroidery, who faded to finish ninth.

The Grade 1 Shuka Sho at 1 1/4 miles on turf for 3-year-old fillies at Kyoto Racecourse on Sunday was much more to her liking.

Winning her second Grade 1 race of 2025, Embroidery ($8.70 in American pools) closed from mid-pack in a field of 18 to win by a half-length over 15-1 pacesetter Erika Express.

“I had every faith in the filly that she would deliver today since the Oaks didn’t suit her distance-wise,” winning rider Christophe Lemaire said.

Sat, 10/18/2025 - 12:36

England: Powerful Glory ($251.40), Cicero’s Gift ($181.20) notch upsets at Ascot

Megan Coggin
Cicero’s Gift earned a first group stakes victory on Saturday in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.

The payoffs were astonishing.

On one of the biggest days of the British flat season, Cicero’s Gift ($181.20 in American pools) won Saturday’s Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes for milers at Ascot a little more than an hour after Powerful Glory ($251.40) won the Group 1 British Champions Sprint Stakes.

There were more logical payoffs on the program, too. Kalpana ($4.70) obliged as favorite in the Group 1 British Champions Filly and Mare Stakes, and Trawlerman ($3) won as expected in the Group 1 British Champions Long Distance Stakes.

Sat, 10/18/2025 - 12:17

Australia: Ka Ying Rising pushes win streak to 14 with Everest Stakes

There can be no doubt about it. Ka Ying Rising is the world’s finest sprinter.

Ka Ying Rising, based in Hong Kong, extended his winning streak to 14 races with a comfortable 1 1/4-length win in the world’s richest sprint – the Group 1, $13.09 million Everest Stakes at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, Australia, on Saturday.

Fri, 10/17/2025 - 12:46

Size banking on light weight and Kingscote magic to overcome Red Lion's tricky draw

The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Red Lion is one of three runners for John Size in the HK$5.35 million G2 Sha Tin Trophy (1600m).

By Paul Ryding

John Size says the generous handicap that Red Lion will receive and the services of “perfect” partner Richard Kingscote might be enough to overcome a tricky draw in the HK$5.35 million G2 Sha Tin Trophy (1600m).

In a race expected to be run at a strong clip, drawing gate 13 might have scuppered the chances of his Group 1-winning galloper in Sunday’s (19 October) feature. But the consistent six-year-old will bear just 119lb – the lightest impost he’s carried in almost 22 months – and Size says he’s seen some improvement over the off-season.