By Declan Schuster

Massive Sovereign burst onto the scene earlier this month and Zac Purton believes the Irish-bred’s ability to quickly adapt to different circumstances can prove decisive in Sunday’s (24 March) HK$26 million 147th BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) at Sha Tin.

The four-year-old demolished a solid Class 3 field on debut in Hong Kong over this weekend’s course and distance. He’ll make just his second start in the city when he lines up in Sha Tin’s most-famed and desired contest after arriving as a two-time winner in Ireland for trainer Aidan O’Brien.

HAPPY VALLEY SELECTIONS
(Wednesday, March 20, 2024)

The brilliant steeplechaser Galopin Des Champs won the Grade 1 Cheltenham Gold Cup for the second consecutive year at Cheltenham Racecourse in Britain on Friday, giving jockey Paul Townend a record-equaling fourth career win in the race’s 100th running.

Townend joined 1960s star Pat Taafe as the only four-time winner of the Gold Cup. Winning trainer Willie Mullins, who dominates the sport in Britain and Ireland, won his fourth Gold Cup, leaving him one victory short of tying Tom Dreaper, who won the race five times from 1946 to 1968.

Aiming to consolidate an already strong season, Karis Teetan is excited at the opportunity to ride Young Champion for the first time when the emerging talent contests the Class 2 Sheung Yeung Shan Handicap (1400m) at Sha Tin on Saturday (16 March).

Ridden at his first two Hong Kong starts by James McDonald for a second and a last-start victory over 1400m on 25 February, Young Champion rises from Class 3 and will start from barrier nine in a field of 11.

Paul Lally: 
R1: 3-10-11-6 
R2: 11-5-9-6 
R3: 3-1-7-8 
R4: 1-9-2-6 
R5: 4-10-7-1 
R6: 6-4-2-1 
R7: 4-3-9-7 
R8: 7-5-4-10 
R9: 10-6-1-7 
R10: 13-9-14-7 
Best Bet: R9 N10 Young Champion 
Longshot: R10 N13 Only U 
Play: R5 QQP 4-7-10 

SHA TIN SELECTIONS
(Saturday, March 16, 2024) 

The ultra-consistent gelding Mr Brightside will be the odds-on favorite to become the first horse to win consecutive runnings of the All-Star Mile at Caulfield Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia, on Friday evening.

Mr Brightside, a winner of 16 of 31 starts, won the 2023 All-Star Mile when the race was run at Moonee Valley in Melbourne and had a purse of $3.32 million.

In the last two years, the French-bred gelding Protektorat finished third and fifth in the Grade 1 Cheltenham Gold Cup at 3 5/16 miles at Cheltenham Racecourse in Britain, jump racing’s premier weight-for-age race.

It turns out Protektorat is certainly a Grade 1 horse, just not at that distance. On Thursday at Cheltenham, Protektorat won the most prestigious race of his seven-year career in the Grade 1 Ryanair Chase at about 2 1/2 miles.

A 9-year-old, Protektorat is co-owned by Alex Ferguson, the former manager of Manchester United.

Third or fourth in three Group 1 races since late September, Tutta La Vita will race against an easier field in Thursday’s Group 3 Kembla Grange Classic for Southern Hemipshere 3-year-old fillies at Kembla Grange Racecourse in Australia on Thursday evening.