A year ago, Mr Brightside finished second in the Group 1 Futurity Stakes at Caulfield Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia, before zipping through impressive wins against big fields in the $3.32 million All-Star Mile and Group 1 Doncaster Mile in his next two starts.
Mr Brightside is on the same career path this season, and will start as a massive favorite in the seven-furlong $491,700 Futurity Stakes at Caulfield on Friday evening.
The DBS x Manulife Million Challenge has ended in a tie for the second time in three seasons after Danny Shum’s Copartner Ambition and David Hayes’ Tomodachi Kokoroe shared series honours at Happy Valley on Wednesday (21 February).
Decided on a format of 15 points for a win, six for second, four for third and three for third in Class 3 races and above from September until tonight, ultimate success in the series hinged on Copartner Ambition’s performance in the Class 3 Sing Woo Handicap (1200m).
Zac Purton will bid for a fourth G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup (2000m) win when the six-time Hong Kong champion jockey reunites with Voyage Bubble in the HK$13 million feature at Sha Tin on Sunday (25 February).
Previously successful in the race aboard Military Attack (2013), Time Warp (2018) and Exultant (2019), Purton takes his first ride on 2023 BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) winner Voyage Bubble since 2022, when the future G1 Stewards’ Cup (1600m) victor finished second in a Class 3 race behind Buzzinga over 1200m.
By Leo Schlink
Danny Shum will bid for a fourth victory in the DBS x Manulife Million Challenge at Happy Valley on Wednesday night (21 February) when six horses could potentially claim the series.
While Shum leads the series with Chill Chibi (49 points) from Pierre Ng’s Humble Star (46) - who are not running tomorrow night - five other horses remain in contention to clinch the series: Shum’s Copartner Ambition (45), Douglas Whyte’s Majestic Knight (42), Benno Yung’s Son Pak Fu (39) and Tourbillon Prince (37) and David Hayes’ Tomodachi Kokoroe (36).
Tom Wood:
R1: 9-1-11-4
R2: 2-4-3-7
R3: 4-2-8-5
R4: 3-8-6-2
R5: 5-4-6-1
R6: 2-3-5-1
R7: 1-4-12-10
R8: 5-3-1-6
R9: 5-1-10-3
BEST: R4 N3 SON PAK FU (WIN)
VALUE: R1 N9 JOYFUL LIFE (EW)
PLAY: R8 QQP 1,3,5
Nick Child:
R1 | 11-12-1-2
R2 | 2-4-3-7 (WIN 2)
R3 | 4-3-8-11
R4 | 3-2-4-8 (F/C 3-2)
R5 | 5-4-6-2
R6 | 2-1-7-6
R7 | 1-12-9-4
R8 | 1-3-6-5
R9 | 5-9-2-10
The longshot Peptide Nile was a shocking winner of Sunday’s Grade 1 February Stakes at a mile at Tokyo Racecourse in Japan, earning a berth to the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar on Nov. 2.
Also on Sunday’s program at Tokyo, Ramjet won the $241,100 Hyacinth Stakes, the third of four races in a Kentucky Derby qualifying series for Japanese-based runners.
Peptide Nile paid $107.10 in American pools. Only two other horses went off at longer prices in a field of 16 in the $1.55 million February Stakes, run on dirt.
With the 2023 dirt champion Lemon Pop bound for Saudi Arabia, the Japanese older horse division on dirt lacks a dominant starter in Sunday’s Grade 1 February Stakes at a mile at Tokyo Racecourse.
The $1.55 million February Stakes is one of two Grade 1 races on dirt at Japan Racing Association tracks, along with the Champions Cup at 1 1/8 miles in December. Lemon Pop, a contender in the $20 million Saudi Cup on Feb. 24, won both races in 2023.
By Leo Schlink
Having savoured the ultimate BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) experience with stable star Voyage Bubble last season, Ricky Yiu is bidding for successive Classic victories with emerging talent Simply Maverick.
With three wins from his past four starts – all over Happy Valley’s 1650m course – Simply Maverick returns to Sha Tin on Sunday (18 February) when he will attempt to enhance his rating and Derby prospects in the Class 3 TVB Miss Hong Kong Pageant Handicap (1800m).
