By Paul Ryding
As is becoming customary in the build-up to sprint superstar Ka Ying Rising’s races, trainer David Hayes declared himself delighted with a routinely impressive showing in a Sha Tin barrier trial on Tuesday morning (10 February).
By Paul Ryding
Momentum is building for David Hayes in the trainers’ championship, and the Australian sends seven runners to Happy Valley on Wednesday (11 February) as the battle with Mark Newnham continues.
The two are separated by the slenderest of margins at the top of the standings with Newnham on 35 winners for the season, and last season’s runner-up Hayes on 34.
Paul Lally
R1 4-2-8-5
R2 4-12-5-2
R3 6-4-8-9
R4 7-2-3-6
R5 2-6-1-7
R6 2-11-3-4
R7 1-3-12-11
R8 9-7-11-4
R9 2-7-6-10
Best Bets R4 N7 Master Resolute
Longshot R9 N2 Symbol Of Strength
Play R8 QQP 7-9-11
Mark McNamara
R1: 4.1.2.7
R2: 12.11.2.4
R3: 8.4.6.3
R4: 1.2.6.7
R5: 10.2.1.3
R6: 2.3.4.11
R7: 3.1.9.12
R8: 7.6.9.11
R9: 5.7.10.3
Best Bet R3 N8 Inno Super
Longshot R5 N10 Lean Master
Play R3 Q/P 4.6.8
In the eighth instalment of The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Road to the Derby series, we unpack the “superb” HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m) third placing of Beauty Bolt and look at the galloper’s claims through the remaining two races in the 2025/26 Four-Year-Old Classic Series.
With less than three weeks until the second leg – the HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) on 1 March – and with the 149th HK$26 million BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) on 22 March on the horizon, Beauty Bolt shapes as one of the key players moving forward.
By Paul Ryding
Numbers firmly advanced his credentials for the remainder of the Hong Kong Four-Year-Old Classic Series with a commanding victory in Sunday’s (8 February) G3 Centenary Vase Handicap (1800m) at Sha Tin.
The Frankie Lor-trained galloper dominated his six rivals, each with a Group-level winning profile, as he led from start-to-finish on his way to a two-length victory in the HK$4.2 million contest.
By Declan Schuster
Straight Arron (135lb) must overcome a hefty impost in Sunday’s (8 February) HK$4.2 million G3 Centenary Vase Handicap (1800m) at Sha Tin, but trainer David Hayes believes the step back in grade can prove to be a decisive factor for the contest’s highest-rated runner.
Preparing to face six opponents, seven-year-old Straight Arron tops the field, rated 110 against Beauty Joy (134lb), last year’s winner Chancheng Glory (132lb), Encountered (126lb), Speed Dragon (126lb), Ensued (125lb) and Numbers (115lb).
By Leo Schlink
David Hayes has continued a remarkable domination of the DBS x Manulife Million Challenge, clinching victory in the series for the third consecutive season after Romantic Son’s (135lb) stunning success at Happy Valley on Wednesday night (4 February).
After Tomodachi Kokoroe shared the spoils in 2023/24 with Danny’s Shum Copartner Ambition, Hayes has triumphed outright across the past two years with Soleil Fighter and now Romantic Son.
The speedy colt Plagiarism is held in such regard in Australia that he may be favored as a maiden in Saturday’s $1.39 million Inglis Millennium Stakes for Southern Hemisphere 2-year-olds at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney.
The race could produce starters for the Group 1 Golden Slipper Stakes for Southern Hemisphere 2-year-olds at six furlongs on March 21. The $3.24 million Golden Slipper is the world’s richest race for 2-year-olds.
