Paul Lally:
R1: 3-10-8-14
R2: 8-1-4-11
R3: 1-6-10-2
R4: 6-5-1-10
R5: 6-5-11-1
R6: 1-10-3-5
R7: 6-1-2-8
R8: 7-4-1-3
R9: 2-7-3-4
R10: 14-3-9-8
R11: 1-12-7-9
Best Bet R11 N1 Circuit Grand Slam
Longshot R10 N14 Very Grateful
Play R8 QQP 1-4-7
Entering his third training season in Hong Kong, Australian trainer Mark Newnham is enjoying his most successful spell yet. He closed out his debut campaign with 31 wins, before adding another 44 in 2024/25. As of the end of December in the 2025/26 season, Newnham sits in the second spot of the trainers’ premiership with 26 wins. At the Sha Tin meeting on 20 December, he celebrated his 100th Hong Kong victory when rising four-year-old star Invincible Ibis stormed home.
By Declan Schuster
Light Years Charm (132lb) has always shown plenty of aptitude and Thursday’s (1 January) HK$4.2 million G3 Chinese Club Challenge Cup Handicap (1400m) at Sha Tin shapes as a timely and suitable opportunity for the five-year-old to enhance his standing.
Seeking a first Group race win, Light Years Charm has progressively earned a 107 rating across 12 appearances in Hong Kong – highlighted by five wins over Thursday’s course and distance – for trainer David Eustace and owners Zhao Guoming & Xiao Bing.
There can be no doubt about Lovcen’s affection for races at 1 1/4 miles in Japan.
After winning at the extended trip in his debut for first-time starters at Kyoto Racecourse on Nov. 9, Lovcen won his second start in the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes at 1 1/4 miles at Nakayama on Saturday.
Lovcen returned $71.70 in American pools.
Ridden by Kohei Matsuyama, Lovcen closed from the middle of the field of 16 to win by three-quarters of a length over 8-1 Forte Angelo.
By Leo Schlink
Frankie Lor continued a meteoric rise when Salon S triumphed impressively to deliver the trainer’s 500th Hong Kong victory before Numbers emerged as a serious BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) contender at Sha Tin on Sunday (27 December) on a momentous afternoon for the quietly-spoken horseman.
Regaleira can become the first two-time winner of the Grade 1 Arima Kinen in more than a decade when she starts as the expected favorite in the popular race at Nakayama Racecourse in Japan on Sunday.
Part of the field of 16 is determined by a fan ballot and Regaleira finished first in recent voting. A 4-year-old, Regaleira has won 5 of 11 starts, including two Grade 1 races other than the 2024 Arima Kinen – the 2023 Hopeful Stakes for 2-year-olds at 1 1/4 miles at Nakayama against males, and the Queen Elizabeth Cup at 1 3/8 miles against fillies and mares at Kyoto on Nov. 16.
Justin Vista has the experience of a recent graded stakes win at 1 1/4 miles on turf when he starts at the same distance in Saturday’s Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes for 2-year-olds at Nakayama Racecourse in Japan.
Late-year distance races for juveniles are common in Japan. Justin Vista, trained by Tatsuya Yoshioka, is unbeaten in two starts, both at Kyoto Racecourse – a race for first-time starters at 1 1/8 miles on Oct. 13, and the Grade 3 Kyoto Nisai Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on Nov. 29, closing from seventh in a field of 11.
Paul Lally:
R1 9-2-3-5
R2 2-8-3-13
R3 5-6-4-9
R4 1-3-6-7
R5 9-1-6-2
R6 2-7-1-5
R7 7-5-4-10
R8 10-1-4-13
R9 8-11-1-4
R10 5-6-4-3
Best Bet R2 N2 Aurio
Longshot R6 N2 Star Satyr
Plays R10 QQP 4-5-6
Tom Wood:
R1: 9-10-2-3
R2: 2-8-10-3
R3: 6-5-7-2
R4: 3-1-5-7
R5: 9-1-6-2
R6: 6-1-7-2
R7: 10-4-5-13
R8: 10-4-6-1
R9: 13-4-8-14
R10: 5-6-9-7
By Leo Schlink
Mark Newnham hopes Bravehearts can capitalise on favourable handicap conditions and reprise winning form when the Group 1-winning Argentine import contests the HK$3.12 million Class 2 Long Ke Handicap (2000m) at Sha Tin on Saturday (27 December).
Twice a winner over this course and distance, Bravehearts has not won since triumphed in 11 starts since winning this race at the corresponding meeting last season but Newnham is optimistic this weekend’s impost of only 115lb will spark a return to form.
