By Paul Ryding
Ricky Yiu is optimistic that Sunlight Power can build on a solid performance in Group 1 company last time out and run into the prize money in the HK$13 million G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) on Sunday (22 February).
Trainer Frankie Lor, fresh from celebrating his 60th birthday with a double at Sha Tin on Saturday (14 February), is aiming to continue his winning momentum at Thursday’s (19 February) Year Of The Horse Raceday.
Lor, himself born in the Year of the Horse, saddles six runners across the 11-race card, with particular focus on his two contenders in the HK$3.12 million Class 2 The Year Of The Horse Cup (1600m) – Regal Gem (119lb) and Voyage Samurai (121lb).
Chris So’s promising galloper Top Dragon returns quickly to action in the HK$3.12 million Class 2 The Year Of The Horse Cup Handicap (1600m) at Sha Tin on Thursday (19 February). The gelding finished a creditable fifth in the HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m) on 1 February, the opening leg of the Four-Year-Old Classic Series, and connections are keen to capitalise on his lightweight advantage for a strong start to the Year of the Horse.
Reef Runner has reached millionaire status since he was gelded last spring.
On Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Reef Runner won the richest race of his career in the Group 2, $2 million 1351 Turf Sprint at about 6 3/4 furlongs.
The victory was worth $1.2 million and increased Reef Runner’s earnings since last summer to $1,516,675. He has finished first in five of six starts since he returned to racing in August after being gelded.
By Paul Ryding
Caspar Fownes became only the fourth trainer in Hong Kong racing history to reach 1,200 wins at Sha Tin on Saturday (14 February), a milestone achieved as he landed a double to move level at the top of the 2025/26 trainers’ championship.
On the day Fownes joined an elite group of trainers to pass the 1,200 mark, which includes John Moore, John Size and Tony Cruz, he now sits level at the top of the 2025/26 trainer standings with Mark Newnham on 35 wins. David Hayes is one back on 34.
Al Haram closed from near the rear of a 14-runner field to run down game pacesetting American shipper Obliteration and win the Saudi Derby by 1 1/4 lengths on Saturday at King Abdulaziz Racecourse.
Saudi-based Al Haram, an Ireland-bred son of Iffraaj and Liberamente, by Tagula, now is unbeaten after four starts having won his two previous outings by about 12 combined lengths. Thamer Aldaihani trains Al Haram and Ricardo Ferreira piloted him to victory in Saturday’s $1.5 million contest.
A tardy start could not keep the California-based Imagination from a brilliant win in Saturday’s Group 2 Riyadh Dirt Sprint in Saudi Arabia.
Ridden by Flavien Prat for trainer Bob Baffert, Imagination (who paid $3.60 in American pools) closed with a wide rally to win the $2 million Riyadh Dirt Sprint by three-quarters of a length over the Florida shipper Just Beat the Odds, a 20-1 chance.
The Riyadh Dirt Sprint, at six furlongs, was the first start for Imagination since a second-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Del Mar in November.
By Paul Ryding
The trainers’ championship battle intensifies at Sha Tin on Saturday (14 February), where leader Mark Newnham seeks to maintain his advantage as the leading rivals for the handlers’ crown close in at the top.
Newnham has celebrated winners at the past two Sha Tin meetings, but just four wins separate a quartet of leading trainers currently, and Newnham’s lead over David Hayes has been reduced to just one win (35-34) after a stellar opening to 2026 for last season’s championship runner-up.
Forever Young hard to knock in any way
I’ve had a fairly quiet winter, so it’s nice to get out to Riyadh for five rides at The Saudi Cup meeting.
There’s a lot of prize money at stake and some good international competition. Fingers crossed we can get amongst it.
King Abdulaziz | Race 5: G2 Riyadh Dirt Sprint
DON AMITIE was disappointing on his last start and will have to run a career best to challenge in this.
If you put a line through that then he could run respectably, but it still looks a fairly big ask.
