Paul Lally:
R1: 2-5-7-10
R2: 5-1-4-6
R3: 1-3-4-7
R4: 3-2-5-9
R5: 2-9-3-6
R6: 3-10-8-7
R7: 7-3-10-5
R8: 4-8-11-12
R9: 12-1-7-10
Best Bet R3 N1 Fun Elite
Longshot R8 N4 Outgate
Play R4 QQP 2-3-5
Tom Wood:
R1: 7-1-2-11
R2: 5-4-7-9
R3: 1-4-9-12
R5: 2-9-4-6
R6: 2-3-5-9
Always My Folks (120lb) is knocking on the door for a maiden win and Karis Teetan hopes Michael Chang’s three-year-old is able to make further headway in the Class 4 Hereford Handicap (1200m) at Happy Valley tomorrow night (Wednesday, 25 June).
Placed in both of his last starts by under a length, Always My Folks – a chestnut gelding by Capitalist – breaks from barrier nine against 11 runners at the city circuit, with Teetan wary of the wide draw but encouraged by the horse’s continued development.
Beauty Joy (129lb) almost certainly staved off retirement after the evergreen eight-year-old upstaged younger rivals to land the HK$4.2 million G3 Premier Plate Handicap (1800m) for Tony Cruz and Brenton Avdulla at Sha Tin on Sunday (22 June).
Nearing the end of his fifth Hong Kong season after an unbeaten four-race stint in Australia in 2020 when he raced as Talladega, the Sebring gelding showed no signs of fatigue in surging past BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) victor Cap Ferrat (126lb) and Bundle Award (115lb) in 1m 46.91s.
Keagan de Melo rejoiced in the biggest win of his Hong Kong riding career today (Sunday, 22 June) with a 25/1 victory aboard Copartner Prance (122lb) for trainer Francis Lui in the HK$4.2 million G3 Premier Cup Handicap (1400m) at Sha Tin.
Pressing forward from gate five in the nine-runner contest, Copartner Prance defiantly maintained his position at the head of the field throughout the race as Victor The Winner (132lb) sat second. Happy Together (128lb) made a late lunge, missing by only a head, as Lui’s charge savoured narrow success in 1m 21.15s (13.51, 22.33, 22.94, 22.37).
Happy Valley Selections
(Wednesday, June 25, 2025)
Race 1: #2 Winning Heart, #7 So Awesome, #1 Triumphant Warrior, #12 Multidarling
Race 2: #5 My Day My Way, #4 Monarch County, #7 New Power, #6 Fortune Warrior
Race 3: #1 Fun Elite, #7 Victor The Rapid, #4 Thunder Prince, #10 Vulcanus
Race 4: #1 Galaxy Witness, #4 Good Luck Win, #3 Chain Of Gold, #5 Amazing Award
Race 5: #2 Seasons Wit, #4 Eternal Fortune, #9 Parents’ Love, #1 Youthful Spirits
By Declan Schuster
Ricky Yiu is bearing down on a fourth straight 50-plus win season in Hong Kong and the 2019/20 champion trainer is thrilled with the current campaign, hailing Voyage Bubble’s Triple Crown success last month as a ‘peak’ moment not only during the 2024/25 term but chiefly across his three decades long training career, which commenced in 1995/96.
Paul Lally:
R1 8-2-13-1
R2 8-2-4-13
R3 9-5-2-14
R4 1-4-12-11
R5 2-5-6-3
R6 5-6-3-1
R7 14-1-5-8
R8 11-2-7-10
R9 4-13-14-2
R10 11-10-8-13
R11 6-8-7-12
Best Bet R5 N2 Blazing Wukong
Longshot R10 N11 Prestige Ricky
Play R11 QQP 6-7-8
Our ambassador has a quartet of rides at Royal Ascot on Friday, live on Sky Sports Racing, including talented sprinter Big Mojo in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup.
MOJO HAS COMMONWEALTH CREDENTIALS
Picking up the ride on talented sprinter BIG MOJO in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup (4.20) at Royal Ascot on Friday, live on Sky Sports Racing, is hugely exciting.
Mick Appleby’s three-year-old has been my husband Tom Marquand’s ride but when he was claimed for Sky Majesty for his boss William Haggas, I was only too happy to step in.
