By Leo Schlink

David Eustace added further lustre to a burgeoning Hong Kong debut season when emerging talent Light Years Charm swept to victory in the HK$2.84 million Class 2 Lee On Handicap (1400m) at Sha Tin on Sunday (8 June), presenting the young trainer with his 30th winner of the campaign.

By Rubick, Light Years Charm (121lb) gave Eustace his first Class 2 triumph and collected a PP Bonus of HK$1.5 million – plus prizemoney of HK$1.59 million – after Zac Purton patiently piloted the four-year-old to his third win from eight starts.

Trainer Aidan O’Brien landed this 11th Derby on Saturday at Epsom Downs and did so with the longest price among his three runners. Lambourn set out for the lead straight from gate, appeared to set a strong pace, and never had an anxious moment, crossing the line a 3 3/4-length winner under Wayne Lordan, a longtime fixture in the O’Brien orbit who won his first Derby.

Minnie Hauk, making her fourth start, outdueled stablemate Whirl in the final furlong to win Friday’s Group 1 English Oaks at Epsom Racecourse in Britain, giving trainer Aidan O’Brien an 11th career win in the historic race.

Minnie Hauk, ridden by Ryan Moore, won by a neck over 6-1 Whirl, who set the pace. Desert Flower, previously unbeaten in five starts, including the Group 1 English 1000 Guineas at a mile at Newmarket on May 4, finished third, beaten 4 1/4 lengths in her first race beyond a mile.

By Leo Schlink

Aiming to close an impressive first season in Hong Kong with a flourish, David Eustace hopes Light Years Charm can handle a rise in grade when he tackles the HK$2.84 million Class 2 Lee On Handicap (1400m) at Sha Tin on Sunday (8 June).

Eustace, 32, has saddled 29 winners from 297 starters in a fine Hong Kong debut season and the Englishman is optimistic Light Years Charm can maintain the stable’s momentum with a third victory at Sha Tin.

Paul Lally: 
R1 1-2-5-9 
R2 8-5-7-10 
R3 1-2-7-10 
R4 5-4-3-14 
R5 3-5-10-1 
R6 2-7-3-10 
R7 7-5-4-3 
R8 1-6-14-9 
R9 2-8-1-14 
R10 10-8-11-1 
Best Bet R2 N8 Team Team Folks 
Longshot R6 N2 Star Satyr 
Play Race9 QQP 1-2-8 

Sha Tin Selections
(Sunday, June 08, 2025)

Soul Rush, the 2024 champion miler in Japan, secured a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Mile on Nov. 1 at Del Mar with his upset victory in the Group 1 Dubai Turf in the United Arab Emirates in April.

Two months later, Soul Rush is back in Japan and the focus of attention in Sunday’s Grade 1 Yasuda Kinen at Tokyo Racecourse, the country’s leading mile race for older horses in the first half of the year.

The winner of the $2.41 million Yasuda Kinen will receive a fees-paid berth to the BC Mile. Soul Rush will need another world-class effort to beat 17 rivals.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club is bringing back the ‘Summer Series’ at Sha Tin Racecourse, featuring 4pm start times, live music, entertainment, culinary options and Hong Kong’s world-class horse racing. A total of seven race meetings in the series will be held from Sunday, 8 June to Sunday, 13 July – the ‘Sha Tin Season Finale’ of the current 2024/25 Hong Kong racing season, which concludes on Wednesday, 16 July at Happy Valley with the 88th and final fixture.

Month-by-month since February, the Australian 3-year-old Philia has compiled a four-race winning streak that has made her the favorite to win Friday’s Group 1 Queensland Oaks at Eagle Farm Racecourse.

Philia won a maiden race at 6 3/4 furlongs in her third start in February, a minor handicap at a mile in March, her stakes debut in the Princess Stakes in April, and her group stakes debut in the Group 2 The Roses Stakes on May 24.

By Leo Schlink

Ellis Wong continued a blazing run of form to take Happy Valley riding honours with a double on Wednesday night (4 June) as he posted one of the most significant wins of his fledging career on Kaholo Angel, a horse who has played a pivotal role in the apprentice’s development.

Maintaining the form which saw him slot five wins in May, Wong struck with Ricky Yiu-trained Mega Bonus in the second section of the Class 4 Wong Nai Chung Gap Handicap (1200m) before partnering Kaholo Angel to victory in the Class 2 Wan Chai Gap Handicap (1200m) for Caspar Fownes.