Bidding for a record-extending 13th Hong Kong trainers’ championship, John Size forged to a four-win lead in the 2024/25 standings with a treble at Sha Tin on Saturday (15 March) as the master horseman targets a fourth BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) triumph next weekend.

Size boosted his tally to 42 wins and cemented his place at the top of the trainers’ standings over David Hayes (38) after striking with Crossborderpegasus, Lifeline Express and Juneau Pride – eight days out from saddling Bundle Award, Mickley and Beauty Alliance in the HK$26 million BMW Hong Kong Derby.

Inothewayurthinkin could not get near the star steeplechaser Galopin Des Champs in two Grade 1 races at Leopardstown Racecourse in Ireland earlier this winter, finishing fifth and fourth by a combined 22 3/4 lengths.

Friday’s Grade 1 Cheltenham Gold Cup in western England was another matter.

Inothewayurthinkin, ridden by Mark Walsh, closed from off the pace to challenge 2-5 Galopin Des Champs with two fences remaining before pulling clear after the last fence to win by six lengths.

Paul Lally:

R1 1-10-5-3

R2 6-7-4-1

R3 10-9-7-3

R4 6-2-9-5

R5 4-2-8-1

R6 3-7-9-1

R7 2-6-5-3

R8 8-4-6-2

R9 10-5-12-6

R10 6-7-1-8

Best Bet R4 N6 Dazzling Fit

Longshot R3 N10 Savvy Twinkle

Play R10 QQP 1-6-7

Tom Wood:

R1:       5-2-3-1

R2:       8-6-1-4

R3:       9-2-7-4

R4:       2-6-3-9

R5:       4-2-8-11

R6:       9-3-1-7

Any owner, trainer or jockey in Hong Kong is eager to participate in one of the city’s most prestigious races – the BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m). Janice Cheng Po Hei and Patrick Kwok Ho Chuen, Members of Beauty Syndicate, are no exception and they are thrilled their four-year-old son of Starcraft secured a late admission ticket to the Classic, thanks to the horse’s impressive victory last Wednesday (12 March).

Hugh Bowman is optimistic a drop in distance will pave the way for Sky Trust to push for victory in the first section of the Class 3 Cosmos Handicap (1400m) at Sha Tin on Saturday (15 March) when the gelding squares off with emerging talent Sky Jewellery.

Twelfth in the HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) behind Rubylot on 2 March after making a long, sustained gallop from the back straight, Sky Trust drops to 1400m – a trip which has yielded two wins and six minor placings for the So You Think gelding.

Shenandoah Lady, who will start favored in Friday’s Group 1 Coolmore Classic at Rosehill Gardens in Sydney, Australia, has compiled a four-race winning streak in the last six months consisting of two Group 1 races, a Group 2, and a Group 3.

Those are the only wins of her six starts and were accomplished against fellow Southern Hemisphere 3-year-old fillies. The $627,300 Coolmore Classic will be Shenandoah Lady’s first start against older fillies and mares.

Lyle Hewitson removed luck from the equation aboard Highland Rahy (126lb) and the rider found a willing partner as Francis Lui’s galloper secured a first Hong Kong win in the Class 4 Ireland Trophy Handicap (1650m) at Happy Valley tonight (Wednesday, 12 March).

Successful in Ireland pre-import, Highland Rahy fired to an uncontested lead under Hewitson from barrier seven and never looked back, clutching onto a three quarter length victory over a ground-making Viva Graciousness (135lb) in the HK$1.17 million feature race.

Sha Tin Selections
(Saturday, March 15, 2025)

Marine Nationale delivered a mistake-free performance, and benefited from major mistakes by two rivals, to win a poignant running of Friday’s Grade 1 Queen Mother Champion Chase at two miles at Cheltenham Racecourse in England.

The win was Marine Nationale’s second victory at the prestigious Cheltenham festival. In 2023, Marine National won the Grade 1 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle when ridden by Michael O’Sullivan.

O’Sullivan died on Feb. 16 of injuries sustained in a race in Ireland earlier in February.

It is possible to beat the 9-year-old gelding Galopin Des Champs, who will be heavily favored to win Friday’s Grade 1 Cheltenham Gold Cup for steeplechasers for the third consecutive year at Cheltenham Racecourse in western England.

Galopin Des Champs has lost eight times in his 22-race career – just not very often at Cheltenham. In four career starts since March 2021 on the undulating course, Galopin Des Champs has won three times and fell once.