By Declan Schuster

Gearing up for his second attempt at securing Group 1 glory in Japan, Victor The Winner got a first feel for Nakayama’s turf course on Wednesday morning (25 September) with jockey Joao Moreira in the plate for trainer Danny Shum.

Victor The Winner is one of two Hong Kong-trained runners readying for Sunday’s (29 September) G1 Sprinters Stakes (1200m) at Nakayama, a racetrack located in the Chiba Prefecture of the Greater Tokyo Area, while the other representative is Mugen, who exercised slowly alongside partner horse Island Surprise today.

Paul Lally

R1: 1-4-7-10
R2: 1-7-2-8
R3: 5-6-2-3
R4: 7-8-9-6
R5: 6-4-7-3
R6: 4-8-2-10
R7: 8-7-6-5
R8: 9-8-1-5

Best Bet: R7 N8 Mr Valiant
Longshot: R4 N7 Beautiful Win
Play: R3 QQP 2-5-6

Tom Wood:

R1: 2-4-7-1
R2: 1-7-10-2
R3: 5-8-1-10
R4: 8-7-6-4
R5: 4-6-3-1
R6: 4-8-3-5
R7: 2-6-5-8
R8: 10-1-3-7

BEST: R3 N5 NEBRASKAN (WIN)
VALUE: R8 N10 BITS SUPERSTAR (EW)
PLAY: R8 QQP 1,3,10

By Declan Schuster

Cody Mo is expecting to break new ground next Tuesday (1 October) by saddling his first runner in a Group race in Hong Kong when Magic Control contests the HK$4.2 million G3 National Day Cup Handicap (1000m) at Sha Tin.

Mo, 46, commenced his training career last season with 20 wins. He’s added a further two to his tally this term, while before being awarded a licence to train, Mo previously worked with Tony Cruz when the legendary figure had Silent Witness and Bullish Luck in his stable.

Derma Sotogake and Ushba Tesoro, second and fifth in the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita, will start for the first time in nearly six months in Wednesday’s $278,900 Nippon TV Hai Stakes at Funabashi Racecourse in Tokyo.

Considering their form in international stakes earlier this year, Ushba Tesoro may have an edge over his rival in a prep for expected starts from the pair in the BC Classic at 1 1/4 miles at Del Mar on Nov. 2.

Ushba Tesoro also has course experience at Funabashi, having won the 2023 Nippon TV Hai.

By Declan Schuster

Packing Hermod shapes as one of Hong Kong’s most exciting prospects this season and, ahead of his four-year-old campaign, the impressive youngster reappeared for a barrier trial on Monday morning (23 September) at Sha Tin alongside Helios Express and Galaxy Patch.

Firing to an early lead, Packing Hermod finished a restrained second under Zac Purton in 1m 12.03s over 1200m on the dirt course. The talent won his only two races in Hong Kong by a combined five and a half lengths over 1200m last season.

By Leo Schlink

Tony Cruz claimed the HK$4.2 million G3 Celebration Cup Handicap (1400m) for the third time in four seasons when The Golden Scenery produced a career-best performance under Brenton Avdulla at Sha Tin on Sunday (22 September) to win the first Group race of the 2024/25 Hong Kong season.

Champion City of Troy, the leading European-based candidate for the Breeders’ Cup Classic, turned in a key public gallop Friday on the Tapeta at Southwell, seeking to prepare him for his dirt debut and American racing conditions.

By Leo Schlink

Alexis Badel will attempt to join Zac Purton and Joao Moreira as multiple winners of the G3 Celebration Cup Handicap (1400m) when the Frenchman combines with Manfred Man’s Chiu Chow Spirit in the HK$4.2 million feature on Sunday (22 September).

Badel last year landed the Celebration Cup aboard Frankie Lor-trained Healthy Happy - who returns for a third tilt at the first Group race of the season, having finished second to California Spangle in 2022 – and hopes Chiu Chow Spirit can handle the class rise.

Paul Lally:
R1 9-4-8-2

R2 9-10-1-4

R3 4-5-3-7

R4 11-1-6-3

R5 2-5-1-4

R6 8-6-10-2

R7 5-3-1-2

R8 3-7-2-1

R9 1-5-8-9

R10 6-11-2-5
Best Bet R10 N6 Young Champion

Longshot R2 N9 Patch Of Watch

Play R3 QQP 3-4-5

Tom Wood:
R1: 9-8-2-4

R2: 9-4-1-3

R3: 5-4-1-6

R4: 8-1-3-5

R5: 2-5-1-9

R6: 4-8-3-1

R7: 6-5-3-1

Leo Schlink

Throughout Golden Sixty’s storied career, Zac Purton and Karis Teetan were united in two facets as they searched for ways to foil the Hong Kong champion – the almost certain inevitability of defeat and unqualified admiration.