The cattle feed supplement, Zilpaterol, turning up in more than half the horse feed at Sha Tin has been the story on everyone’s lips in Hong Kong racing this week but mostly full fields have been paid up for Sunday’s meeting, with all horses to be tested before being able to take their places.
It’s an issue that caught the Hong Kong Jockey Club on the wrong foot but probably won’t take long to work through now that it is under examination.
Meanwhile, the jockey and trainer championships are still the focus of the on-track action and Douglas Whyte’s treble midweek to go five wins clear of Zac Purton with eight meetings left has probably killed off the challenger.
Whyte is doing what he always does when he is challenged – keep fronting up with full books and good rides, while Purton isn’t getting full books and the quality of his rides has become mixed as his main trainers have run out of bullets late in the season.
Whyte again has ten rides on Sunday and has given a vital pointer for punters in the final race, preferring to get down to a very light weight for Dennis Yip-trained All You Wish rather than John Size-trained Tarzan I Am on the same weight.
Whyte also has nice rides in King Haradasun and Hypersonic.
Meanwhile Tommy Berry’s momentum continues despite his announcement he will not be back early next season. Berry’s double midweek could be repeated on Sunday – he has good rides in Thanksgiving,
Ambassadorship, Bobo Express, Sudden Thunder for various yards then finishes the meeting with excellent chances on Sterling City in the final Group race of the season and Invictus on the all-weather, as well as an interesting newcomer, Designs On Rome, and all of them for John Moore.
By Nathan Mody
