An exciting Derby now a part of racing history and Hong Kong’s record eight-horse assault on the Dubai World Cup meeting a week away, racing at Sha Tin on Sunday takes a breath, with much of the interest again in the battle for the jockey championship.
Zac Purton had a double midweek to Joao Moreira’s single win, taking the Australian’s lead back out to eight wins.
It’s difficult to say who has the better book this weekend but they will go head-to-head in a couple of the races, particularly the middle-grade trophy event, Kowloon Cricket Club Centenary Cup.
Purton stays with promising three-year-old Archippus while Moreira teams with John Size and Wonderful Moments again. The four-year-old Wonderful Moments has been well backed in both runs in Hong Kong without delivering but has barrier trailled strongly since his last run in December while Archippus has won two of three starts and went down to the good, year-older galloper Khaya in his only defeat.
Purton might have the better of that one on raw talent – Archippus looks like a horse headed for the higher grades when he matures.
Purton also has nice rides on Gideon, Gun Pit, Stay Ahead and Dundonnell, who found Group One company too hard last week but backs up returning to Class Two. He won smartly in Class One two runs back.
Moreira’s card includes debutants Trendiful and Stag Knight, who have looked good at the trials, Telecom Prince, Kynam and Principal.
Sunday’s 11-race card features the first “Griffin” race of the season. This is Hong Kong’s equivalent of two-year-old racing, with a mixture of Northern Hemisphere three-year-olds pitted against Southern Hemisphere bred two-year-olds. Over the years, John Moore has been the king of these events and he saddles up Exceed And Excel gelding Exaggeration, with Moreira aboard.
By Nathan Mody
