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Michael Cox selects his ride of the day, best training performance and horse to follow from the January 1 meeting at Sha Tin.
Ride of the day
Karis Teetan – Storm Rider
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It took a fearless, decisive ride from Karis Teetan to land the G3 Chinese Club Challenge Cup aboard Storm Rider.
Breaking from barrier nine, the Mauritian jockey took matters into his own hands, surging forward early to secure a perfect one-off position just behind the speed.
Teetan said the positive approach was driven by confidence instilled by trainer David Hayes.
“He said to me, ‘Don’t take him back – go forward and make your own luck’,” Teetan said. “His trial last week was really good. Last start he pulled too hard, but he came here in great order and David was bullish about his chances. All credit to David and his team – the horse was spot-on.”
Training performance of the day
John Size
This is the stage of the season when John Size traditionally begins his charge up the trainers’ championship ladder, and another double at Sha Tin reinforced the pattern.
Victories by Raging Rapids and Endued in consecutive races pulled Size to within 13 wins of joint leaders Mark Newnham and Caspar Fownes after 33 meetings. Chasing his 14th title in his 25th Hong Kong season, Size may have started quietly, but he is building momentum – finishing the day with eight wins from his past 64 runners.
Endued, who joined Size from former assistant Benno Yung Tin-pang following Yung’s retirement last season, scored off a mark of 60 over 1,600 meters and the four-year-old may even scrape into the field for the Hong Kong Classic Mile on February 1.
Not everything went Size's way on the card though. Crossborderpegasus again threw a race away with his wayward tendencies.
Crossborderpegasus looked assured of victory in the Cha Kwo Ling Handicap but tried to 'hang out' badly late, requiring jockey Hugh Bowman to focus on correcting the horse.
Stewards told Size the horse must now barrier trial, "from a wide barrier where it would be required to be ridden out in the home Straight under raceday pressure to the outside of other horses before being allowed to race again."
Horse to follow
Smart Golf
When an inexperienced horse shows raw, slightly green tendencies and still finds a way to win, it usually points to upside and Frankie Lor Fu-chuen is hoping Smart Golf fits that profile.
After disappointing as favorite on debut up the straight, Lor sent the four-year-old back to the trials and stepped him up to 1,200 meters. The change paid off.
From barrier 11, Harry Bentley crossed to lead, and despite looking around and flicking his tail, Smart Golf was always in control, scoring by two lengths.
That margin could see him promoted to Class 3, but Lor is hoping for an eight-point rise, which would allow Smart Golf to remain in Class 4 for his next start.
