Hong Kong racing expert Luke Middlebrook reviews BMW Hong Kong Derby day with his ride of the day, best training performance and horse to follow.
Ride of the Day - Keith Yeung Ming-lun
Circuit Champion’s win was better than the margin suggests. He scored by half a length, but it was the sort of performance that looked stronger the more you watched it, especially after a race that went against him early.
The five-year-old was backed from $2.6 into $1.9 as he chased back-to-back wins on the rise to Class 3 after a two-and-a-quarter-length Class 4 success. That confidence took an early hit when he was squeezed soon after the gates opened, failed to muster, and settled last of 10, never looking comfortable.
Keith Yeung Ming-lun kept his cool, let Circuit Champion find a rhythm, then produced him at the right time and guided him to the better ground in the straight, where the middle of the track looked the place to be. He also defied a slow tempo, closing with an elite 21.81-second final 400m after a lead speed of 46.39 seconds to the 800m.
Horse to Follow - Hot Delight
One year is a long time in racing, but Francis Lui Kin-wai’s Hot Delight is doing enough to suggest he could be a Derby Day talking point this time next year. Three from three now, he continues to climb the ladder the right way.
The rise is getting steeper. He was already 21 rating points higher than on debut before this win, and another jump of at least 10 points would push him into Class 2. From here, the handicapper may be the one he has to beat.
A distance test would also need to come into the picture to justify any Classic Series talk next season. For now, he is doing everything right at sprint trips, and there is no need to let comparisons become the thief of joy. This win was another reminder he has the speed to take a spot, travel sweetly, and still finish strongly.
Training Performance of the Day - Mark Newnham
It might seem obvious, but for good reason. Mark Newnham’s handling of Invincible Ibis, from his breakthrough win in October to Hong Kong Derby glory, was built on poise, patience, and a clear focus on the main prize.
Many wrote off Invincible Ibis after a visually lackluster sixth in the Classic Mile, the first time he had missed the placings in eight starts, but it was never cause for alarm for his trainer. His second in the Classic Cup only reinforced Newnham’s view that the horse was right where he needed to be.
It is easy to forget Invincible Ibis started the season as a two-start maiden, and a field-shy horse at that. Newnham has progressed him steadily, showing there is something to be said for a old-style Derby preparation that moves slowly up in trip to arrive at a peak on “grand final day”. He may not end up the best horse to come out of this race, but he was the best horse on the day – and that is a credit to his trainer.
