Training Performance of the Day — John Size
A race-to-race double for champion trainer John Size kept him in the championship conversation on a day when four of the top six trainers struck.
Mark Newnham moved outright to the lead on 51 wins when Incredible Moment won the fourth race, before Danny Shum Chap-shing took the Group 3 feature to move to 50 wins and level with Caspar Fownes in second. Size started the day sixth with 41 wins before Sky Jewellery and Enthusium delivered back-to-back victories, lifting the trainer to 43 for the term – eight behind Newnham. .
Size's runners were around the mark for the rest of the card, too. Red Maestro shaped like a winner in waiting when runner-up to Baby Sakura, while Crossborderpegasus ran a big race into third after missing the start. Francis Lui Kin-wai answered with a double of his own in the final two races through Baby Sakura and Turquoise Velocity to move to 45 and maintain fifth place.
Ride of the Day — Andrea Atzeni, Baby Sakura
Andrea Atzeni kept Baby Sakura out of trouble and that proved the winning move as the three-year-old bounced back for his second career win in a 1,400m Class 3.
It may have looked simple enough, but a first ride on a horse coming off back-to-back disappointments — he was beaten as the 1.7 favorite on both occasions — still carries a level of expectation. A mid-race check cost Baby Sakura the win last start, but this time Atzeni rode him like the best horse in the race from the outset. Settling fourth but more than two lengths off the lead, he was never in trouble, timing his move inside the final 500m as the leaders began to tire before racing away inside the 300m.
Trainer Francis Lui Kin-wai said he was eyeing next year's Classic Mile: "Because he's a strong horse, and he's still immature, he still has room to improve, and he can still race at least one more time this season." Atzeni completed a treble across Races 8 to 10 but earlier he incurred a one-day careless riding suspension after causing interference aboard Master Lucky in Race 2.
Horse to Follow — Enthusium
Four-year-old Enthusium broke through for his first Hong Kong win in a 2,000-meter Class 3 and his jockey believes there's more to come.
The UK import, who raced as The King's Falcon under William Haggas, had four starts in Britain over distances ranging from 1,400 meters to 1,800m, with his maiden victory coming at the latter trip before being sold to Hong Kong interests. Now trained by John Size, the champion trainer said Enthusium's progress has been typical for a horse of his background arriving in Hong Kong, with time being his friend.
Coming into Sunday after an encouraging third to Aerodynamics, Enthusium turned the tables on that rival by a short head in the demanding conditions under Andrea Atzeni. Size was pleased to hear his jockey's positive post-race assessment. "Andrea said he's going to win another race, a nice race, but he's one of those types that's just not ready yet."
𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽 ↓
