The battle between Vincent Ho and Jerry Chau for a prized berth as Hong Kong, China’s leading homegrown rider in next month’s LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship (IJC) intensified at Happy Valley on Wednesday night (19 November) as the pair traded blows with doubles.
Chau temporarily took the lead in the standings with a race-to-race double for David Eustace to claim the lead as the top eligible homegrown jockey ahead of the 10 December LONGINES IJC before 2023 LONGINES IJC champion Ho fired back with a brace of his own.
With only two meetings left before the selection cut-off after the 26 November meeting at Happy Valley, Ho holds sway with 10 wins from Chau (nine) with Matthew Poon (seven), Matthew Chadwick (seven) and Derek Leung (six) all in contention.
Ho teamed with Caspar Fownes to snare the Class 4 The Indian Recreation Club Challenge Cup Handicap (1000m) in brilliant fashion with Mr Desira (133lb) before guiding Frankie Lor’s Glorious Journey (124lb) to victory in the first section of the Class 4 Caroline Hill Handicap (1650m).
“The IJC is very important but after a long injury, it’s hard to get the momentum and I’m glad that Fownes is supporting me and a few others trainers but it’s hard to get rides,” Ho said. “I’m doing my best on every single horse to hopefully get in the IJC. It’s a great privilege to ride in it and I’ll just do my best.”
Chau and Eustace struck with Apolar Fighter (132lb) in the Class 5 Tai Hang Handicap (1650m) before scoring with Podium (123lb), whose victory in the Class 5 Hing Fat Handicap gave Eustace three wins from only five starters across the past two meetings.
“I need to thank David who has given me great support this season,” Chau, 25, said. “He has been giving me quality rides and tonight, the horses have been running well.
“(Regarding the IJC), it’s still too early to say but I will try my best because it’s a very good opportunity for me. I’m trying to get some good results early in the season and to have a chance to fight for a place in the IJC – I will try 200 percent and hopefully I will get in.”
With 10 riders already confirmed for the LONGINES IJC, competition for the final two positions will continue at Sha Tin at the glittering Bank of China (Hong Kong) Race Day this Sunday (23 November) before next Wednesday’s fixture.
Zac Purton qualifies for the LONGINES IJC as last season’s Hong Kong champion jockey and will be joined by defending champion Mickael Barzalona, James McDonald, Christophe Lemaire, Umberto Rispoli, Hollie Doyle, Rachel King, Joao Moreira, William Buick and Ryan Moore (subject to fitness).
With 37 wins, Purton is forging towards a ninth Hong Kong jockeys’ championship but much interest now centres on who will fill both the leading homegrown rider’s position and also that of the second-placed jockey in the 2025/26 standings.
Luke Ferraris (15 wins) currently sits second behind Purton but ahead of Hugh Bowman (13), Alexis Badel (12), Karis Teetan (11) and Lyle Hewitson (10), who scored on David Hayes-trained Samarkand in the second section of the Class 4 Caroline Hill Handicap (1650m).
Hayes and Harry Bentley sealed doubles with Romantic Son’s success in the Class 3 Cotton Handicap (1200m) as Hayes cemented second place in the trainers’ championship with 18 wins behind Mark Newnham (22).
“Thrilled to have a double – it keeps me in touch with the lead. I think they’re two horses to follow and I’m very happy,” Hayes said.
Bentley also combined with Danny Shum and Win Method (117lb) to land the second section of the Class 4 So Kon Po Handicap (1200m) before Lakeshore Hero (118lb) made a triumphant return to racing after recovering from a heart irregularity to win the first section of the Class 4 So Kon Po Handicap (1200m) for David Hall and Andrea Atzeni at his first start since July.
“He’s coming off a heart irregularity and he’s not been an easy horse to work with, he’s been quite timid amongst horses and wants to over-race and do a few things wrong,” Hall said.
“The owner has had to be patient – he’s had a long break and reset. His trials have been good coming back and obviously the race now tells you that the horse has got more confidence to handle it the way he did today.
“We brought him here to try and get some speed for him so he would relax, and then it was about how confident he would be amongst the other horses. To his credit he took the run and went up the inside and finished off.”
Atzeni closed the meeting with victory on Newnham’s Hong Kong International Sale graduate Super Unicorn (119lb) in the Class 3 Causeway Bay Handicap (1650m).
Hong Kong racing continues at Sha Tin on Sunday (23 November) with Bank of China (Hong Kong) Race Day.
By Leo Schlink
