Written by Kit Gow
Cover image courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club
The Hong Kong Jockey Club welcomed in the Chinese New Year in style on Friday, with an 11-race card headed by the first leg of the 4-year-old series, where My Wish gave Mark Newnham his first blacktype win since moving to Hong Kong. Chancheng Glory set himself on a G1 Champions Mile path with victory in the G3 Centenary Vase, and Hugh Bowman won four races back to back.
"Toughened" My Wish captures Classic Mile for Newnham
Expat Australian trainer Mark Newnham has won his first stakes race in Hong Kong on Friday night as 4-year-old gelding My Wish (Flying Artie) took out the HK-G1 Classic Mile.
“I was confident going in that we had him in as good a shape as we could,” Newnham said. “(In) the last month, he showed that he could run the mile, and we have just stayed with the same process that he has had all season, and all those things went seamlessly.
“His trial was as good as he’s ever been, his work on Tuesday was good, and his appetite has improved. As he’s raced on through the season, he’s toughened up a little bit. He’s only a small horse, but jeez, he’s got good heart.”
My Wish won a trial at Newcastle in 2023 before being exported to Hong Kong, here he has had eight starts for four wins, with Friday marking his breakthrough to stakes level.
Gallery: Images courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club
On scoring his first HK-G1 win, Newnham said, “it’s pretty special. I was saying to my dad during the week, it’s a bit like the Randwick Guineas. I won that with Shadow Hero and it’s the first leg of the Triple Crown in Sydney, so to win the first leg here is pretty special.”
My Wish becomes the ninth stakes winner for Blue Gum Farm's Flying Artie. He is the first foal of winning Reset mare Set The Tone, a close relation to G1 Doomben Ten Thousand winner Mazu (Maurice {Jpn}), who has a full brother on the ground this season.
G3 Centenary Vase won by Chancheng Glory
Francis Lui-trained Chancheng Glory (USA) (Mor Spirit {USA}) won Friday night’s G3 Centenary Vase, ridden by jockey Hugh Bowman, who rode four winners across the 11 races on the card. It was the 5-year-old gelding’s first blacktype win and took his record to six wins from 23 starts.
“He’s one of the most honest horses in my stable,” Lui said. “He’s always been a Group 2 and Group 3 handicap horse, but Group 1s have been a bit too much for him.
"He’s (Bowman) a top jockey. I didn’t have any worries about him.”
“I was fortunate to get the opportunity to ride him,” Bowman said. “I thought that his run last start had a lot of merit against the highest quality of horses, and today, when he jumped well and travelled, I was always very confident.”
Gallery: Images courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Chancheng Glory ran sixth last start in the G1 Steward’s Cup won by Voyage Bubble (Deep Field). Lui will plot a course to the G1 Champions Mile with the gelding, the race he trained Golden Sixty (Medaglia D'Oro {USA}) to win in 2021, 2022, and 2023.
Bowman rides four straight
It was an all-star afternoon for Hugh Bowman, who took out four races back-to-back on the 11 race card. The Hall Of Fame jockey steered Sunstrider (Highland Reel {Ire}), Chancheng Glory, Brilliant Express (Starspangledbanner), and Green N White (Smart Missile) to victory, taking the lion’s share of the races for the night.
Hugh Bowman receiving the silver plate after winning the G3 Centenary Vase | Image courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club
“I had good rides on paper and it all worked out well,” Bowman said. “I got into good running positions and when it didn’t work out for me early, it worked out late.
“All my rides have shown they were capable, and it’s nice for it all to happen in one day.”
The meeting took Bowman to 37 wins for the season, sitting second in the premiership behind Zac Purton, who picked up two wins that night to lead with a total of 80 wins.