Hong Kong: Prance and Joy lead Premier day, Size extends lead

Cover image courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club

Debut Group win for De Melo

On the final day of group racing for the season in Hong Kong, jockey Keagan de Melo celebrated his first group victory aboard 5-year-old gelding Copartner Prance (Epaulette) in Sunday’s G3 Premier Cup at Sha Tin. Trained by Francis Lui, Copartner Prance ran the 1400 metres in 1:21.15 to win by a head from Frankie Lor-trained Happy Together (Ire) (Dragon Pulse {Ire}). The winner’s stable mates Packing Hermod (Rubick) and Patch Of Theta (Zoustar) ran third and fourth to give Lui a 1-3-4 in the race.

“Francis was pretty simple with the tactics. He said if Victor The Winner doesn’t want to go forward, take up the running and ride him for his fractions and I thought the horse pulled it off nicely. It’s a real honour to be in this position and thanks to Francis and his team. The horse’s turned out phenomenally and I think he got the right fractions,” de Melo told hkjc.com. He is a Group 1 winning rider in South Africa.

“It’s a big relief. Obviously, numbers don’t lie. My rides have gone down and my winners have gone down but I’m a positive person and I just keep my head up and keep fighting. Thanks to all the trainers that do support me – I really do appreciate it.”

Copartner Prance, owned by Copartner Spirit Syndicate, won three trials in Australia in 2023 before heading to Hong Kong, where he has won eight of his 23 starts, including six in succession at the end of last season, for earnings over HK$14.8 million (AU$2.9 million). This was his first black type win and he becomes stakes winner number 23 for Epaulette, whose three Group 1 winners include Daumier.

Gallery: Images courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club

Copartner Prance was sold by Edinglassie Stud at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale to John Foote Bloodstock for $150,000, and he is a half-brother to Queensland sire Kobayashi, with both of them out of Woodstock Hussey (Hussonet {USA}), an unraced half-sister to stakes placed Love’s Great (Choisir), dam of G3 Maribyrnong Plate-placed Old Trieste (Hinchinbrook).

G3 Premier Plate won by veteran Beauty Joy

Rising 9-year-old gelding Beauty Joy (Sebring) put paid to any retirement discussions with a strong 1.25l victory in the G3 Premier Plate over Listed Hong Kong Derby winner Cap Ferrat (Snitzel) in the 1800 metre G3 Premier Plate. Bundle Award (Shamus Award) was third.

“In the parade ring before the race, Simon said ‘I hope we win this race. If we win this race, we’re going to keep on racing him’. He won, so it looks like we’re going to keep on racing him next season. He’s a healthy horse and as long as he’s healthy, we’ll keep going. We’re going to keep the flow going,” trainer Tony Cruz told hkjc.com. Beauty Joy is raced by Simon Kwok’s wife Eleanor and son Patrick.

Over five seasons of racing in Hong Kong, and one in Australia, Beauty Joy now has 11 wins from 47 starts and earnings over HK$35 million (AU$6.9 million). Beauty Joy had previously won the 2024 G2 Chairman’s Trophy, 2022 G3 Premier Cup, 2022 G3 Lion Rock Trophy, as well as the 2020 Listed JC Roberts Stakes in West Australia when racing as Talladega.

He was unbeaten in four starts in WA, culminating in the Listed win, before heading up to Hong Kong. Not offered at auction, Beauty Joy is out of Group 3 winner Impressive Jeuney (Jeune {GB}) whose 2-year-old colt Renaissance (Starspangledbanner) has had one start and won a trial last week.

“We seem to get on very well, I’m on the only one to win on him for about probably three years. He was good to me last season and we’ve had another Group race today. Obviously well handled by Tony to get him today here in good form and he did his job well,” said jockey Brenton Avdulla.

“He’s such a quirky horse. You just can’t get any feel of him early. You’ve just got to try and let the bridle fall out of his mouth as much possible because he can be a very difficult ride. I never knew I was really in the race until just before the corner when the pace steadied and he got hold of the bridle and I gave him a little click into gear and he felt like a horse that was going to take me a long way.

“He did a good job. He had to come off the Derby winner’s back and get out after him and he did that in good style, so it was nice to get one for a loyal supporter like Tony and the Kwok family, too.”

Size extends lead to 10

John Size extended his lead in the Trainer’s Premiership to 10 over David Hayes with the victory of 3-year-old gelding Szeryng (NZ) (Almanzor {Fr}) ridden by Karis Teetan. A trial winner at Seymour before heading to Hong Kong, all of Szeryng’s three starts have been in the region and this was his first win.

Purchased by Patrick Payne at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale for NZ$150,000 from Cambridge Stud, Szeryng is the second foal and second winner for Choctop (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}), a winning half-sister to Listed winner Lil’ Miss Swiss (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}).

Of note, Shamexpress (NZ) also had a winner as a sire at the meeting with Flying Fortress (NZ).

Five doubles for the day

Trainer Chris So enjoyed a double with Golden Fairy (NZ) (Burgundy {NZ}) and Lightness Of Music (Press Statement). Lightness of Music was ridden by Zac Purton who also won on Jimmy Ting-trained Lo Pan Spirit (NZ) (Charm Spirit {Ire}). “It was a good effort because he (Lightness Of Music) got a little bit stirred up in the parade and going out to the track and then he pulled a shoe off (going to the barriers), so we had a little bit to deal with. Once he got behind the gates, it was pretty straight-forward from there but it was good to see him do it on race day,” Purton said.

Lyle Hewitson rode a double on Douglas Whyte-trained Morgan Success (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) and Golden Fairy, while Avdulla also had a double with Beauty Joy and David Eustace-trained Mister Dapper (NZ) (Tivaci).

Trainer Cody Mo had a double with Jumbo Treasure (Written Tycoon) ridden by Derek Leung, and Flying Fortress (NZ) ridden by Harry Bentley.