Cover image courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Francis Lui’s incredible hat-trick
Only one meeting after reaching 1000 victories in Hong Kong as a trainer, Francis Lui trained a consecutive hat-trick of wins at Sha Tin on Sunday night with Lucky Twin Stars (D’Argento), Hot Delight (Too Darn Hot {GB}) and Amazing Partners (Pierata).
It was the debutant 3-year-old gelding Hot Delight that had everyone talking. “He’s a good horse, I like him a lot,” Lui told scmp.com. “The owner (Peter Law) always buys a good horse and he can spend to buy a good one.”
Francis Lui (left) | Image courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Hot Delight was sold by Attunga Stud for $250,000 at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for John Foote Bloodstock (FBAA). He is a half-brother to Group 3 winner Matchmaker (NZ) (Makfi {GB}) out of Fastnet Rock mare Love Somebody. Love Somebody has a Per Incanto (USA) yearling filly.
Lucky Twin Stars has taken time to adjust to Hong Kong and recorded his first win in the region, having previously been a winner on debut at two in Australia. “Sometimes these horses take time to mature, it was a good performance and now he has won I hope he can keep winning,” Lui said.
“It was a good performance and now he has won I hope he can keep winning.” - Francis Lui
Originally sold by Bowness Stud for $35,000 at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale to Best Gait Racing, Lucky Twin Stars raced in Australia as Bitten By Barry before being exported to Hong Kong after his debutant win at Newcastle.
Amazing Partners was having his third start, having placed in both his first two starts. The 4-year-old gelding was sold by Tyreel Stud at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale for $250,000 to Magus Equine. His dam, Dizzy Diva (Starspangledbanner), has a yearling filly by Supido.
Patch Of Cosmo adds to enthralling Classic Mile race
In two weeks, the Listed Classic Mile will open the highly anticipated 4-Year-Old Series, and this year’s field gained another intriguing entrant when Manfred Man-trained Patch Of Cosmo (NZ) (Super Seth) was victorious on Sunday at Sha Tin. “First of all, it was a really good training performance. This horse has been off from 10 months with a tendon (injury) and he’s come back at the top of Class 3, carrying a lot of weight, first-up at a mile and he’s won,” jockey Zac Purton said.
“That’s not easy to do. So, they want to take their place in the Four-Year-Old (Classic) Series now and he’s not going to be out of place. He’s a relatively lightly-raced horse, he’s got plenty more there.” Purton has elected to ride Group 1 winner Sagacious Life (Brz) (Put It Back {USA}) in the Classic Mile.
Cosmo Patch has done all his racing in Hong Kong with five wins from 12 starts and earnings over HK$5 million (AU$950,000). Originally sold by Waikato Stud for NZ$70,000 to Richard Racing at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale, Cosmo Patch was pinhooked through Riversley Park’s New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale where KM Yeung bought him for NZ$260,000.
He's the first foal for his winning dam, Thee (NZ) (Savabeel), who has 2-year-old gelding State Security (NZ) (Super Seth) as well as a yearling and foal by Ardrossan to come. Her yearling filly is Lot 186 at the up coming New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sale, being offered by Waikato Stud. Thee is out of Listed winner Thy (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}) from the dynasty founded by Group 1 winner The Jewel (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}).
Hayes heads to Classic Mile with Akashvani
Trainer David Hayes hopes that Akashvani (Alpine Eagle) can qualify for the Listed Classic Mile off the back of Sunday’s victory. “I thought going towards the Classic Mile, it was a very, very good run. I think he’ll get eight or nine points and that will probably get him in the big race,” Hayes said.
“That was his best win in Hong Kong and that was over 1400 metres and I would say he has a mile written all over him. If you look at his pedigree and racing style, I think if he draws well – he’ll run a good race. He’s very fit and he’s got a nice gap now with two weeks to the race. We’re very excited.”
He’s (Akashvani) very fit and he’s got a nice gap now with two weeks to the race. We’re very excited.” - David Hayes
Akashvani | Image courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Akashvani won on debut in Hong Kong last March and Sunday’s win was his third in the region from 13 starts with earnings over HK$3.9 million (AU$747,000). Passed in as a yearling, Akashvani is the last foal of three-time Melbourne city winner Roses In The Glen (Hussonet {USA}) who has one other winner.
Derby for Mo’s Emblazon
Zoustar’s stocks in Hong Kong are on the rise, and he unveiled an exciting Derby prospect on Sunday with Cody Mo-trained Emblazon who has won three of his six starts in Hong Kong, but is unlikely to make the Listed Classic Mile field on his current rating. “Maybe we will get some points and try to get into the Derby,” Mo said.
“We’ll see how he pulls up. I think his first time in Class Three over 1400 metres was a test. I think in a mile race we’ll find out more.” Emblazon won a 2-year-old trial in New Zealand before heading to Hong Kong, where he has earnings over HK$2.6 million (AU$499,000).
Emblazon was sold by Yarraman Park Stud for $100,000 at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale to Riversley Park who took him to the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale where he made NZ$400,000 to the bid of Jamie Richards and Andrew Williams Bloodstock.
Twin Hills Stud will present his yearling half-sister by Dundeel (NZ) as Lot 276 at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
Emblazon is the second foal and first winner for G3 Geoffrey Bellmaine Stakes winner Princess Of Queens (Magnus) whose 3-year-old gelding Coronate (I Am Invincible) and 2-year-old colt Thronebound (Home Affairs) are both unraced. She had a Zoustar filly in 2025. Princess Of Queens is a full sister to Group 3 winner Prince Of Brooklyn.
Double for Newnham
Trainer Mark Newnham’s season continued on with strength as he enjoyed a double on the card with 3-year-old gelding Cool Boy (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}), who made it two wins in succession, and City Gold Banner (Starspangledbanner). The win gave Starspangledbanner a double of sorts on the card, as he also is the damsire of Amazing Partners.
City Gold Banner, who was a winner in Sydney on debut, was having his Hong Kong debut, and races under Newnham’s Trainer’s Syndicate, providing the syndicate with it’s first win. “It’s great – these are my mum and dad’s racing colours from New Zealand, so that’s great for the pink colours to have a win at Sha Tin,” Richards told scmp.com.
“He did a really good job. He’s a nice horse. I thought he would run well – I wasn’t sure if he was ready to win just yet, but he put them away nicely. I’m glad that we ran him over 1,000 because he was a little bit strong in the middle stages, but he looks like he’s got some rating points in hand, so hopefully he can work his way through the grades.”
“He (City Gold Banner) did a really good job. He’s a nice horse... he put them away nicely.” - Jamie Richard
City Gold Banner last raced in Australia in July, having had four starts there, but had several trials in Hong Kong to prepare for his debut. “He’s probably just still adapting to Hong Kong a little bit – he’s not the easiest horse to ride in the mornings. I must give the riding boys at home at Sha Tin and at Conghua a big thankyou because they’ve done a good job on him, and Keith Yeung did a good job educating him at the trials.”
Rosemont Stud sold City Gold Banner at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale for $85,000 to City Gold Bloodstock, who passed him in at the Inglis ReadyToRace Sale. He’s the last living foal of Red Pixie (Lonhro) who has missed or slipped in the four seasons following him, and she has previously produced Group 3 winner Twitchy Frank (Choisir) and stakes placed Extratwo (Toronado {Ire}). Red Pixie won three times, twice in Sydney, and is from the family of Group 1 winner Camino Rose (Sea Road).
