Cover image courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
Lui’s treble keeps the battle going
With eight meetings to go in the Hong Kong season, trainer Francis Lui knows he’ll need more nights like Saturday at Sha Tin to stay in the hunt. Caspar Fownes leads the Trainer’s Premiership with 62 wins while Mark Newnham and Danny Shum sit on 58. A treble lifted Lui to 54 victories for the season.
“It’ll be difficult to win the premiership. Unless every day is three winners, it’ll be tough. You never know – of course, I will really try my best,” Lui told hkjc.com.
He won with Meaningful Dragon (Ire) (Caravaggio {USA}), Baby Sakura (Tagaloa), and 3-year-old gelding Superb Spirit (Zousain). Superb Spirit has now won two from three and will be set for the 4-Year-Old Series next season.
“He’s a good horse – he has a lot of potential. He’s only a 3-year-old and has only had a few runs, he looks like he keeps improving. I think he’ll have a break now. He’s a 4-Year-Old Series horse. Zac (Purton) said he has a lot of potential. He said if he can handle the further distance, I’m sure he has a good chance of winning more races.”
“He (Zac Purton) said if he (Superb Spirit) can handle the further distance, I’m sure he has a good chance of winning more races.” - Francis Liu
Superb Spirit was sold by Widden Stud at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale for $80,000 to T Nolen who onsold him at the Inglis Ready2Race Sale for $500,000 to Ricky Mak. He took his earnings to HK$1.38 million (AU$250,000). He is the fifth winner, from five to race, for Totally Sure (Not A Single Doubt) who has a Hanseatic yearling filly and a Zousain weanling colt to come.
Francis Lui | Image courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
Totally Sure won a juvenile race in Brisbane and was fourth in the Listed Calaway Gal Stakes, and is a half-sister to Group 3 winner Tuscan Sling (Danehill Dancer {Ire}).
Treble for Ethan Brown
Jockey Ethan Brown fulfilled an ambition on Saturday by riding a winner for Champion Trainer John Size aboard Country Dancer (Nicconi) in the second on the card. “As soon as I got off the horse, I said ‘I’ve always wanted to ride a winner for you (Size)’ and I couldn’t be happier to do it for him today. It was a good feeling, very honourable,” Brown told hkjc.com.
He won on David Hall-trained Prestige Hall (NZ) (Belardo {Ire}) and later added another winner for Size on Endued (Deep Field) to make it a treble for the night.
“It’s unreal, it hasn’t sunk in yet. I thought I came here with a good book of rides and often, when that’s the case, you tend to go average, but today’s been great,” Brown said.
“It’s unreal, it hasn’t sunk in yet. I thought I came here with a good book of rides and often, when that’s the case, you tend to go average, but today’s been great.” - Ethan Brown
“It feels great. It took me a while to get the monkey off the back here (ride a winner at Sha Tin) but to come back the following week and knock over more, it means a lot.
“I’m getting very good support and it feels like things are starting to clear up. I’m getting the hang of the racing here and it’s probably proven that in the last couple of races, but the main thing is getting on the right horses and getting the right support from the right trainers.”
Ethan Brown | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Jockey Harry Bentley was much less fortunate, breaking his arm in a fall during race six when Smiling Falcon (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) sustained a fatal injury. Bentley will likely miss the rest of the season.
Jedi Spurs impresses on debut
David Hayes-trained 2-year-old gelding Jedi Spurs (Cosmic Force) was sent out as $1.60 favourite for his debut based on a trial win at Murray Bridge prior to arriving in Hong Kong. He justified the price with a smashing 4.5-length victory while hard held by jockey Brenton Avdulla. He covered the 1000 metres in 55.81s on soft ground.
“He was more impressive today than the barrier trials (indicated) because Brenton gave him a little slap to learn. He’s done everything so easily his in his life and to run that time, in these conditions, he might be very good. You couldn’t do a better debut than that,” Hayes said.
“He’s (Jedi Spurs) done everything so easily his in his life and to run that time, in these conditions, he might be very good. You couldn’t do a better debut than that.” - David Hayes
“The opposition weren’t super, but the time was there and the margin he won by excites me. If it was dry, the time wouldn’t have surprised me, but on wet… he went across the track beautifully.
“He’s probably got to win the next Griffin race (to be Hong Kong Champion Griffin), but if he does, it would be pretty impressive.”
Cannon Hayes Stud sold him for $40,000 at the Inglis Australian Weanling Sale to M Staunton. He is the sixth foal and second winner for Tinszelda (Snitzel) who won her first three starts at two.
Hayes had a double with Soleil Fighter (GB) (Sea The Moon {Ger}), ridden by Nichola Yuen, to take him to 52 wins for the season.
“I think Nichola did a very good job. I asked Nichola to let the horse run today and she did a very good job. This is a good horse, he’s a Happy Valley champion, and now he’s winning at Sha Tin – I wish I had 10 of them.”
David Hayes | Image courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
PP Bonus for former expensive yearling
The third top price at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, PI Legend (I Am Invincible) cost Ciaron Maher Bloodstock $2.5 million from Coolmore Stud’s draft. Originally named Railway Man, the son of Group 1 winner Booker (Written Tycoon) had seven starts in Australia, winning once in Sydney.
He was sold via Inglis Digital in March 2025 when Pure Bloodstock paid $210,000 for him as a gelding. Now a 4-year-old gelding, he has since won twice in Hong Kong, including a victory on Saturday for trainer Brett Crawford which earned him a PP Bonus of HK$1.5 million (AU$272,000).
Booker’s second foal, Ernaux (I Am Invincible) is a stakes-placed city-winning 3-year-old filly, while she has an unnamed Home Affairs 2-year-old colt and a Justify (USA) weanling colt. She was covered by Switzerland in 2025.
Booker’s Listed-winning full brother Banquo stands in New Zealand where his oldest crop are 3-year-olds. He sired G3 Matamata Slipper Stakes winner Justin Case (NZ) this season.
The next meeting in Hong Kong is on Sunday, June 21.
