Cover image courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Late season surge as Yiu trains four-timer
Ricky Yiu is closing in on HK$100 million (AU$18.5 million) in seasonal earnings after a sensational Saturday night where he produced a four-timer on Sha Tin’s four-race card.
The headline act was 3-year-old Victor Supreme (NZ) (Super Seth), who took out the eighth race on the card, the HK$1.17 million (AU$220,000) Class 4 IP Jug Handicap, by a commanding four and a half lengths. The gelded son of Coolmore’s new recruit was capturing his first win in the jurisdiction at start number eight.
Aided by Vincent Ho, the gelding left the field in his wake when stepping up to 1800 metres for the first time, giving Yiu pause to consider a Listed Hong Kong Derby tilt in 2027.
“He won by a reasonable margin – I thought he was a winning chance by maybe a length or two, but not in this style!,” Yiu said. “I’m surprised. He’s an up-and-coming long distance horse, even a mile is a bit sharp. I think a mile plus – 1800 metres, 2000 metres – he’ll be one of the Derby candidates.
"I thought he (Victor Supreme) was a winning chance by maybe a length or two, but not in this style!" - Ricky Yiu
“When the first stage Derby entries open, I’ll put him in. The way he looks, he’ll be a decent stayer.”
Yiu purchased Victor Supreme as a yearling for NZ$340,000 from Elsdon Park’s New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale draft. He is one of three winners out of Collay (NZ) (Makfi {GB}), who has also produced nine-time winner Collay’s Spirit (NZ) (Charm Spirit {Ire}) and three-time winner Millie Grazie (NZ) (Super Seth), who was fourth at Listed level.
Ricky Yiu | Image courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club
A half-sister to New Zealand Champion 2YO and stakes producer Ruud Awakening (NZ) (Bernadini {USA}), Collay has a weanling by Sword Of State to come, and was covered by Noverre (NZ) last spring.
Yiu enjoyed two of his wins in tandem with Zac Purton, who rode Rising Force (NZ) (Deep Field) to victory in the HK$2.84 million (AU$520,000) Li Cup and Lucrative Eight (Foxwedge) to win the HK$1.17 million (AU$220,000) Chow Silver Plate. It was a fourth win in the jurisdiction for Rising Force, who has only finished further back than second on two occasions in 11 starts in Hong Kong.
Jumping well, the gelding took control of the race early and let down easily to beat Pakistan Legacy (Epaulette) by a length and a quarter.
“That was a great performance by Purton, he rode a very good race,” Yiu said. “He pinged out of the gate like a bullet and that’s a big advantage. He is a pretty versatile horse. He’s sharp, he’s got natural gate speed – your typical sprinter.”
"He (Rising Force) pinged out of the gate like a bullet and that’s a big advantage." - Ricky Yiu
Rising Force is one of five winners out of triple winner On The Que Tee (Sebring), who is a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Royal Discretion (Royal Academy {USA}) and the dams of Sun City and the Listed winners Parlophone (I Am Invincible) and Vezalay (Shamardal {USA})
It was a maiden victory for Lucrative Eight, who has placed at all four previous Hong Kong starts. The 3-year-old won by a superior three lengths for Purton, although not without some fiery behaviour en route to the gates.
“He was very naughty going to the gates,” Purton said. “He’s very immature, he might be better next season with blinkers on. He’s done a good job, he’s been consistent and I think next season he’ll show his best.”
“It was a very brave run for a youngster, he went through the gap really strongly,” Yiu said. “For the time being I’ll keep him at 1200 metres, until I think the 1400 metres becomes necessary.”
"It was a very brave run for a youngster, he (Lucrative Eight) went through the gap really strongly." - Ricky Yiu
Chill Easy (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) rounded out the four-timer in the last race of the day. The 5-year-old had to lump the race’s top weight from the widest barrier, but still proved too strong for his opposition in the HK$1.86 million (AU$340,000) Lee Trophy, winning by two and a quarter lengths. It was his second win on the bounce, having put on a similarly spectacular performance at the start of June.
Caspar Fownes still sits atop the trainers’ premiership with 66 seasonal wins, five more than current runner-up Danny Shum. Mark Newnham sits close behind in third place with 60 wins.
Francis Lui and John Size both trained doubles on Saturday, with Ethan Brown riding a winner for each of them.
“It’s a good way to finish the season,” Brown said. “I’m getting great support and I’m just happy to execute and show them what I’m capable of.”
Blueblooded Solid State starts with a bang
One of the most eye-catching victories on the card came courtesy of debutant Solid State (Snitzel), who took out the 10th race, the HK$1.86 million (AU$340,000) Philip Chen Trophy, by five and a quarter lengths for Frankie Lor.
With Alexis Badel in the irons, the 3-year-old gelded son of Snitzel had fully assumed control of the race at the head of the straight, and thundered home with little encouragement required to widen the margin on his competitors.
“I knew he seemed to be a quality horse and a nice individual,” Badel said. “He’s done everything correctly in the mornings, so I was very confident from gate two. I didn’t plan to lead, but he began well and I put him on the rail, used his action.
"I knew he (Solid State) seemed to be a quality horse and a nice individual." - Alexis Badel
“He’s got a lot of speed, big stride and I was surprised to see that he was a maiden in Australia, but he’s obviously a nice horse.”
Back on Australian soil, Solid State had raced as United States and had been a $1.75 million purchase for Tom Magnier from the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft of Segenhoe Stud. He ran second on debut in a juvenile handicap at Randwick ahead of a fourth placing in the G3 Pago Pago Stakes and a sixth placing in the G2 Champagne Classic.
Solid State as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Back as a spring 3-year-old, he recorded two fourth placings in metropolitan company before being exported to Hong Kong.
Solid State is the second foal and second winner for multiple stakes-performed Warranty (All Too Hard), a half-sister to the dam of G1 Queensland Oaks victress You Wahng (So You Think {NZ}) and Listed-winning Street Gossip (So You Think {NZ}).
Being a descendant of foundational mare Twyla (Danehill {USA}), her family also features the likes of Desert Lightning (NZ) (Pride Of Dubai), Tom Kitten (Harry Angel {Ire}), and four-time Group 1 winner In Italian (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}).
At the Gold Coast last year, China Horse Club, Newgate Bloodstock, and partners paid $600,000 for a full brother to Solid State, now named Union, who was a trial winner on Friday for Peter Snowden. Michael Freedman Racing and Andrew Williams Bloodstock (FBAA) paid $420,000 to purchase their Too Darn Hot (GB) half-sister at this year’s Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale. Warranty has missed in both subsequent seasons.
