Preparing to partner Galaxy Patch in next week’s HK$36 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (1600m), Vincent Ho became only the 11th jockey to ride 600 winners or more in Hong Kong with victory on Healthy Healthy in the Class 3 Loch Lomond Handicap (1000m) at Happy Valley on Wednesday night (27 November).
Ho joins a select group of elite riders to reach the milestone – Douglas Whyte (1,813), Zac Purton (1,783), Joao Moreira (1,235), Tony Cruz (946), Brett Prebble (806), Karis Teetan (704), Gary Moore (694), Basil Marcus (671), Gerald Mosse (659) and Felix Coetzee (652).
“It’s a lot of hard work and I need to thank everyone for all their support for all these years,” Ho, 34, said. “Everyone has been patient and I’m grateful for that. So, I’ll keep on working and trying to keep improving.
“It’s great. Hopefully, there’s more to come. I’ll keep on doing my best and keep improving.”
Trained by Pierre Ng, Healthy Happy provided a fitting dimension to Ho’s landmark. Ho’s first winner in Hong Kong – Decent Fellow on May 16, 2010 – was trained by Ng’s father, Peter.
With 13 Group 1 victories, 10 courtesy of retired champion Golden Sixty, Ho is one of The Hong Kong Jockey Club Apprentice Jockeys’ School’s most illustrious graduates, having been Hong Kong Champion Apprentice in 2010/11, four-time winner of the Tony Cruz Award as best homegrown jockey in 2018/19, 2019/20, 2020/21 and 2022/23 and, famously, the first Hong Kong-born jockey to land the LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship in 2023.
Erasing the frustration of a string of minor placings this season, Andrea Atzeni limbered up for next week’s LONGINES Hong Kong International Races (HKIR) with a double at the city circuit.
The Italian scored on Plentiful in the Class 5 Cramond Island Handicap (1000m) for Ng and Frankie Lor’s Beauty Destiny in the third section of the Class 4 Edinburgh Handicap (1200m) to boost his tally of wins to 11, partially off-setting the 17 seconds and 13 third placings he has posted this campaign.
Atzeni has rides in all four of LONGINES HKIR features on 8 December – Lucky With You in the HK$26 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m), Taj Dragon in the LONGINES Hong Kong Mile, Nimble Nimbus in the HK$40 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m) and Ka Ying Generation in the HK$24 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m).
“They’re all outsiders but they can run and you never know – it would be nice to win one of those races,” Atzeni said before praising Beauty Destiny. “He’s always showed in his trials and his previous wins as well that he’s above average and we changed tactics and it seems to be working – he was impressive tonight,” Atzeni said.
Chasing Whyte’s Hong Kong record of 1,813 wins, Purton edged closer to the towering target by partnering Whyte-trained Me Time to victory in the Class 5 Bridge Of Weir Handicap (1800m).
A son of Cracksman, Me Time dropped in grade after nine runs in Class 4 and scored comfortably, drawing praise from Whyte.
“It is very well deserved, it’s been frustrating – he’s been a victim of circumstances but dropping down in grade and with the advantage of having Zac Purton on him with a good draw (barrier three), it worked out perfectly and Zac gave him a beautiful ride,” Whyte said.
Purton slotted a double after piloting Manfred Man-trained Turin Warrior to victory in the Class 4 Raeburn Place Handicap (1650m) before Mark Newnham and Luke Ferraris combined for the seventh time this season with Fatal Blow in the Class 4 St Andrew’s Challenge Quaich Handicap (1200m).
Watched by his father and former Hong Kong-based trainer David, Ferraris rode a positive race on the Russian Revolution gelding, who was having only his second start.
“He’s shown ability, he’s lovely, genuine horse,” Ferraris said. “He’s a dream to ride. He switches off and picks it up when you need him to and he’s gutsy. So, he’s got all the sorts of markings you need to have in a horse and Mark had him in superb condition today, so well done to him and his team.”
Hugh Bowman ended a 46-ride losing streak with Jamie Richards-trained Gallant Valour’s triumph in the first section of the Class 4 Edinburgh Handicap (1400m) and then finished the meeting in style with a cliffhanger win on Caspar Fownes-trained Rocket Spade in the Class 3 Inverness Handicap (1800m).
“I had a few meetings, no placings but the last few meetings I’ve been around the money without a winner,” Bowman said. “I’ve been around long enough to know that the wheel keeps turning but it’s certainly nice to get back on the board.”
Hong Kong racing continues at Sha Tin on Sunday (1 December).
By Leo Schlink
