Cover image, Golden Sixty and trainer Francis Lui Kin-wai, courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
It was another season challenged by COVID, but the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) managed to host 88 meetings and 836 races in just over 10 months.
With the implementation of a racing bubble under the closed-looped operations at the two racecourses – Sha Tin and Happy Valley - the HKJC was able to stage international competition with the International Jockeys’ Championship (IJC) and the Hong Kong International Races (HKIR) last December. Sadly, though, COVID put an end to any international representation at April’s Champions Day meeting.
The season was littered with great performances, both equine and human, and there was plenty on the line up until the final meeting of the season.
Joao Moreira and Zac Purton battled to the line for the Jockeys' Premiership in Hong Kong | Image courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
Golden Sixty creates history
Hong Kong’s pin-up horse Golden Sixty (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}) – a New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale graduate that was bred in Australia by the Hutchins family of Element Hill – was again the star attraction.
He was beaten for the first time in three seasons as he chased a record-equalling 17th successive win, but the champion bounced back in style, landing the G1 Champions Mile, and in doing so, Golden Sixty surpassed Beauty Generation (NZ) (Road To Rock) as Hong Kong’s highest prizemoney earner with stakes of HK$113,400,600 (AU$21.2 million).
A winner of the G1 Hong Kong Mile, Golden Sixty retained his crown as Champion Miler, won his second consecutive Horse of the Year title and was named the Most Popular Horse of the Year for a third year running.
Golden Sixty, 2021/22 Champion Miler and also named Most Popular Horse of the Year in Hong Kong | Image courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
Wellington joins elite company
All Too Hard speedster Wellington went to another level in 2021/22, and joined illustrious company when he defended his G1 The Chairman’s Sprint Prize crown in April. The 5-year-old became just the fourth horse to triumph in the prestigious sprint race in consecutive years, joining Mr Vitality (Snippets) (1995/96), Silent Witness (El Moxie {USA}) (2004/05) and Lucky Nine (Dubawi {Ire}) (2013/14), while three others - Fairy King Prawn (Danehill {USA}) (1999 and 2001), Sacred Kingdom (Encosta De Lago) (2008 and 2010) and Dim Sum (GB) (Kyllachy {GB}) - were dual winners though not in consecutive years.
Wellington winning the G1 The Chairman's Sprint Prize in April | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Wellington was bred by Kia Ora Stud, David Paradise and Steve McCann. He boasts 10 wins and three Group 1s, for prizemoney totalling HK$40,056,190 (AU$7.1 million), and he was named Champion Sprinter. He is lightly raced, having had just 16 starts, so the future is bright for Wellington, who trainer Richard Gibson told TDN AusNZ is faster than his former star Gold-Fun (Ire) (Le Vie Dei Colori {GB}) – a winner of The Chairman’s Sprint Prize in 2015.
Purton does it the hard way
Australian jockey Zac Purton was involved in a nasty fall during the Hong Kong Sprint at Sha Tin in December. He suffered a fractured wrist, fractured ribs and a broken nose, and was sidelined for a month. Purton returned and rode under severe duress, but that didn’t stop him from winning a fifth Hong Kong Jockeys' Premiership.
Purton, who considered giving up on the season at one point, reeled in rival Joao Moreira, who led him by as many as 18 wins in April.
The dominant jockey duo, who have dominated Hong Kong racing for nine successive seasons, headed into the final meeting of the season, deadlocked on 132 wins and after six lead changes between the two, Purton rode a four-timer while the Brazilian went winless.
Zac Purton paid tribute to outgoing Hong Kong trainer Paul O'Sullivan after earning his fifth Hong Kong Jockeys' Premiership | Image courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
“Every title is special in their own way. I want to pay respect to Joao as well. It’s been a really difficult season and a difficult last three years for all of us here in Hong Kong through all of the COVID lockdowns, having to home-school the kids. We’ve both had our health issues, it’s been really tough,” Purton said on Saturday.
“We both deserved to win it. It’s really tough, only one person can (win). I think we both deserve it. It’s energy-sapping. We’re both right at the end of our tethers, so it’s nice that we can close it today and both go on holiday and come back and do it again next season.”
Purton’s previous titles were won in 2013/14, 2017/18, 2018/19 and 2019/20.
Lor lands maiden Trainers’ Premiership
Following a season-long tussle with his former boss John Size – an 11-time champion – Frankie Lor claimed his first trainers’ title in just his fifth season
Lor, who also cut his teeth working with John Moore, finished the season with 90 wins, six ahead of Size.
Lor’s previous best seasonal haul was 65 – a figure he has reached three times since being granted a full licence in 2017/18.
Frankie Lor celebrates his maiden Trainers' Premiership title | Image courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
Size ended the campaign with 84 wins and his runner-up finish means the Australian has finished either second or third in the championship during his glittering career in Hong Kong.
Size's countryman, David Hayes, a two-time champion, tallied 36 wins in his season in the city, while New Zealander Paul O'Sullivan, who has called time on his Hong Kong career, notched 24.
Deep Field breaks new ground
Newgate Farm resident Deep Field has long been popular among Hong Kong clients, and that interest is certain to be heightened after he became the most successful Hong Kong sire ever by seasonal earnings, surpassing Medaglia D’Oro (USA).
Deep Field’s progeny amassed a staggering HK$55.6 million (AU$10.4 million) in prizemoney, with his best performer being the G1 Hong Kong Sprint Champion Sky Field.
Deep Field became the most successful Hong Kong sire ever by seasonal earnings in 2021/22 | Standing at Newgate Farm
“It’s a huge effort, what he's done in Hong Kong,” Newgate Farm principal, Henry Field, told TDN AusNZ at the end of June. “I think the thing with his stock is that they’re very sound and very trainable, and they can race for a number of seasons because they tend to get better as they get older.”
Another sire that deserves high praise is Little Avondale Stud’s Per Incanto (USA), who was crowned Hong Kong’s leading sire by winners for a second consecutive season. From 31 runners, the son of Street Cry (Ire) had 19 winners combine for 30 wins. Deep Field finishes second on that list with 14 winners totalling 25 wins from 33 runners.
