The world’s biggest stars invariably shine brightest on international sport’s premier stages and it was no surprise to watch James McDonald dominate Victoria Derby Day at Flemington Racecourse on Saturday (31 October) with another supreme display.
The reigning LONGINES World’s Best Jockey, James showcased his incredible skills with a quartet, which included victories on STORMY MARCO in the G1 Victoria Derby (2500m) and G1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) on Lady SHENANDOAH.
James also scored on FLYING FOR FUN and PRIVATE EYE and finished second in the G1 Coolmore Stakes (1200m) on ST GOTTHARD and second on UNHINGED in the G3 Carbine Club Stakes (1600m) in a devastating reminder of his unrelenting ambition and professionalism.
At his current rate, James is well placed to challenge his own record for the most wins by a jockey – 11 set in 2024 – across the four days of the Melbourne Cup carnival and I look forward to his participation in the LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship at Happy Valley on 9 December.
While James excelled in Melbourne, Aidan O’Brien continued to flourish at the Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland Racecourse in the United States as he equalled his own world record for the most Group 1 wins in a year of 28 with the victory of BENVENUTO CELLINI under Ryan Moore in the G1 LONGINES Breeders’ Cup Turf (2400m).
Aidan set the record in 2017 and with several feature meetings, including the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races at Sha Tin on 13 December, still to come before the end of the year, Aidan has the chance to set a new mark as his extraordinary career continues.
Hong Kong’s world-class racing continues today (Sunday, 1 November) at Happy Valley where the Class 2 Kwangtung Handicap Cup (1200m) is carded as Race 7 and will be run over 1200m at 4.10pm with prizemoney of HK$2.84 million.
The pace will be Good to Fast with RISING FORCE and VICTOR THE WINNER vying for the early lead. TURQUOISE VELOCITY should land behind the leading pair with JUMBO TREASURE going forward from gate 10. LUCKY WITH YOU (Luke Ferraris) and ROMANTIC SON (Harry Bentley) also have good early speed and can settle in the front half of the field.
TURQUOISE VELOCITY was a four-time winner at Sha Tin last season and is in good form having been runner-up at both his runs this term, again at Sha Tin. He trailed VICTOR THE WINNER throughout here on 27 September and then sat just behind the leaders and stayed on well for second to KA YING ATTACK on 11 October. TURQUOISE VELOCITY will get a perfect run from gate four and is a win place chance for Karis Teetan.
VICTOR THE WINNER made his seasonal reappearance on 27 September, winning comfortably from TURQUOISE VELOCITY and SALON S in good time. VICTOR THE WINNER led throughout the last time he ran over this course and distance in May, beating RISING FORCE and BOTTOMUPTOGETHER. Angus Chung goes back aboard today and VICTOR THE WINNER is a place chance.
RISING FORCE has had only one run at Happy Valley and was an excellent second to VICTOR THE WINNER back on 20 May. His second-up run behind KA YING ATTACK and TURQUOISE VELOCITY on 11 October, when he was a close third, showed he is close to winning form and RISING FORCE is a place chance with the 7lb claim of Nichola Yuen a big advantage.
SON PAK FU is an eight-time winner at this course and distance and showed he wasn’t far from his best form when resuming with a good sixth to KA YING ATTACK at Sha Tin on 11 October. SON PAK FU will settle much closer to the lead from barrier one and he is a place chance for Jerry Chau.
JUMBO TREASURE won over this course and distance on 24 June and made a winning return at Sha Tin on 6 September, before running well for fourth behind KA YING ATTACK on 11 October. JUMBO TREASURE has drawn the outside gate which makes the challenge for him, but he will run well.
Our attention turns to Tokyo Racecourse this afternoon for the G1 Tenno Sho Autumn, which is carded as S3-1 and will be run over 2000m at 2.40pm.
CROIX DU NORD is Japan’s premier stayer with seven wins from 11 starts, including four Group 1 victories. He won the G3 Prix du Prince d’Orange (2000m) at ParisLongchamp last year, defeating dual subsequent G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (2400m) winner DARYZ, and has continued to race brilliantly since returning to Japan. He has drawn barrier one for Cristian Demuro and is a win and place chance.
MASQUERADE BALL won this race last year, defeating MUSEUM MILE, and he ran very well in the G1 FWD QEII Cup (2000m) at Sha Tin when beaten by ROMANTIC WARRIOR. He was disappointing in the King George but is reported to be working well. He is a high-class stayer and, from barrier seven, should get a good run under Christophe Lemaire and is also a win and place chance.
DANON DECILE has drawn gate 17, which puts him at risk of being caught wide in the short run to the first turn under Keita Tosaki, but he is the winner of the G1 Japanese Derby (2400m) and G1 Dubai Sheema Classic (2410m) and has the quality to overcome the barrier as a place chance.
REGALEIRA (Mirai Iwata), SHAKE YOUR HEART (Yoshihiro Furukawa) and GIOVANNI (Kohei Matsuyama) are all place chances.
Source: HKJC