Keefy powers to 4YO Classic Series contention
Keefy has emerged as a legitimate Four-Year-Old Classic Series contender after his crushing victory in the HK$3.8 million (S$670,000) Class 1 Chevalier Cup Handicap over 1,600m at Sha Tin on Sunday.
The day also saw Zac Purton setting a record for the quickest half-century of winners by a jockey in Hong Kong racing history with a five-timer.
Reigning champion trainer Frankie Lor has regained the lead in the 2022/23 trainers’ championship with Keefy’s emphatic victory.
He will set the All Too Hard gelding for the lucrative Four-Year-Old Classic Series, which starts on Jan 29 with Hong Kong Classic Mile (1,600m) at Sha Tin.
This will be followed by the Hong Kong Classic Cup (1,800m) on Feb 26 and the BMW Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) on March 19.
“It was a nice win. I’ve always said this is my best one (horse) for the Four-Year-Old Series, definitely for the 1,600m and the 1,800m. I’m still not sure about the 2,000m,” said Lor, who has saddled 19 wins for the term.
“But four-year-olds – if their form is still good – can often handle it.”
Given a perfect stalking ride in fourth behind the pacemaker The Rock by Derek Leung, Keefy surged to a 3½-length triumph after hitting the lead 300m out. He beat Beluga and All For St Paul’s.
“It was a good win – he had everything suitable for him,” said Leung, who also won on Fiery Diamond.
“He had a nice tempo. Last time, it was too slow, and this time the tempo was a bit quicker and he was in a good position, so I didn’t have to use him in the early part and so he saved the battery.
“At the 400m, he gave a very good kick.”
Keefy collected a HK$1 million private-purchase bonus for his owners.
Purton sped to 50 winners at only his 184th ride for the campaign.
It eclipsed his previous best of 50 from 219 mounts in 2021/22 – and Joao Moreira’s record of 50 from 189 rides in 2015/16.
Striding towards a sixth Hong Kong title with 51 wins at a strike rate of 27.5 per cent after riding in 21 of 22 meetings, Purton said: “Things are going nicely. Obviously, we had a hiccup with a week out with Covid and it’s been a good start to the season.
“I have a nice pool of support at the moment and some nice young horses coming through.
“When you get all that coming together, it makes it all the more enjoyable and let’s just hope things can carry on the way they are.
“It’s nice to have a good day and, hopefully, I can bang a few more in.”
Purton, 39, clinched the record aboard Sweet Encounter, after his earlier wins on Youthful Ideal, Accelerando and Super Red Dragon.
The Australian, who broke Douglas Whyte’s record for the most wins at Happy Valley on Nov 23 with his 574th success at the city circuit, closed Sunday’s meeting with victory on Francis Lui’s impressive Packing Treadmill.
His quintet took him to 51 wins for the season – 30 ahead of Vincent Ho. - HKJC
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