Patch Of Theta victorious in the Chevalier Cup
HONG KONG - The consistent Patch Of Theta continued his impressive career progress when he claimed the HK$3.12 million (S$540,000) Class 2 Chevalier Cup Handicap over 1,600m at Sha Tin on Nov 24.
Purchased for HK$8.6 million at the 2023 Hong Kong International Sale, Patch Of Theta ($24 on the Singapore tote) improved his overall record to five wins and eight minor placings from 13 starts for champion trainer Francis Lui while boosting prize money earnings to HK$8.84 million.
Posting his first win beyond 1,400m, the Zoustar gelding sealed a double for Lui by defeating Voyage Samurai and Sunlight Power in 1min 33.34sec.
“He’s a nice horse and I think he still has a little bit more improvement,” said Lui.
“I think he can (go higher than Class 2), but it all depends on the programme. There aren’t many races coming up for him. We’ll see.”
Winning jockey Derek Leung snared a treble after scoring with the Cody Mo-trained Super Wise Dragon ($20) and Alluring Laos ($74) to boost his season haul to 10 wins.
“It’s good and I’m very happy. I need to again thank the trainers and the owners for their support,” said Leung.
“Today is very lucky. I got three winners and a placing – I just need to keep it up. It hasn’t been smooth the past couple of meetings (with a three-day suspension), but it’s in the past.
“You’ve just got to move on. Things are getting better and it turned out pretty well today.”
James McDonald celebrated his second 2024 Longines World’s Best Jockey Award with a double, triumphing on Manfred Man’s Self Improvement ($21) in the Class 3 Chevalier Insurance Handicap (1,200m, dirt) and David Eustace’s Swift Ascend ($34) in the Class 3 Chevalier Property Management Handicap (1,200m).
The Sydney jockey was assured of his second Longines World’s Best Jockey Award when Auguste Rodin ran eighth for Ryan Moore in the Group 1 Japan Cup (2,400m) in Tokyo on Nov 24.
That left the New Zealander with 160 points to Moore’s 150 for results based on the Longines World’s Top 100 Group 1 races.
“It’s a huge honour and it’s just reflective of all the good horses I’ve ridden – I could almost name it the Romantic Warrior Award, to be honest with you, because he was such a huge contributor,” McDonald said.
“He’s obviously a world champion in his own right, so you have to be part of those sorts of horses – the Via Sistina’s of the world – so those two horses (Romantic Warrior and Via Sistina) were huge contributors and it’s a huge honour.
“I’m very proud of my year.”
McDonald has ridden nine winners at the highest level since Dec 1, with Romantic Warrior providing four of those victories – Group 1 Longines Hong Kong Cup (2,000m), Group 1 Citi Gold Hong Kong Gold Cup (2,000m), Group 1 FWD QEII Cup (2,000m) and Group 1 Yasuda Kinen (1,600m).
McDonald, who has ridden three doubles in three successive meetings for six wins from 24 rides since returning to Hong Kong for a short-term stint, previously won the Longines World’s Best Jockey Award in 2022.
Mo posted a personal best when the second-season trainer slotted his first Hong Kong treble with Super Wise Dragon, Alluring Laos and Offroad Master ($61) to continue a strong November campaign. Since the start of the month, Mo has tallied eight winners.
“It’s my first treble. Conghua is helping the stable a lot and this season my team is good,” Mo said.
“Super Wise Dragon had a bit of a breathing problem when he came to me and he struggled with his breathing a bit at Happy Valley. Today, draw one helped and he performed well.
“I thought Alluring Laos might run a good race. He showed some speed in his trials overseas and even in Conghua he chased home well. He’s still a bit green and has more room to improve.
“I thought he (Offroad Master) could show something on the all-weather track.
“In his first run, he was fourth, which wasn’t bad, and when I saw him trial (on the dirt), I thought he had ability and thought I’d try him on the dirt.”
HKJC
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