Graham Cunningham: Moreira goes ahead in title battle as Hong Kong viewing grows

There is one week to go until Hong Kong's stars do battle for three Group 1s on Champions Day and the stars are flexing their muscles.

Weighing room aces Joao Moreira and Zac Purton continue to trade blows at the top of the jockeys' table while several familiar British faces are on show in Sunday's feature event on a ten-race card at Sha Tin.

Giant looks the ace in Purton's Sunday pack

Hong Kong is far more than a two-jockey town but when the big two are in top form there is only so much rest of the weighing room can do about it.

Joao Moreira went four ahead of Zac Purton with a treble last Sunday but the Aussie fired back with three winners at Happy Valley on Wednesday – bringing up his seasonal century with a brilliant victory aboard Dances With Dragon in the finale – and the gap is down to just one ahead of Sunday's card.

Moreira has ten rides to Purton's eight with a string of strong chances including Heza Beauty (8.40) and Fantasy (9.10) respectively. Purton, meanwhile, partners one of the most interesting horses of the day when Mighty Giant bids for his fourth course-and-distance success in the concluding Dorset Handicap (10.50).

Ricky Yiu's four-year-old has been most impressive on his last two starts and rattled off a rapid 22.27s closing split when making every yard for his latest success. A soft lead looks unlikely with several other front-runners on deck but Mighty Giant doesn't have to lead and a mark of 78 still looks workable with the Yiu team in fine fettle.

Hamelin in demand after flying start

Antoine Hamelin’s dream start to a three-month contract continued with a debut winner at Happy Valley on Wednesday night and Hong Kong’s most recent French recruit, who notched a double on his first day last Sunday, is in demand again with nine rides on Sunday’s card.

Antoine Hamelin: has nine rides on SundayCredit: Edward Whitaker

Encore Boy is among the pick in the Cornwall Handicap (10.15), the reliable sprinter looks sure to go well again in a £200,000 contest featuring a handful of useful British imports.

Kings Shield relishes the Sha Tin dirt

Seven Heavens was useful for John Gosden a few years ago and is bound to attract support with Purton aboard but former stablemate Kings Shield – fifth in the St James’s Palace Stakes in 2018 – is even more interesting.

As a son of Scat Daddy, it should come as no surprise that Kings Shield has adapted really well to the Sha Tin dirt track. The form book hints that a mile may be his best trip but he showed when a close second last time that a strongly run six furlongs could suit him just as well.

Trouble ahead as coronavirus crisis continues

Hong Kong is holding its own and preserving lofty prize money levels as much of the racing world continues in lockdown. But, according to Hong Kong Jockey Club CEO Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, the sport faces further hardship even as restrictions ease.

This week he posted on his blog to spell out longer term challenges of the coronavirus crisis.

Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges: ' the near future will be very challenging in many aspects'Credit: Hong Kong Jockey Club

He said: "Our turnover continues to be very strong given that we are racing behind closed doors and the fact that international commingling was up by 35 per cent at Sha Tin last Sunday shows more and more new fans from around the world are switching their attention to our sport."

"But the near future will be very challenging in many aspects. Racing is sure to be impacted and in some countries the sport’s sustainability is under threat, with significant turnover declines which will not recover short term. Already, we have seen significant cuts in prize money, with some reductions imposed just before the running of international races, and when racing starts again this will be replicated in a lot of countries.”

Aethero fires back with dominant trial win

All went to plan at the Sha Tin trials on Friday morning as star sprinter Aethero and crack miler Waikuku took steps towards repairing reputations bruised by recent shock defeats.

Aethero, who blew the start and raced too freely in the Sprint Cup last month, came out of the stalls firing this time and charged clear of old rival Hot King Prawn to leave Zac Purton encouraged about his prospects in next weekend’s Group 1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize.

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