SHA TIN 26 April 2020

HOT KING PRAWN'S TIME IS NOW
By Declan Schuster
Hot King Prawn is one of the most dependable horses in training and at Sha Tin this Sunday (26 April) trainer John Size is hopeful that reliability can at last be rewarded with a G1 success in the Chairman's Sprint Prize (1200m).
"At the moment this is an opportunity for him to win a big one - he's done everything right going into the race so hopefully he gives it a good shake," Size said.
"He just goes out there and does his job, you always know what you're going to get and his consistency hopefully pays off one day and he can win a Group 1."
The Denman gelding has raced 17 times for 16 top three finishes, including 10 wins. This season he has placed three times at G1 level and has the opportunity to cap a return from colic surgery 14 months ago with victory in the HK$18 million dash.
The five-year-old spent almost 10 months recovering on the sidelines before returning in the autumn and is now on his way to fulfilling the potential he showed as a young prospect. But that setback means that the popular grey finds himself in a race against time - age will soon start to catch up. Should he fail to score on Sunday, his next shot at a G1 will likely come at the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races in December, another eight months away.
"He hasn't had much racing overall so that's the only thing that might help him if he runs as a six-year-old next season. He did have those 10 months away from trackwork and racing so that will probably help him moving forward," Size said.
A total of 19 five-year-old's have won the Chairman's Sprint Prize since 1979 and Hot King Prawn fits the mould, like Beat The Clock last year, Lucky Bubbles (2017) before that, and Chautauqua (2016). He could also secure his handler's third win in succession with Ivictory having won for the stable in 2018.
"He's always pretty consistent at what he does - he doesn't change much and he's been strong for a few months now. He's had a bit of racing this season but hopefully he can stand up to it and he gets his chance here to win a big race."
Three-time champion jockey Joao Moreira hops in the plate again and the pair will break from gate one against 10 competitors.
"Now is the time - I think he's mature enough, although he might still have one more go next season but I would say that he is at his prime at the moment and that's one of the reasons why I'm going to the races with confidence," Moreira said.
"He's been so consistent and he has proven himself to be a good horse and unfortunately a number of times he has bumped into better horses in some of the races."
The grey closed off for second in a barrier trial behind Aethero six days ago on the Sha Tin dirt over 1050m.
"He feels great - the feeling he gave me suggests that there is nothing wrong with him," Moreira said.
With showers forecast to hit Hong Kong over the next few days, a soft surface is not out of the question but both Moreira and Size were quick to quash any concerns.
"It may even suit him even better, I remember a number of races he has won on the surface and he just floated on top of it, so even if it does keep on raining it might even be a benefit," Moreira said.
Size said: "I think he's alright - he hasn't missed any racing so he's pretty fit which is a factor on the wet track and the times that he's been on any sort of ground that hasn't been fast he's managed it well, so I wouldn't be concerned about any of that."
The trainer also has D B Pin (126lb) and Full of Beauty (126lb) in the 11-runner line-up and also featured is Aethero (122lb), Thanks Forever (126lb), Mr Stunning (126lb) and Voyage Warrior (126lb).
FWD Champions Day features three Group 1 races, the FWD QEII Cup (2000m), the G1 FWD Champions Mile (1600m) and the G1 Chairman's Sprint Prize (1200m).

Champion horses and their jockeys are racing’s great double acts. Seabiscuit had Red Pollard, Secretariat had Ron Turcotte, Hugh Bowman is forever Winx’s man, Frankel wowed with Tom Queally up top, time after time Mike Smith unleashed Zenyatta, and then there’s Silent Witness and Felix Coetzee, Black Caviar and Luke Nolen, Brigadier Gerard and Joe Mercer, Goldikova and Olivier Peslier.

Plenty more throughout history are worthy of mention and mixing it with those iconic pairings is the dominant duo of Beauty Generation and Zac Purton – the iron horse of Hong Kong and his poised partner.

Purton and Beauty Generation will team for the 25th time on Sunday (26 April) in the HK$20 million G1 FWD Champions Mile. They have garnered 15 wins together so far, seven at G1 level, including the past two editions of their upcoming assignment, and 10 of their wins came in a perfect sequence between April 2018 and October 2019.

“They’ve became an inseparable pair, the two of them have married up very well,” Beauty Generation’s trainer John Moore says.

“Zac knows him like part of his family now, he knows when he’s on song and he knows when he’s not. He knows his mood and of course he knows how to get the best out of him in a race, where to be, where not be, when to ask him for that race-winning effort.”

Beauty Generation is an aggressive character, known for driving intruders out of his box, biting and buffeting his long-suffering groom Lau Wai-kit, toying with regular work rider Romain Clavreul, wanting things his way. But when it comes to business, when Purton slides his toes into the irons and holds the reins, it’s a different Beauty Generation.

“He’s such a gentle horse to ride on race day,” the three-time Hong Kong champion jockey says. “He just gets out of the gates, bowls along, does his thing, makes his own luck – they’re the horses you dream of riding really.”

Relationship building

It wasn’t always this way. Like many a lasting partnership, it took some work to figure out and even a brief separation along the way.

Beauty Generation made his name in Australia as Montaigne and at the time he arrived at Sha Tin Purton was in process of cementing a relationship with the Kwok family, whose growing string of horses already included the top-class Beauty Only.

Purton rode Beauty Generation in all of the gelding’s seven starts as a four-year-old for two wins. He was bought as a Hong Kong Derby prospect and finished third in that 2000m feature before going on to set a Sha Tin track record for 2200m in a Class 2 handicap.

At the start of the following term, Beauty Only was Purton’s big mile hope and so Derek Leung was handed the reins on Beauty Generation when the two Kwok gallopers met first-up in a 1400m G3 handicap. Leung and Beauty Generation made all under a feather weight for a shock win. That pairing repeated the trick in a 1600m G2 handicap but then placed third in the G2 Jockey Club Mile. That reversal prompted Purton to stay aboard Beauty Only in the G1 Hong Kong Mile three weeks later.

But Beauty Generation won that as well for Leung. Purton regained the ride after Beauty Generation managed only seventh for Leung in the G1 Stewards’ Cup in January 2018. The Australian ace has ridden the powerful bay in all bar one of his subsequent races and the last 16 without intrusion.

“I’d never had a horse of his calibre in my career, it was one thing that was lacking, and he finally came along,” Purton says.

“Every jockey looks for that one big horse in their career. I rode good horses and won big races, but I never had that one horse at that level that I could ride over a long period of time. The others, I’d been on and off at various stages of their career but this guy, I’ve pretty much ridden him right through his time in Hong Kong. I got off him for a few starts but I haven’t missed too many races on him.”

Moore recognises the value of having one of the world’s best jockeys as his stable superstar’s close partner. Purton’s exquisite judgement has, after all, been key to the gelding being able to maintain searching fractions on the front end and still pull out more when it matters.

“It’s very important to have a partnership like this – how they gel is very important,” the handler says. “Zac and ‘Beauty’ did gel a long time ago and you can see it in how the horse performs for him and how Zac knows what Beauty Generation can do.”

Purton hopes the Road To Rock gelding can do what no other horse has managed to do before and win the Champions Mile for a third time. A victory on Sunday would also see the seven-year-old notch a 19th win as a Hong Kong-trained galloper, one more than the mighty Silent Witness. He is already the track record holder at a mile and Hong Kong’s all-time leading money earner with more than HK$100 million banked.

“Three Champions Miles, it’s never been done before,” Purton says. “I don’t know what the Group 1 record is for horses in Hong Kong but he might be looking at setting a new record there.”

Silent Witness holds something of a record for the most elite wins by a Hong Kong-trained horse. He won nine senior features but they were accrued in the days when most were domestic only and designated HKG1 – his two ‘full’ G1 wins came in the 2003 and 2004 editions of the Hong Kong Sprint.

River Verdon and Viva Pataca each won eight majors but again that was in the days before ‘full’ G1 recognition. All of Beauty Generation’s G1 wins are fully accredited internationally, so he is already the kingpin of Hong Kong racing measured on G1 races won and another on Sunday would pull him upsides Silent Witness’s nine major features.

“He’ll push the prize money record a little bit higher on Sunday too – there’s not much more he can do. He’s done everything and he deserves the credit he’s going to get,” the champion jockey says.

“He’s broken and set and equalled a lot of records in Hong Kong. He’s going to be remembered.”

And so too will Purton for his part in the brilliant bay’s incredible success.

Race card:

racing.hkjc.com/racing/Info/meeting/Race.../Local/20200426/ST/1

John Moore believes Aethero is ‘definitely the one they’ve all got to beat’ after the precocious sprinter drew gate five of 11 this morning for the Gr1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize.

On Sunday, the exciting three-year-old will attempt to become the first of his age to win the contest since Fairy King Prawn in 1999.


“I expect him to ping and get to the front. We might see the best of him,” Moore said. “This is a good gate for him, I think. I preferred the middle for him because on the inside, if you break a fraction slowly, you can get knocked down.”

Fresh in the memory is the fact that Aethero proved to be his own worst enemy for the second time this season when in the GR2 Sprint Cup (1200m) earlier this month he missed the break – also from gate five – and found himself behind runners, eager to pass, climbing on heels, wasting reserves.

“He could pull and lose his race again but I’m not thinking about that,” the handler said. “It’s the same gate as last time but it just is what it is. I think everything will be alright unless he gets something that plays up alongside him and sets him off or something – something unexpected.”

Aethero trailed home eighth in the Sprint Cup, well behind the re-opposing Voyage Warrior. That muddling return after a four-month recovery from sickness was a far cry from his dashing, front-running best that carried him to victory in the G2 Jockey Club Sprint (1200m) and a precocious third place in the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m), all within eight months of his career debut.

“He did something similar first-up this season so when he’s coming back fresh, I think maybe it does take him a little bit sometimes to switch back on – hopefully after his trial last week he’ll do it,” jockey Zac Purton said.

Aethero heads into the weekend having satisfied connections in a barrier trial last Friday (17 April). The Sebring chestnut got to the lead and travelled with verve through the finish line, clear of his fellow triallists.

“He passed his trial so that was a good sign – he was just a little bit sluggish from the gate. The middle and latter parts of the trial were good so I’m happy in that regard,” Purton said.

Moore, too, was pleased. “He jumped out in the trial really well. He stood there perfectly so I don’t foresee any issues with the gate this time. I think he’ll jump straight to the font.

“The feedback from Purton is never gushing. Zac is semi-positive and semi-negative but the feedback was good – he said that trial was the first time he’d felt Aethero really get over the ground well.”

The trainer believes his charge is in better shape than last time and compared his young speedster to the great Olympian Usain Bolt.

“We did drop his weight off a little bit – he looks light enough anyway, he looks like what I’d call a Usain Bolt type in that he’s tall and lean with that perfect physique. That’s how I look at Aethero. He doesn’t look fat but there could be a 20lb difference and you wouldn’t see it.

“He did the usual work this morning, probably one or two seconds slower, but again, his work rider Romain (Clavreul) came back and said if this horse gets beat he’ll be surprised, he’s only got to jump away.

Moore now just needs Aethero to develop the same famed focus as the Jamaican speed king.

Beauty Generation will also load into gate five when he bids for a record third win in the HK$20 million G1 FWD Champions Mile on Sunday.
“Five is perfect – we’ve got the speed influence on our inside so that will give us the chance to come out and come over, and no doubt camp outside Ka Ying Star unless something foreseen transpires,” Moore said.

The champ, heading into the race off wins in the G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) and G2 Chairman’s Trophy (1600m), also worked solo on the turf this morning under Clavreul.

“He was very enthusiastic about his work this morning, the report back from Romain was positive that he did everything right, he came back and couldn’t blow a match out,” Moore said.

“I saw him coming back and I’m thrilled, everything has gone to plan and it’s all systems go.”

And, off a wet week in Hong Kong, Moore is not concerned about underfoot conditions.

“A little cut in the ground – I love it!” he said. “I think Sunday was always going to be ok but just that little bit of cushion, I think that both of my horses will just love it.”

Sunday’s card also includes the HK$25 million FWD QEII Cup (2000m).

www.irace.com.sg/wp-content/uploads/2020...m-Guide-April-26.pdf

One of easiest Shatin cards i have seen on paper. Seems most races are cut and dried and its Zac & JM in the shake up. Most favs have won in wet/yielding track.
Zac got 2 penalty kicks in Wellington & Good Luck Friend.
Not sure Beauty Generation will beat Waikuku again. I doubt.
Time Warp & Exultant..i leave it to the judge nothing between them.

The rest of races; im looking for dart board.

Lets wait for final declarations & bookies odds.

eramutsamaya wrote: One of easiest Shatin cards i have seen on paper. Seems most races are cut and dried and its Zac & JM in the shake up. Most favs have won in wet/yielding track.
Zac got 2 penalty kicks in Wellington & Good Luck Friend.
Not sure Beauty Generation will beat Waikuku again. I doubt.
Time Warp & Exultant..i leave it to the judge nothing between them.

The rest of races; im looking for dart board.

Lets wait for final declarations & bookies odds.

I see this every thread. JM and ZP show. They are the two leading riders after all. But I also know doesn't always work out that way.

Thor wrote:

eramutsamaya wrote: One of easiest Shatin cards i have seen on paper. Seems most races are cut and dried and its Zac & JM in the shake up. Most favs have won in wet/yielding track.
Zac got 2 penalty kicks in Wellington & Good Luck Friend.
Not sure Beauty Generation will beat Waikuku again. I doubt.
Time Warp & Exultant..i leave it to the judge nothing between them.

The rest of races; im looking for dart board.

Lets wait for final declarations & bookies odds.

I see this every thread. JM and ZP show. They are the two leading riders after all. But I also know doesn't always work out that way.

I would like to think as much as they are good, they earn much trust with top/form trainers. Taking Beauty Generation as example, it first won G1 race with Derek Leung as an outsider and Zac was on Beauty Only the fav, After unplaced effort in the Stewards Cup meant he will never ride the horse again and Zac took back the horse to winning form.
We have seen this with Time Warp, Pakistan Star etc. Vincent Ho is lucky getting the rides on Golden Sixty.

This happens in all racing jurisdictions, top jockeys kick all the penalty kicks.

WSB have priced up the three main races www.worldsportsbetting.co.za/mplevents/8...6_80447729_80447936_

Must say this will be worth watching

Hot King Prawn
Beauty Generation
Plus Exultant the banker

Good Punting

15 years ago...


blog.hollywoodbets.net/2020/04/qeii-cup-...ngeance-of-rain.html


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Race 1: #13 City Legend, #3 Charge On, #1 Chairman Lo, #12 Winston’s Lad

Race 2: #2 War Room, #6 War Of Courage, #9 Bright Vision, #12 Eligere

Race 3: #4 Casa De Forca, #1 Good Luck Friend, #6 Rhapsody, #11 Stock Legend

Race 4: #8 Gift Of Lifeline, #10 Joyful Heart, #11 Ever Laugh, #2 Lakeshore Eagle

Race 5: #11 Aethero, #1 Hot King Prawn, #2 Thanks Forever, #9 Big Time Baby

Race 6: #1 Wellington, #3 Beauty Smile, #10 Fantastic Show, #5 Cool Team

Race 7: #1 Beauty Generation, #6 More Than This, #2 Waikuku, #3 Ka Ying Star

Race 8: #1 Exultant, #2 Time Warp, #6 Playa Del Puente, #7 Glorious Dragon

Race 9: #4 Computer Patch, #7 Gold Chest, #11 Glorious Spectrum, #6 Shining Ace

Race 10: #4 Hezthewonforus, #1 Preciousship, #13 Monica, #3 Butterfield


A blockbuster night of international racing is on tap from Sha Tin on Saturday night as the Hong Kong Jockey Club hosts the FWD Champions Day. The 10-race card from the "Pearl of the Orient" features a trio of Group 1 races including the Group 1 Chairman's Sprint Prize, the Group 1 Champion Mile, and the Group 1 QEII Cup.

The first featured Champion Day race on the Sha Tin Saturday night card is the Group 1, HK$18 million Chairman's Sprint Prize in Race 5. The six furlong turf sprint has a field of 11 that is headed by Hot King Prawn. (AUS). The 5-year-old son of Denman out of the Unbridled's Song mare De Chorus has posted a record of 10-4-2 from 17 career trips to the gate. Hot King Prawn had a win against Grade 2 company to open the year, and was second by three-quarters-of-a-length last time out.

Taking on Hot King Prawn is a field that includes Aethero (AUS) and Big Party (AUS).

Two races later, a field of nine stayers will go to the gate with Horse of the Year honors hanging in the balance in the Group 1, HK$ 20 million Champions Mile. Beauty Generation (NZ) is the two-time defending Horse of the Year that is trying to make history as the first horse to win it three years in-a-row. The son of Road to Rock (AUS) out of the Bel Espit (AUS) mare Stylish Bel (AUS) is running against the competition--and Father Time as the 7-year-old is taking on younger competitors for the title. More Than This (GB) and Waikuku (AUS) could stand in the way of those dreams for Beauty Generation and jockey Zac Purton.

Race 8 is the richest race of the night, the Group 1, HK$20 million QEII Cup. Despite being the richest prize on the Champions Day card, the mile-and-a-quarter turf race has attracted the smallest field of them all with only seven competitors running for the purse and the trophy. Exultant (IRE) from the barn of AS Cruz has been a game competitor at Sha Tin this season, and it's possible that his best effort here could be enough to claim the win in the QEII Cup. Elusive State (AUS) and Furore (NZ) could also contend here.
First post for Sha Tin on FWD Champions Day is at 12:45 a.m. ET / 9:45 p.m. PT on Saturday night.


Race 1: Able One Handicap


#13 City Legend is as consistent as they come albeit without winning. He’s tallied a costly nine runner-up efforts from 26 starts but again though, if he manages to perform at his usual level, he will find himself in the right spot to win, as long as he can put it all together. #3 Charge On won well last start. He appears to have a number of rating points still in hand and this race is well within his grasp. #1 Chairman Lo is another who across his career has become a costly conveyance, five times finishing second as a single figures chance. Still, his consistency warrants respect. #12 Winston’s Lad is next best for the in-form Antoine Hamelin.


Race 2: Fair King Prawn Handicap


#2 War Room steps out for the first time under the care of David Hall after switching from the Jimmy Ting yard. He’s displayed immense talent this galloper and although he’s still winless, he has shown that it’s only a matter of time. He’s trialled well and the booking of Zac Purton this time bears close watching. #6 War Of Courage has turned into a nice little horse having won two out of his last three starts. He has an awkward draw to contend with here which is a concern, especially as it is his first time racing around a bend, but he’s still on the up. #9 Bright Vision turned his form around last start to grab third. He’s drawn to get the right run and is capable of challenging here. #12 Eligere is next best.


Race 3: Oriental Express Handicap


#4 Casa De Forca is a 17-start maiden which is a concern, but, he has put some nice runs together and he’s drawn to get all of the favours here, especially with a few of the other likely fancies drawing wide. He can get into a nice position throughout and the in-form Chad Schofield is more than capable of getting him over the line. #1 Good Luck Friend was impressive when winning last start. He sits on the cusp of Class 3 and it would not surprise to see him shift up the ratings ladder here. #6 Rhapsody has a little bit of hype about him after trialling impressively on a number of occasions. He bears close watching but gate 11 might make things difficult. #11 Stock Legend is next best.


Race 4: River Dancer Handicap


#8 Gift Of Lifeline is racing well. He’s a winner already this term and although he lacks early speed, he does get an added furlong in distance here and with a clean run he can finish over the top of this bunch. #10 Joyful Heart has placed in his last two. He’s a two-time course and distance winner who gets Zac Purton up. #11 Ever Laugh won well over this course and distance two starts ago before struggling at his latest. He gets back ti his preferred trip here and this contest looks suitable. #2 Lakeshore Eagle is a talent. He’s next best if he performs at his peak.


Race 5: G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize


#11 Aethero oozes talent but he can be quite quirky at times. If he brings his A-game the this race is his to lose and from the gate, with Zac Purton up, he should be able to put his last-start woes behind, especially off the back of an impressive trial score. #1 Hot King Prawn is as consistent as they come. He’s placed in three G1’s this term and has proven himself to be up to this level. This is his opportunity to bag a top level success and in the right spot he can win. #Thanks Forever gets the blinkers applied to sharpen him up. He hasn’t won for a while but he rarely runs a bad race and isn’t without a chance, especially as a G1 placegetter already. #9 Big Time Baby is the surprise package of the race having returned from an inconvenienced trip to Dubai where he didn’t run. Surprisingly his grass form is still strong and he might be way over the odds to finish top three here.


Race 6: Vengeance Of Rain Handicap


#1 Wellington has enjoyed a rapid rise to success in Hong Kong by winning his first three starts. He’s shooting for a fourth unbeaten win here and he looks well placed to do so from gate three with Zac Purton engaged once more. #3 Beauty Smile grabbed second on debut. Awkward draw makes things difficult here but he should be around the mark again. #10 Fantastic Show is looking for his fourth win in a row. He’s gone to a new level here and as a Class 3 winner already, he rates as a leading player. #5 Cool Team hasn’t exactly done much since his first-up win. Still, he clearly has the ability and has shown no signs of training off.


Race 7: G1 FWD Champions Mile


#1 Beauty Generation is looking for his third consecutive Champions Mile win and he appears more than capable of getting it. He’s won his last two starts and his latest, quite comfortably in the G2 Chairman’s Trophy over this course and distance. If the track is wet it will play into his hands but either way, he appears to have recaptured his blistering best and this contest appears to be his to lose. #6 More Than This has shown a brilliant turn of foot over this course and distance, especially as a three-time winner. He commands plenty of respect here back down to his preferred distance after placing in all three legs of the Four-Year-Old Classic Series. He might be worth a value play. #2 Waikuku appeared to struggle on the wet deck last start. Still, he can bounce back because that was well below his best, even if it was a slightly wet surface. #3 Ka Ying Star is honest. He’ll be boxing on for prize money.


Race 8: G1 FWD QEII Cup


#1 Exultant is Hong Kong’s champion stayer and he can cap a solid season with a G1 score in the QEII Cup. He’s a proven G1 winner over this course and distance and although he couldn’t quite chase home Time Warp last start, he is favoured to return to winning ways here, especially with those trials under his belt. #1 Time Warp can run them along out in the lead. He’s a straightforward ride and if he makes his own luck once again, he’s going to prove difficult to reel in. #6 Playa Del Puente nearly pulled off on the of racings biggest upsets last start in the BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m). He warrants respect and it’ll be interesting to see how that Debry form stacks up here. #7 Glorious Dragon is next best. He’s a stayer on the rise and though this will be tough, he is capable of finishing thereabouts.


Race 9: Silent Witness Handicap


#4 Computer Patch is a supreme talent on the rise after winning well two starts ago. He gets a suitable draw in gate one and he comes out of a very strong Class 2 contest last start. If that form holds up again here then he is the one to beat. #7 Gold Chest rattled home from the tail of the field two starts ago to win by a nose. If he’s continued his progression from that run then he’ll be able to test these. #11 Glorious Spectrum was awful first-up. He’s since been the trials and looked sound, so if he manages to hold that condition and recapture an ounce of his best, he’s in with a shout. #6 Shining Ace stretched clear last start for a comfortable win. This is much tougher but still, he can figure again, especially from the good draw.


Race 10: Bullish Luck Handicap


Competitive mile to close off FWD Champions Day with. Siding with #4 Hezthewonforus here, he’s tallied a number of competitive runs this term, including a game runner-up effort two starts ago. He’s worth taking a chance on in what is a wide open finale. #1 Preciousship is a four-time winner already this campaign. He’s enjoyed a rapid rise to success and although he was beaten last start, it was by only half a length and the small break between runs will have freshened him up nicely. #13 Monica gets in light with only 113lb to carry. This is suitable. #3 Butterfield steps back to the mile after two competitive runs over 2000m. He’s fit and should be thereabouts against this bunch.