RESULTS

Review of the 2024 Karaka yearling sale

Tim Whiffler reviews all the action from the Karaka 2024 yearling sale. A great sale helped by an influx of bidding from Hong Kong.

Asian Racing Review: top trainer’s shock Singapore departure

Michael Cox and Andrew Le Jeune bring you the latest in Asian racing, including the shock exit of top trainer Michael Clements from Lion City ahead of the planned closure of the sport.

Romantic Warrior’s Cox Plate challenge tests Shum’s experience

Hong Kong’s 2000-metre star is taking his trainer into new territory, but there is a wealth of travel experience to call upon.

Ryan Curatolo: from American dream to Asian ambition

A fractured shoulder blade has sidelined Ryan Curatolo, but the Frenchman is on the mend and looking forward to a year-closing contract to ride in Singapore.

Macau’s still in business but Chin moves on

There is a smidgen of hope in Macau as the MJC announces a 2023-24 season fixture list, but former champion trainer Stanley Chin won’t be involved in any of the action.

Asian Racing Review: Rachel King’s stocks rise along with All-Star status in Japan

Michael Cox and Andrew Le Jeune discuss Rachel King’s runner-up effort in last weekend’s World All-Star Jockeys series and how it will boost her profile ahead of potential future visits.

Asian Racing Review: Macau’s officials and trainers “left in the dark”

Michael Cox and Andrew Le Jeune provide the latest on the Macau Jockey Club’s uncertain future and the parallels with Singapore racing’s demise.

First Singapore, next Macau? Fears for racing’s future in casino hub

Horse shipments to Macau have been stopped, no meeting has been scheduled for the start of next season and staff cuts are expected as fears grow for the future of the sport in the gambling enclave.

From ‘broken’ to record-breaker: Purton cements legacy

Ten years ago Zac Purton suffered a painful defeat in the title race but the once vanquished contender is now a season-record holder and six-time Hong Kong champion.

The story behind Joao Moreira’s raw emotion

The Brazilian superstar reveals the background to why his emotions were so raw in the aftermath of Sunday’s Grande Premio Brasil victory.

From the saddle to the gig economy? Singapore’s jockeys seek assurances 

Singapore’s jockeys are following the lead of the city’s trainers’ association and its racehorse owners in pulling together to seek clarity.

Malaysia? Macau? The Singapore closure’s complex ripple effects

The end of racing at Kranji could present an opportunity for racing clubs in Malaysia, as well as Macau, but change will not be seamless and pitfalls must be seen and skirted.

‘Profound disappointment’: Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges weighs in on Singapore

As trainers prepare for a meeting with owners on Wednesday, the Asian Racing Federation made a rare and strongly worded statement on the shock announcement that Singapore racing would cease in October 2024.

Trainers: Singapore Turf Club chief knew the end was coming

Many important questions remain unanswered as Singapore racing’s participants attempt to proceed in the wake of last week’s shock news that the sport will end, but one answer given has raised the ire of Singapore’s trainers.

Singapore’s slide: a cautionary tale

The announcement that Singapore racing would cease on October 5, 2024 stunned many but questions remain. Asian Racing Report Editor Michael Cox asks: 'what happens to the horses?', and 'could this happen elsewhere?'

Shock and anger at Singapore racing’s sad demise

An email, 15-minute meeting and 180 years of history ends as trainers and staff scramble and ask ‘what happens to the horses?’ after a stunning announcement that the Singapore Turf Club would cease racing in October 2024.

【逼在眉睫】新加坡賽馬公會應打破沉默闢謠

新加坡賽馬何去何從？馬主、練馬師、馬迷們都應當得知此等「謠言」孰真孰假。

COMMENT: Singapore Turf Club officials should silence rumour mill

Singapore racing’s passionate owners, trainers and fans deserve clarity on the Turf Club's direction, writes Michael Cox.

LJ Confidential: competitive Lockinge provides pointer

Andrew Le Jeune runs the rule over what should be a fiercely-contested Lockinge Stakes at Newbury and also takes a look at Singapore's big day, as part of his ongoing series covering Hong Kong's simulcast races.

Asian Racing Review: Sodashi ridden ‘perfectly’ in Victoria Mile defeat

Michael Cox joins Andrew Le Jeune to bring you all the news and views in Asian racing, including the latest on the Hong Kong betting scandal and a response to some criticism surrounding Damian Lane's Victoria Mile ride.

Asian Racing Review: the ‘next big thing’ in Hong Kong racing

Michael Cox joins Andrew Le Jeune to bring you the latest in Asian racing, including the trainer making a huge impression in Hong Kong and the latest on travel plans for Golden Sixty.

Keiba Diary: Joe Fujii keeps fighting

Adrian Webber caught up with Joe Fujii for this week’s Keiba Diary as the popular jockey continues to readjust to home life with his wife and children after suffering severe spinal injuries in a race fall last year.

Selangor’s apprentice champion signals bright possibilities

The Selangor Turf Club’s apprentice school takes pride of place in the midst of its current resurgence and Clyde Leck is the star pupil.

Sol Oriens is another feather in Kitasan Black’s cap

The brilliant Satsuki Sho winner is by the impressive young sire Kitasan Black out of a mare that has surprised her former trainer in establishing her place as a proven producer of quality racehorses in Japan.

Keiba Diary: idols in the vending machine but Liberty Island is the real deal

Adrian Webber takes a look at the Satsuki Sho prospects and has news of the injured and returning, along with a well-known jockey’s daughter starting out at the JRA school.

Takamatsunomiya Kinen G1 Guide

Takamatsunomiya Kinen G1 Guide

The Takamatsunomiya Kinen at Chukyo is one of only two Grade 1 sprint races in Japan, and is the only JRA Grade 1 not held at one of the 'big four' tracks Tokyo, Nakayama, Kyoto or Hanshin.

São Paulo to Saudi Arabia: where to next for ‘happier’ Moreira?

Joao Moreira is dominating in Brazil and says he is refreshed ahead of the first stop on his farewell tour, the Saudi Cup International Jockeys Challenge, where he will compete against Frankie Dettori.

COMMENT | Singapore slide: can Lion City roar again?

Trainers are fighting hard and owners keep turning up but the future of Singapore racing hangs in the balance unless meaningful changes are made by the Singapore Turf Club (STC), writes Michael Cox.

International travel is needed to elevate Hong Kong’s new heroes

Romantic Warrior and California Spangle are Hong Kong racing’s exciting new stars but without testing themselves offshore they will be considered just two more one-track wonders.

Joao Moreira: Five ‘Magic’ moments from his Hong Kong career

Brazilian jockey Joao Moreira turned Hong Kong racing on its head when he arrived in 2013 and didn’t stop shaking it up for the best part of ten years. Michael Cox looks back at the Magic Man’s five most memorable moments during his storied Hong Kong racing career.

‘Happy’ Moreira is back among the winners and heading to Hong Kong

The Magic Man competed in 16 races over two days in Brazil and is ready for Group 1 action at Sha Tin after sealing a Listed race win at his hometown track on Sunday.

Moreira’s heroic homecoming: Fantasma’s return a boost for Brazilian racing

As Joao Moreira faces the beginning of the end of an illustrious international career, he is going back to where it all began and officials hope his presence provides a boost for a struggling sport in Brazil

Fownes has a rare Japan ambition for Senor Toba

The Tenno Sho Spring could be on the agenda for Casper Fownes' grey stayer Senor Toba if he shows up well against his Japanese rivals in the Hong Kong Vase.

Laws Of Indices is first on the ground in Hong Kong

Annabel Neasham’s first overseas runner is settling into the Sha Tin quarantine stables and will be joined there by the rest of the international raiders before Sunday is out.

Joao Moreira rides trackwork, cleared for Sao Paulo comeback ahead of Hong Kong send-off

Brazilian jockey Joao Moreira has shared videos of his intense workouts as he returns to his old stomping ground in Sao Paulo to prepare for his International Day farewell at Sha Tin.

One last push: Moreira’s Sha Tin swansong to be followed by freedom

As retirement looms for Joao Moreira after a one-off farewell appearance at the Hong Kong International Races, the Brazilian told Asian Racing Report that he feels a sense of freedom around what could come next.

Lim’s Kosciuszko: The Singaporean ‘mighty mouse’ that might just muscle his way to a Hong Kong Sprint upset

Dan Beasley got his wish of a Sha Tin swansong to close out a chapter on his illustrious career but it is his relationship with trainer Dan Meagher and owner Lim Siah-Mong that make the opportunity so special.

Paparazzi at the pub: The story of Universal Prince and his brilliant jockey Justin Sheehan

Universal Prince is unfairly remembered for the race he didn’t run in and the media circus before the 2001 Melbourne Cup, but he was good enough that Justin Sheehan was willing to go through hell to ride him.

Dan Beasley heading home but hoping for a Hong Kong swansong on Singapore star

Australian rider Dan Beasley will leave Singapore but retirement is still a few years off yet as he sweats on a Hong Kong Sprint start for Lim’s Kosciuszko.

Michael Chang’s Rich Tapestry – A globetrotting Hong Kong hero

Michael Chang’s own journey from son of a mafoo in Happy Valley to trainer was amazing enough, but the unlikely sprint star Rich Tapestry then took him around the world.

What next for racing in Macau?

Within a decade of Stanley Ho taking over the fledgling Macau Jockey Club in 1991, turnover was booming and racing was considered a potential little brother to the Hong Kong Jockey Club. But a rapid decline over the last decade has consigned the MJC to 'poor cousin status' and recent developments are causing even more concern among participants.

Purton on Moreira: he’s a ‘phenomenal rider’

Hong Kong’s champion jockey Zac Purton talks on camera about what makes his greatest opponent such an incredible rival.

Returning Asian buyers to the fore at Inglis Ready 2 Race Sale

An explosion of interest from Hong Kong and Singapore buyers, who purchased 60 two-year-olds between them, set up a record Inglis Ready 2 Race Sale.

EXCLUSIVE | ‘I am not OK’: Joao Moreira asks to return to his family in Brazil

Hong Kong’s riding great Joao Moreira is suffering mental stress as he works through painful physical rehabilitation far from his family.

‘Racing takes a lot of patience’ – Kuldeep Singh Rajput building his Gandharvi empire to last

New bloodstock outfit Gandharvi’s latest buys at Keeneland are just the start for a young Singaporean entrepreneur’s enthusiastic entry into racing.

There’s no picking and choosing for Joao Moreira

The four-time Hong Kong champion returns to action on Sunday knowing he must garner more support or forget about a fifth title.

The Joy And Fun of Hong Kong’s battle-scarred warrior

A look back at Hong Kong's globetrotting sprinter Joy And Fun, the tough gelding who overcame two career-threatening injuries to land an unlikely Group 1 prize.

‘You never know, they might be the one’ – Pierre Ng’s horse-powered path to the top

Having helped each trainer he has served to a career-high of some sort, and handled two notoriously difficult stars, Pierre Ng is now searching for his own life-changing champion.

Nakauchida’s Golden Eagle hope Serifos is still grounded

Mitsu Nakauchida has Golden Eagle ambitions for Serifos but unless pandemic measures change to enable flights, there will not be any Japanese horses racing in Australia this spring.

‘It’s a very young stable’: new talent has Michael Freedman bullish for spring

The youngest of the famous Freedman brothers embarks on a new training chapter with a star mare, an army of young spring hopefuls and a determination to keep things simple.

Silvestre de Sousa is Hong Kong-bound via a Singapore return

Silvestre de Sousa has been licensed for his longest stint yet in Hong Kong but first he will take a rare trip to Singapore.

Movers and shakers – Sires of influence emerging in Australia

So You Think and I Am Invincible may be fighting out the Australian sires' title but further down the list, the likes of Spill The Beans, Capitalist, Nicconi, Poet's Voice and Extreme Choice have made their own major marks this season.

From Wodonga to Kranji, Beasley still making his mark

A Riverina grounding is still serving jockey Danny Beasley well in his unexpected second spell as a jockey.

Beyond Purton and Moreira: Hong Kong season in review

The jockeys’ title race held the spotlight in Hong Kong but there was plenty to talk about on the fringes: rising South Africans, the evolution of the trainer ranks and a Golden disappointment.

Love and loyalty in Hong Kong racing and how July 10, 2013 changed everything

The night Dennis Yip won the trainers’ championship, clinching the title in the final race of the 2012-13 season, will be a moment remembered by Hong Kong racing fans, but what happened away from the track that night, still resonates today.

Tiger Roar carries confidence into the Singapore Derby but trainers still seek direction

There are hints of positivity in Singapore racing as Derby day approaches but the Turf Club remains guarded about its long-range strategy.

COMMENT | One Size doesn’t fit all: How The John Moore Rule became The John Size Rule

If the Hong Kong Jockey Club wants high-performing trainers who produce ‘world-class’ horses then why was John Moore pushed out the door two seasons ago, asks Michael Cox?

Shinn set for Singapore stint on way back for Melbourne spring

Blake Shinn is set for a four-week stint in Singapore, securing the ride aboard Amazing Breeze in the Singapore Derby, before heading back to Australia for the Melbourne spring carnival.

Tokyo City Keiba: Japanese racing but not as you know it

Business is booming in the Japan Racing Association (JRA) but the local government-run National Association of Racing (NAR) is also riding a new wave of popularity, led by Tokyo City Keiba. Michael Cox spent a night at Oi to see what it is about.

EXCLUSIVE: “There is always some hope, somewhere” – Joe Fujii’s brave battle to walk again

Joe Fujii suffered terrible injuries in a racefall in April and has seen his young family once since, but has retained his goal-setting mindset in the face of adversity.

The five best individual performances by Australian-trained horses overseas

Where does Nature Strip’s Royal Ascot King’s Stand Stakes demolition job rank amongst the all-time great performances of Australian horses campaigning overseas?

OPINION: HKJC’s jockey recruitment challenge

More meetings means more jockeys, but where will they come from? David Morgan discusses the challenge the Hong Kong Jockey Club faces trying to recruit jockeys.

‘Good guy’ O’Sullivan ready to bid farewell to Hong Kong

Trainer Paul O’Sullivan tells David Morgan he is very much at peace with his decision to exit Hong Kong at the end of the current season.

Pinarello stays in black and gold as Hong Kong offers are rebuffed

Pinarello will not be following the same path to Hong Kong as previous winners of the Queensland Derby after Cambridge Stud rejected multiple offers for the three-year-old, determined he will fly the flag in its black and gold colours in Australia's best races.

Where are they now? Jockey Andreas Suborics

Former jockey Andreas Suborics reflects on his storied international riding career.