Top Act stole the show at Sha Tin this afternoon (Sunday, 8 November) with a determined victory in the day’s feature race, the HKG3 Sa Sa Ladies’ Purse (Handicap, 1800m), first staged in 1846 and the centerpiece of Hong Kong’s annual chic-fest, Sa Sa Ladies’ Purse Day.
Tony Millard was beaming after jockey Richard Fourie executed a triumph long in the planning and the trainer’s sights are now set on the G2 LONGINES Jockey Club Cup (2000m) in two weeks. Beyond that, a tilt at December’s LONGINES Hong Kong International Races could enter the South African handler’s planning.
“He’s been great today,” said Millard after the five-year-old held at bay Romantic Touch and the fast-finishing Ensuring to capture the prize before a crowd of more than 72,000. “We planned this path for him at the end of last season,” continued Millard. “He won five races for us and has really come into it. I had him a touch big today and he’s still improved.
“We will take him for the 2000-metre race next and if he goes well there, maybe we can supplement for the HKIR meeting. It’s been step-by-step with him. I never really push them, just let them come into it, and he’s been one like that, he’s really just done it on his own.”
Top Act (115lb) enjoyed a dream run under Fourie who managed to find a handy berth from gate six, one width off the rail and a couple of lengths behind the reluctant leader, Flame Hero. When the latter’s jockey, Derek Leung, kicked on the turn into the home stretch, the response was limited. Fourie, meanwhile, arms pumping in determination from 500m out, found a willing response from Top Act. The O’Reilly gelding battled on and edged the lead with 300m remaining.
“I had a lovely draw, managed to settle fourth, got good momentum coming into the straight, and, with a light weight, when they came to press him, he quickened away from them and then had enough to win,” said Fourie.
Last season’s HKG1 BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) third Romantic Touch (114lb) pressed the winner inside as third-placed Ensuring (115lb) powered home on Top Act’s stands side flank, closing to within a half-length at the wire under Joao Moreira. But the victory was Top Act’s as the New Zealand-bred held on by a neck, stopping the clock at 1m 47.06s.
“When the other horses came to him he found a little bit more,” said Fourie. “I hadn’t quite gone on him, I let him quicken and then allowed him to idle a bit. When I asked him in the last furlong there was a little bit more and he kept plugging.”
The South African has endured a lean time this term, with only two wins on the board since returning to Hong Kong in August, and was duly delighted to have landed one of Hong Kong’s most prominent domestic features. The rider notched 34 wins in his only previous Hong Kong campaign back in 2012/13.
“It’s hard work here, they’re tough races all the time and it’s good experience to ride here. When you get chance rides you just have to make the most of them and win as many as you can,” he said.
The Jockey Club Races, the main lead-up contests for the Hong Kong International Races (13 December), will take place on Saturday, 21 November and comprise the LONGINES Jockey Club Cup (2000m), BOCHK Wealth Management Jockey Club Mile and BOCHK Wealth Management Jockey Club Sprint (1200m).
|
Photo 1:
Photo 1, 2
Top Act (No. 11), ridden by Richard Fourie, scores in the Sa Sa Ladies' Purse (Handicap), a Hong Kong Group 3 race over 1800m.
|
Photo 2
|
|
Photo 3:
The connections of Top Act celebrate their victory after the race.
|
Photo 4:
At the Sa Sa Ladies�� Purse trophy presentation ceremony, Miss Chloe Liang, daughter of the Club��s Voting Member Mr Howard Liang, presents a silver dish to Bonnie Chan Yiting, Anthony Derek Lai Shu Yan, Ricky Choy Wing Kay and Dominic Lee Kan Nam, owners of Top Act.
|
|
Photo 5:
Photo 5, 6
Miss Chloe Liang presents a gold coin contained in a wallet each to Top Act��s trainer Anthony Millard and jockey Richard Fourie.
|
Photo 6
|
|
Photo 7:
Photo 7, 8
Sa Sa International Holdings Limited Chairman and CEO Dr Simon Kwok and Vice-Chairman Dr Eleanor Kwok present the commemorative trophies to the owners and trainer of Top Act.
|
Photo 8
|
|
Photo 9:
Ning Chang, the Sa Sa Ladies�� Purse Day ambassador, presents a commemorative trophy to Richard Fourie, jockey of the winning horse Top Act.
|
Photo 10:
HKJC Chairman Dr Simon S O Ip; CEO Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges; Club Stewards; Sa Sa International Holdings Limited Chairman and CEO Dr Simon Kwok; Vice-Chairman Dr Eleanor Kwok; presentation guest Miss Chloe Liang; Sa Sa Ladies�� Purse Day ambassador Ning Chang; and the winning connections pose for a group photo.
|
|
Photo 11:
HKJC Chairman Dr Simon S O Ip (third from right) and CEO Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges (right); Sa Sa International Holdings Limited Chairman and CEO Dr Simon Kwok and Vice-Chairman Dr Eleanor Kwok; together with the winning connections toast the success of Sa Sa Ladies' Purse Day.
|
Photo 12:
Sa Sa International Holdings Limited Chairman and CEO Dr Simon Kwok and Vice-Chairman Dr Eleanor Kwok, together with Sa Sa Ladies�� Purse Day ambassador Ning Chang, present a prize of HK$2,000 to the Stable Assistant responsible for Kabayan, the Best Turned Out Horse in the Sa Sa Ladies' Purse.
|
