Appleby, Charlie
Age: 41. Raised in Devon, Charlie Appleby was an amateur rider on the Flat in England and also rode in point-to-points. He attended the British Racing School in Newmarket and then worked for trainer Susan Piggott before moving on to David Loder just as the latter was embarking on his short-lived Godolphin venture at Evry, France. He remained with Godolphin when Loder returned to Britain as a public trainer. After 15 years as travelling head lad at Godolphin he was promoted to trainer in July, 2013 following former Godolphin handler Mahmood Al Zarooni’s ban for using prohibited substances on horses under his care. Appleby’s first G1 win was achieved that November when Outstrip won the G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. In October, 2014 he notched his first British G1 with Charming Thought in the Middle Park Stakes and his first Royal Ascot win was achieved in June, 2015 thanks to Space Age in the King George V Handicap. He is based at Moulton Paddocks in Newmarket for most of the year and Marmoom Stables in Dubai during the winter months.
Cruz, Tony
Age: 59. Tony Cruz is a son of Johnny Cruz, a renowned rider from Hong Kong’s amateur era. His brother, Derek Cruz, is also a trainer. He was among the first intake of apprentices to the HKJC Apprentice Jockeys’ School when that facility opened in 1972. Cruz started his riding career in the 1973/74 season. He went on to be Hong Kong's champion jockey six times (1978/79, 1980/81, 1982/83, 1983/84, 1985/86, 1994/95) and rode 946 winners. Cruz also made his name at G1 level in Europe and notably partnered the great race mare Triptych. He was granted a Hong Kong trainer’s licence in 1996 and first landed the trainers' title in 1999/2000. He regained the crown in 2005, setting a then record for a season's winners (91) and earnings (HK$113m) in the process. He most famously trained the great Hong Kong champion Silent Witness to win 17 consecutive races before tasting defeat. His notable wins include: Hong Kong Mile (2003 Lucky Owners, 2010 Beauty Flash), Hong Kong Cup (2011 & 2012 California Memory), Hong Kong Sprint (2003 & 2004 Silent Witness, 2015 Peniaphobia), Champions Mile (2005 & 2006 Bullish Luck), AP QEII Cup (2015 Blazing Speed), Hong Kong Derby (2004 Lucky Owners, 2008 Helene Mascot), Sprinters Stakes (2005 Silent Witness) and Yasuda Kinen (2006 Bullish Luck). Hong Kong Career Wins (as of 28 April): 1053 (win strike rate: 10.69%).
align:justify">Fownes, Caspar
Age: 48. Caspar Fownes assisted his late father Lawrie for several seasons before taking over the mantle in 2003/04. He eclipsed his father's best season stats in his rookie year with 44 wins. He has been Hong Kong’s Champion Trainer three times (2006/07, 2008/09, 2013/14). His third championship came in 2013/14 when his strong late charge brought three wins on the closing day to tie with John Size on 62 wins, and with one more second place than his rival he sealed the title on count-back. His notable wins include: Hong Kong Mile (2006 The Duke), Hong Kong Sprint (2011 Lucky Nine), KrisFlyer International Sprint (2010 Green Birdie, 2013 & 2014 Lucky Nine), Hong Kong Derby (2010 Super Satin), Chairman’s Sprint Prize (2013 & 2014 Lucky Nine), Hong Kong Classic Mile (2011 Lucky Nine), Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (2012 Lucky Nine). Hong Kong Career Wins (as of 28 April): 686 (win strike rate: 9.83%).
Gibson, Richard
Age: 46. Englishman Richard Gibson established himself as a Group 1 trainer in France before he arrived in Hong Kong for the 2011/12 season. He gained a solid grounding in the art of training racehorses with Frenchmen Pascal Bary and Henri-Alex Pantall, as well as Americans Bill Mott and Gary Jones. He took out his first licence at Chantilly in 1996 and struck gold as early as 1999 when Lady of Chad won the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac en route to becoming European Champion Juvenile Filly. He has trained the winners of seven G1s altogether, the highlights being Akeed Mofeed’s and Doctor Dino’s exploits in Hong Kong and the USA. Other notable wins are: Hong Kong Vase (Doctor Dino 2007 & 2008), Hong Kong Cup (2013 Akeed Mofeed), Stewards’ Cup (2016 Giant Treasure), Hong Kong Derby (2013 Akeed Mofeed), Hong Kong Classic Mile (2013 Gold-Fun), Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (2014 Gold-Fun), Chairman’s Sprint Prize (2015 Gold-Fun), Prix Marcel Boussac (1999 Lady Of Chad), Prix Saint-Alary (2002 Marotta), Premio Lydia Tesio (2004 Lune D’Or), Man O’ War Stakes (2007 Doctor Dino). Hong Kong Career Wins (as of 28 April): 144 (win strike rate: 7.92%).
">Hori, Noriyuki
Age: 48. Hori obtained his JRA trainer license in 2002. He was the JRA trainer with the best winning percentage record in 2011 and repeated that feat in 2015 when he also claimed his first JRA champion trainer title. He has a career total 417 wins so far, with 15 so far this season (as of 14 April, 2016). Hori has no less than 10 G1 wins including Kinshasa No Kiseki’s 2010 & 2011 Takamatsunomiya Kinen triumphs, Jaguar Mail’s 2010 Tenno Sho Spring victory and Real Impact’s 2011 Yasuda Kinen win. He enjoyed his most successful year in training in 2015, with Duramente bringing him his first classic win in the G1 Japanese 2,000 Guineas and then following up in the G1 Japanese Derby, while his mile champion Maurice excelled in the G1 Yasuda Kinen, G1 Mile Championship and the G1 Hong Kong Mile. Hong Kong career wins (as of 28 April): 1 (win strike rate: 16.67%).
align:justify">Moore, John
Age: 66. John Moore has been involved in Hong Kong racing since the professional era commenced in 1971 and is Hong Kong's longest-serving and winning-most trainer. A former amateur jockey, he began training in 1985, before which time he held the position of assistant trainer to his late famous father, George. In 2007 he prepared an international G1 double thanks to Viva Pataca in the Audemars Piguet QEII Cup and Able One in the Champions Mile and, in a feat perhaps unprecedented in the sport, won the same two races with the same two horses three years later. The seven-time Hong Kong Champion Trainer (1985/86, 1990/91, 1991/92, 1992/93 [tied with David Hill], 1994/95, 2010/11, 2014/15) was the first to saddle 1000 wins in Hong Kong and has been the leading prize money earner for the past 10 seasons. He holds the record for all-time career prize money (HK$1.58 billion as of 28 April, 2016) and the record for most prize money in a season (HK$139,938,247 in 2014/15). His notable wins include: Hong Kong Mile (2011 Able One, 2014 Able Friend), Hong Kong Cup (1993 Motivation, 2014 Designs On Rome), Hong Kong Sprint (2008 Inspiration), Hong Kong Vase (2013 Dominant), Champions Mile (2007 & 2010 Able One, 2011 & 2012 Xtension, 2013 Dan Excel, 2015 Able Friend), AP QEII Cup (2007 & 2010 Viva Pataca, 2013 Military Attack, 2014 Designs On Rome), Hong Kong Derby (1995 Makarpura Star, 2006 Viva Pataca, 2009 Collection, 2014 Designs On Rome, 2016 Werther), Stewards’ Cup (2015 Able Friend), Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (2006 & 2007 Joyful Winner, 2015 Able Friend), Hong Kong Gold Cup (2006 Super Kid, 2008 & 2009 Viva Pataca, 2010 Collection, 2013 & 2014 Military Attack, 2015 Designs On Rome), Singapore Airlines International Cup (2013 Military Attack, 2014 & 2015 Dan Excel), Dubai Golden Shaheen (2014 Sterling City). Hong Kong Career Wins (as of 28 April): 1487 (win strike rate: 10.57%).
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O’Shea, John
text-align:justify">North Queensland native John O’Shea served his apprenticeship with some of the biggest names in Sydney racing - Tommy Smith, Gai Waterhouse and Bart Cummings - and branched out on his own in 1999 in the same city, with only five horses. In 2014 he became Godolphin’s principal trainer in Australia. His biggest achievers include Racing To Win, five times a winner at G1 and G2 level; the triple G1-winning mares Private Steer and Sea Siren; Primus, Bedouin, Reigning To Win, Shot Of Thunder, Foxwedge, Zabrasive and Contributer. He snagged his latest G1 win with Holler in the Canterbury Stakes on 5 March, while Magic Hurricane took the G1 Metropolitan Handicap in October and Exosphere claimed September’s G1 Golden Rose Stakes. Last season he saddled Hartnell win the G1 BMW.
Size, John
Age: 61. John Size was a top trainer in Sydney before his arrival in Hong Kong in 2001 with a reputation for improving and rekindling the spark in his horses. He broke the mould by winning the trainers' premiership in his very first season and has since increased that tally to seven (2001/02, 2002/03, 2003/04, 2005/06, 2007/08, 2009/10, 20011/12). He was level with Caspar Fownes at the end of 2013/14 with 62 wins apiece but Fownes won the title on count-back with one more second-place finisher. He has trained the winners of two Horse of the Year titles, the multiple HKG1 scorers Electronic Unicorn and Grand Delight. In 2009/10 he trained Brave Kid to equal the then record of six wins in a season and Entrapment who finally broke that record with seven victories in just five months. This term he has tasted G1 glory with Contentment in the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup, while Sun Jewellery won the HKG1 Hong Kong Classic Mile and HKG1 Hong Kong Classic Cup. Other notable wins include: Hong Kong Mile (2013 Glorious Days), AP QEII Cup (2004 River Dancer), Champions Mile (2003 Electronic Unicorn, 2009 Sight Winner), Hong Kong Derby (2012 Fay Fay, 2015 Luger), Stewards’ Cup (2003 Electronic Unicorn, 2004 Super Kid, 2007 Armada, 2013 Glorious Days), Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (2004 Electronic Unicorn), Champions & Chater Cup (2004 Super Kid), Centenary Sprint Cup (2003 Grand Delight), Chairman’s Sprint Prize (2003 Grand Delight), George Ryder Stakes (2000 Al Mansour), Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000 Georgie Boy), Galaxy Stakes (2001 Padstow). He currently leads the premiership. Hong Kong Career Wins (as of 28 April): 940 (win strike rate: 14%)
Yip, Dennis
Age: 48. HKJC Apprentice Jockeys' School graduate Dennis Yip was licensed as a jockey in Hong Kong between 1984 and 1993. He rode a total of 59 winners before moving on to learn the training game overseas and then acting as assistant to multiple champion trainer, Brian Kan. In 2002/03 he became a licensed trainer in his own right. Yip has trained more than 30 winners in each season of his 11-year training career. The 2011/12 season saw him reach the 50 wins mark as he finished fourth in the trainers' premiership. He maintained his upward curve in 2012/13 as he sent out 69 winners to clinch his Hong Kong first trainers' title, sealing victory over Tony Cruz in the very last race of the season. His biggest win that term came with Go Baby Go in the HKG3 Bauhinia Sprint Trophy, while All You Wish took Champion Griffin honours and the Most Improved Horse title. His flag-bearer this season is Secret Weapon, winner of the HKG3 Centenary Vase. Other notable Race Wins Include: HKG2 International Mile Trial (2005 Dave's Best), HKG3 Centenary Vase (2004 Red Pepper), HKG3 Queen Mother Memorial Cup (2004 Industrial Success, 2010 Fat Choy Ichiban), HKG3 Sha Tin Trophy (2007 Down Town), HKG3 Bauhinia Sprint Trophy (2013 Go Baby Go), HKG3 Sha Tin Sprint Trophy (2013 Go Baby Go).
Hong Kong Career Wins (as of 28 April): 582 (win strike rate: 7.86%)
Yiu, Ricky
Age: 58. Ricky Yiu rode 15 winners between 1974 and 1981 and was first licensed as a trainer in 1995/96. One of his greatest early moments came with Fairy King Prawn's success in the inaugural Hong Kong Sprint of 1999. Sacred Kingdom was his outstanding stable star and this two-time G1 Hong Kong Sprint winner and 2009/10 Horse of the Year won the Champion Sprinter title for the fourth year in succession in 2010/11. In the 2010/11 season he sent out Ultra Fantasy to triumph in the G1 Sprinters Stakes at Nakayama as, with Alex Lai on board, the pair became the first Hong Kong Chinese trainer-jockey partnership to triumph in an overseas G1 event. Following Sacred Kingdom's retirement in the spring of 2012, another blistering speedster, Amber Sky, provided Yiu with further elite success at home and abroad. Other notable wins include: Hong Kong Sprint (1999 Fairy King Prawn, 2007 & 2009 Sacred Kingdom), Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1999 Fairy King Prawn, 2008 & 2010 Sacred Kingdom), Centenary Sprint Cup (2010 & 2011 Sacred Kingdom, 2014 Amber Sky), KrisFlyer International Sprint (2009 Sacred Kingdom), Sprinters Stakes (2010 Ultra Fantasy), Al Quoz Sprint (2014 Amber Sky). Hong Kong Career Wins (as of 28 April): 631 (win strike rate: 8.06%).
