Veteran Australian jockey Craig Williams has spoken warmly of the influence Hong Kong racing has had on both his career and personal life as he prepares to reunite with Cap Ferrat in the HK$24 million Group 1 Champions Mile at Sha Tin on 26 April.
Few riders in world racing speak with greater authority than Williams, a jockey whose tally of 90 Group 1 victories reflects longevity, precision and relentless competitiveness. Yet among those many triumphs, he places last year’s Hong Kong Derby success aboard Cap Ferrat among the finest achievements of his career.
The 48-year-old will again partner the Francis Lui-trained gelding, hoping to add another elite-level chapter to a partnership that has already produced one of Hong Kong’s standout victories.
“It was one of my greatest achievements to win a Hong Kong Derby,” Williams said. “For me, I lived and worked there for three years. As effective and as consistent and as good as I am today is because of the time I spent in Hong Kong. I have no doubt about that.”
That connection gives added significance to his return aboard Cap Ferrat, a horse whose progress has been anything but ordinary.
Before arriving in Hong Kong, Cap Ferrat had failed to win in 13 starts in Australia. But his ability had long been evident in strong company.
Williams first partnered the son of Snitzel as a juvenile and later rode him into third place in the Listed Phoenix Stakes at Eagle Farm in Brisbane in June 2023. The horse then continued to show promise in stronger company, finishing third in the Group 3 Gloaming Stakes, second in the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes and a narrow third in the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas behind future multiple top-level winners Riff Rocket and Ceolwulf.
Once transferred to Hong Kong, Cap Ferrat quickly found his footing. On his fourth local appearance, he broke through in spectacular style in the Hong Kong Derby over 2000 metres, with Williams delivering a composed and perfectly judged ride.
The jockey credited trainer Francis Lui’s handling of the gelding after receiving feedback in the lead-up to that famous success.
“I gave him some feedback and he was then able to work with the horse and have him so well on the day,” Williams said.
Williams, whose résumé includes victory in the 2019 Melbourne Cup aboard Vow And Declare, compared the Hong Kong Derby to Australia’s most treasured staying prize.
He also offered an insight into why Hong Kong remains one of the sternest proving grounds in the sport.
“There are no hiding spots when you get to that level in Hong Kong,” he said. “Every time you go and ride in a race, it’s your grand final, regardless of if it’s a Class 5 or a Group 1.”
With racing centred around Sha Tin and Happy Valley, opportunities are limited and competition fierce. For elite riders, every meeting demands accuracy, discipline and nerve.
Williams believes that environment sharpens jockeys like nowhere else.
Cap Ferrat returned this month in the Group 2 Chairman’s Trophy over a mile at Sha Tin, finishing seventh under Alexis Badel in a performance Williams viewed positively after the lay-off.
Now stepping into the Champions Mile, the gelding will attempt to secure only his second Hong Kong victory, though his record also includes two runner-up finishes and a third.
The task is demanding, but Williams arrives with confidence and familiarity. In races of this level, few assets matter more.
With one of Hong Kong racing’s most respected international visitors back in the saddle, Cap Ferrat heads to Sha Tin carrying genuine hopes of another memorable afternoon.
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