Few milestones in Hong Kong racing carry the weight of 1,100 winners, and Ricky Yiu entered that exclusive territory at Sha Tin on Sunday when Chill Buddy provided the victory that placed him among the most successful trainers the city has ever produced.
The veteran horseman became only the fifth trainer to reach the landmark, adding another achievement to a career that has spanned more than three decades and produced some of Hong Kong racing’s most memorable performers.
Ricky Yiu 1100 winners.
For many racegoers, Yiu’s name is inseparable from stars such as Voyage Bubble, Sacred Kingdom, Fairy King Prawn, Amber Sky and Ultra Fantasy. His achievements also include the Hong Kong trainers’ championship in the 2019-20 season, along with victories in many of the jurisdiction’s most prestigious contests.
Yet the latest milestone may rank among the most satisfying. It is a reward for longevity, consistency and an ability to remain competitive across multiple eras of Hong Kong racing.
Speaking after reaching the figure, Yiu reflected on the length of time required to achieve such a total.
Having trained in Hong Kong for more than 30 years, he acknowledged that the milestone was built on decades of persistence rather than a single standout season.
The day became even more memorable when Chill Easy later completed a notable double for the stable. Formerly campaigned in Ireland as Storm Piece, the son of Night Of Thunder produced a polished display over 1400 metres, further highlighting the strength of Yiu’s current team as the season heads towards its conclusion.
While Yiu’s achievement dominated attention, the battle for the trainers’ championship continued to gather momentum.
Caspar Fownes strengthened his position at the top of the standings after Love Together narrowly prevailed in a competitive sprint. With only a handful of meetings remaining in the campaign, every winner is carrying increasing significance, and Fownes managed to edge further clear of his nearest challengers.
Mark Newnham and Danny Shum remain firmly in contention, while Francis Lui and David Hayes have not yet been ruled out mathematically. The championship picture remains one of the most compelling storylines of the closing weeks.
Lui, in particular, received a timely boost through the impressive Hot Delight, whose latest success suggested he could develop into a major force among Hong Kong’s emerging four-year-olds next season.
The three-year-old has now won four of his five starts and displayed both acceleration and maturity when overcoming a strong Class 2 field. Connections are already looking ahead to the Four-Year-Old Classic Series, where he could emerge as one of the leading contenders.
Elsewhere on the card, jockey Jerry Chau continued his pursuit of a breakthrough season among Hong Kong’s homegrown riders. A double moved him further ahead in the standings and reinforced the consistency that has defined his campaign.
There were also landmark moments for others. Ethan Brown celebrated his first winner at Sha Tin, while trainer Cody Mo reached a century of victories in Hong Kong when Honorary struck in the closing stages of the programme.
Such achievements might ordinarily have dominated the headlines, but Sunday belonged to Yiu.
Only four trainers before him had reached the 1,100-win mark in Hong Kong, a statistic that underlines the scale of the accomplishment. In a sport where success is measured over years rather than weeks, Yiu’s latest milestone stands as further confirmation of his place among the territory’s modern greats.
As the season moves towards its conclusion and championship battles intensify, the Sha Tin meeting will be remembered primarily for one number: 1,100.
For Ricky Yiu, it was another landmark in a career already rich with distinction.
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