Few riders arrive at a major meeting in better touch than Andrea Atzeni, and the Italian will look to extend a rich vein of form when Sha Tin stages a high-quality Group 2 double-header on Easter Monday (6 April), a key stepping stone toward Champions Day later this month.
March proved a defining period for Atzeni, who led all jockeys with 14 winners. That surge has lifted him to 43 victories for the season, placing him among the leading riders in Hong Kong and underlining his growing influence in the weighing room. With momentum firmly on his side, attention now shifts to a pair of significant opportunities in the Chairman’s Trophy over a mile and the Sprint Cup over 1200 metres.
Atzeni reunites with trainer John Size for both assignments, partnering Red Lion in the Chairman’s Trophy and Stellar Express in the Sprint Cup.
Red Lion, a past top-level winner, returns seeking to rediscover his best after two below-par efforts. While recent form figures may not inspire immediate confidence, there is a sense within the camp that the gelding is capable of a resurgence, particularly if conditions fall in his favour.
The prospect of easing ground could prove pivotal. Atzeni, who has partnered the horse in recent trials, came away encouraged by his latest effort, where Red Lion showed early pace and kept responding through the line.
“He feels like a horse who comes right at this stage of the season,” Atzeni said. “If there’s some give in the ground, that should help him. His recent trial was pleasing — he travelled strongly and stuck on well.”
The Chairman’s Trophy has attracted a deep and competitive field, including established performers such as Voyage Bubble, Lucky Sweynesse and Beauty Joy, ensuring that any return to form will need to be earned.
In contrast, Stellar Express heads into the Sprint Cup on an upward trajectory. The lightly raced gelding has improved sharply this season, notching an important victory earlier in the campaign and continuing to progress with each run.
Atzeni is clearly taken with the horse’s development, particularly his speed over shorter distances, though he acknowledges the challenge posed by stepping up against elite company over 1200 metres.
“He’s in great shape,” Atzeni noted. “At the shorter trip, he’d be very hard to beat, but this is still a good test for him. He’s improving all the time, and we’re hoping he can put up a strong performance.”
The Sprint Cup assembles a formidable line-up, with several proven performers set to clash in what promises to be one of the highlights of the afternoon.
Adding further depth to the mile feature is Galaxy Patch, a dual Group 2 winner who returns after a creditable effort in top company over 1400 metres. Jockey Karis Teetan believes the return to a mile will suit.
“He’s come out of his last run very well,” Teetan said. “He finished strongly that day, and stepping back up in trip should bring him right into contention.”
With quality runners spread across both feature events, the Easter Monday meeting shapes as a pivotal fixture in the closing stages of the Hong Kong season. For Atzeni, it presents another opportunity to translate recent consistency into success on a prominent stage.
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