Hong Kong racing fans were treated to an electric display of skill and strategy at Sha Tin on Sunday, 7 December, as trainers and jockeys laid the groundwork for next week’s flagship event, the LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m). Danny Shum, eyeing a historic fourth successive Cup win with Romantic Warrior, showcased his masterful hand with a double that kept the excitement flowing.
Shum teamed with Karis Teetan aboard Foremost Teddy (119lb) in the Class 5 Ashley Handicap (1650m, dirt) before Gorgeous Win (125lb) prevailed in the Class 2 Chatham Handicap under Hugh Bowman. The wins lifted Shum into outright third in the 2025/26 trainers’ championship with 20 victories, just behind Mark Newnham (24) and Caspar Fownes (21), setting the stage for Romantic Warrior’s record-chasing campaign.
Bowman, preparing for the LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship (IJC) at Happy Valley on Wednesday night (10 December), was in sparkling form with five wins over the last five meetings. He praised Gorgeous Win’s performance on dirt, noting the horse’s encouraging work on Thursday morning and the benefits of the surface switch.
Elsewhere, three-year-old Embrace Aberdeen (125lb) delivered a stunning upset under Matthew Poon, giving Frankie Lor his 250th Sha Tin win. Sent off at 59/1, the All Too Hard gelding narrowly defeated Aurio (129lb), signaling a promising future despite being only 80 percent fit. Lor expressed surprise but optimism for the horse’s development.
John Size, the 13-time champion trainer, captured a brace with Wukong Jewellery (131lb) in the Class 4 Kimberley Handicap and Stellar Express (128lb) in the Class 3 Middle Handicap (1000m). Zac Purton also recorded a double, guiding With A Smile (135lb) in Class 4 and Little Paradise (135lb) in Class 3, the latter showing potential as a Four-Year-Old Classic Series contender.
Other notable performances included Notthesillyone (122lb) in the Class 4 Austin Handicap for Mark Newnham and Foremost Teddy, who dominated from the front under Teetan. Caspar Fownes’ Glory Cloud (127lb) triumphed in the Class 5 Cameron Handicap, illustrating that persistence often pays off in Hong Kong racing. Vincent Ho also prepared for the IJC with a first dirt win aboard Dennis Yip’s Another World (1650m, dirt).
Sha Tin’s Sunday meeting highlighted the depth of talent and strategy in Hong Kong racing, building anticipation for next Sunday’s LONGINES Hong Kong Cup and the midweek IJC showdown at Happy Valley.
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