Andrea Atzeni pumped to regain ride on Johannes Brahms for Hong Kong Derby
The Sardinian jockey booted home Pierre Ng Pang-chi's Johannes Brahms in a Class Two mile last month, but had to forego the ride on the import in the Classic Cup (1,800m) after committing to riding Noisy Boy.
Johannes Brahms stamped his claims as a genuine Derby contender when he was held up at a crucial stage but still ran on powerfully for third behind Rubylot under Karis Teetan.
'Obviously I won on him before and it's nice to get back on him,' Atzeni said.
Tough win, Johannes Brahms! 💪
Former Aidan O'Brien galloper grabs a second win in Hong Kong, taking the Class 2 Heung Yee Kuk Cup at Sha Tin, for @Atzenijockey and Pierre Ng... 🏆#LoveRacing | #HKracing pic.twitter.com/BYjvTgQCMg — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) February 16, 2025
'He could be the class horse in the race. It looks like it's very open at the moment and there's all these new horses coming in, but he's got the form in the book.
'I think the Classic Cup is the strongest form going into it and there wasn't much between the first three – Rubylot, My Wish and Johannes Brahms. They're all stepping up to 2,000m, which is a question mark for most of them, but it's a good ride to get.'
A Naas winner and Group Two runner-up when trained by Aidan O'Brien, Johannes Brahms has notched two wins and three placings from his seven Hong Kong starts.
Atzeni and Ng will chase Derby glory 12 months after almost pulling off an upset with Ka Ying Generation, who led until the final stages when a close third to Massive Sovereign.
Atzeni has returned from a two-meeting suspension in top form, adding a double at Sha Tin on Saturday to a brace at Happy Valley on Wednesday.
The 33-year-old booted home Manfred Man Ka-leung's Gold Master in the Class Four Association Of Hong Kong Racing Journalists Challenge Cup (1,800m) and John Size's Lifeline Express in the Class Three Angelonia Handicap (1,200m) on Saturday.
'Coming into today, I thought I had some nice rides, so leaving with two winners wasn't a surprise,' Atzeni said.
'I like Gold Master. He's a horse that's getting better with racing. I think stepping up to 1,800m really suited him and he's still a bit immature mentally and physically, so I think there's plenty more to come from him.'
Gold Master clinched a double for Man after Super Strong Kid won the Class Four Chinese Hibiscus Handicap (1,000m) under Matthew Chadwick.
Golf a gun on the rise
Chris So Wai-yin's promising galloper Hong Lok Golf bounced back from his first defeat in style, leading all the way to beat the highly touted Sky Jewellery in Saturday's Class Three Cosmos Handicap (1,400m).
After an unlucky second to Righteous Arion on his third start, Hong Lok Golf relished the rise from 1,200m and a positive ride from Harry Bentley to hold off the fast-finishing Sky Jewellery by a neck.
'He deserved to win,' So said after Hong Lok Golf notched his third victory at start four.
Great battle! 💥
Two talents fight out the finish at Sha Tin and it's Hong Lok Golf who gets the better of Sky Jewellery... @HarryBentley_ #LoveRacing | #HKracing pic.twitter.com/za92QTFe6E — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) March 15, 2025
'Last time the 1,200m was just a bit short and he was unlucky. I think the step up to 1,400m was more suitable.
'I told Harry, 'when you look at the field, there's no speed there so don't get too far back and if you're in the first five, we'll be happy'.
'I think we'll maybe aim for Class Two. It seems like the second horse is also a good horse, so they should both be at least Class Two.'
Warrior remains among world's best
Hong Kong's three best active gallopers feature in the top six of the first edition of the 2025 Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings, with Romantic Warrior the headline act after his close second in the Group One Saudi Cup (1,800m).
Romantic Warrior's brave defeat to Japanese dirt star Forever Young on his dirt debut earned him a rating of 127, putting him second in the rankings for races from January 1 to March 9.
Watch the Top 5 horses in the first edition of the 2025 Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings in action! pic.twitter.com/X3QRiza94N — IFHA's Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings (@worldsbesthorse) March 13, 2025
Forever Young, who rallied after being headed by Romantic Warrior to claim a stunning victory in the Saudi Cup, heads the rankings on a mark of 128.
Ka Ying Rising, viewed by many as the world's best sprinter, shares third with American galloper White Abarrio on 124.
The David Hayes-trained Ka Ying Rising continued his rise to superstardom with Group One wins in the Centenary Sprint Cup (1,200m) and Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup (1,400m) this year.
Fresh from dominant Group One victories in the Stewards' Cup (1,600m) and Gold Cup (2,000m), Ricky Yi Poon-fai's stable star Voyage Bubble was sixth on a rating of 120.
The next edition of the rankings will be published on April 10.
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