Noisy Boy out to enhance Hong Kong Derby form in big day for four-year-old crop at Sha Tin
Noisy Boy (outside) gets up for a Class Two success under Andrea Atzeni. Photos: Kenneth Chan
More than a quarter of this year's Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) field line up this Sunday
Noisy Boy is out to enhance March's Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) form and bounce back to his best in the Group Three Queen Mother Memorial Cup (2,400m) at Sha Tin on Sunday.
Dennis Yip Chor-hong's four-year-old failed to beat a rival in March's Derby, unable to follow up impressive wins in a Class Three over 2,200m and a 2,000m Class Two – both at Sha Tin.
The form of his Class Two victory has been well advertised, cosily beating the likes of Winning Dragon, Stunning Peach, Packing Angel, Mickley and Bravehearts.
Noisy Boy reopposes Winning Dragon and Bravehearts in the HK$4.2 million feature and will hope to show something like his best as he looks to become another four-year-old to show he can be a force next campaign.
He will also take on Bundle Award, who was seventh in the Derby after making up plenty of late ground and will make plenty of appeal to punters with Zac Purton up for the first time.
Completing the field are Winning Dragon's Tony Cruz-trained stablemates Five G Patch and La City Blanche as they prepare for the Group One Champions & Chater (2,400m) later this month.
The Derby form was heavily scrutinised on last Sunday's Champions Day, with the winner Cap Ferrat running a big race when fifth in the Group One QE II Cup (2,200m) behind the likes of Japanese superstars Tastiera and Prognosis.
Rubylot, who finished a running-on fifth in the Derby, also ran with huge amounts of credit to fill out sixth in the same race.
HISTORY AT SHA TIN! 👏👏@CWilliamsJockey wins the 148th @BMW Hong Kong Derby aboard Cap Ferrat for trainer Francis Lui over a fast-closing My Wish... #4YOSeries | #LoveRacing | #HKracing pic.twitter.com/OHHfz0JKlE — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) March 23, 2025
Perhaps the best performance from a Derby runner came from My Wish in the Group One Champions Mile, who ran on gamely to finish fourth behind Red Lion, Voyage Bubble and Sunlight Power.
Mark Newnham's rising star will not be seen again this season but will be targeted at both December's Group One Hong Kong Mile in December and the Champions Mile once again.
Mickley and Steps Ahead will also bid to step forward from their Derby runs this Sunday as they drop back in distance for the Class Two Hillwood Handicap (1,600m).
Steps Ahead only had My Wish behind him in the run in the Derby and he did not have the best of passages when trying to burrow up the rail. Despite that, he only finished half a length behind Mickley and trainer Francis Lui Kin-wai will be hopeful those placings can be reversed.
A winner at Royal Ascot when trained by Edward Bethell in the UK, Mickley had a good midfield trip in the Derby but lacked a finishing kick in a race that was run at a bit of a crawl.
Trainer John Size has called up Purton for the ride and it could be another big day for the Aussie, who rides in 10 of the 11 races and also has the plum ride on Bundle Award in the feature.
Currently on 102 winners for the season, he is a whopping 46 ahead of the second-placed Hugh Bowman in the standings.
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