Brenton Avdulla snares Classic Cup on his way to brilliant treble: ‘it was hard to get a ride today'
He may have been restricted to just four rides but Brenton Avdulla put on a clinic at Sha Tin on Sunday, snaring the Classic Cup (1,800m) aboard Rubylot on his way to a running treble.
While Avdulla is one of the form jockeys on the Hong Kong roster after nine wins in February, he had to settle for a small book in the presence of superstar fly-in riders like Ryan Moore, Joao Moreira and James McDonald.
'It's always nice to win big races, especially with everyone flying in – it was hard to get a ride today,' said Avdulla after standing high in his irons and unleashing his trademark salute as the David Hayes-trained Rubylot snared the HK$13 million Classic Cup in swashbuckling style.
'I lost a lot of my rides today to fly-ins, so it's nice to get on the board with limited rides.
'I had four rides. I thought three of them were good, competitive rides and they're the three that have lobbed. They all had nice runs in transit [and] got the job done.'
While the jockey merry-go-round was in full swing ahead of the Classic Cup, Avdulla stuck fat with the galloper he partnered into sixth in the first leg of the four-year-old series, the Classic Mile.
'Hayesy had the horse spot on. He had a nice run through and I was confident at the 250m he was going to get the job done,' said Avdulla after adding a Classic Cup victory to a Hong Kong CV that includes two Group One wins aboard California Spangle.
'I've got no doubt if he drew a gate in the Mile he would have gone very close. I was just back in no man's land and he still ran on well, so I was confident enough to stick with him to come to 1,800m.
Rubylot mows them down in the Hong Kong Classic Cup at Sha Tin! My Wish is brave in defeat as @brentonavdulla and David Hayes combine for victory... 🏆#4YOSeries | #LoveRacing | #HKracing pic.twitter.com/5YiJeHY1Ub — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) March 2, 2025
'I thought the draw was a little bit tricky again and ideally I would have been a bit closer but it just didn't look any good after 50m, so I just rode him quiet and my only decision was whether I go inside Mickley or around him,' added the Australian after Rubylot swept to victory down the outside after travelling at the back of the field from gate eight.
After Rubylot saw off My Wish by three-quarters of a length, Avdulla proceeded to bag the afternoon's second-richest contest – the Class Two Tai Hing Handicap (1,400m) – aboard Young Champion and the Class Three Yan Tin Handicap (2,000m) atop Enthralled, both for John Size.
The win of Young Champion would have been a relief for the Jockey Club's Racing Club after its banner horse entered the season with big wraps but had failed to deliver until Sunday.
While there will be stamina concerns around many of the four-year-olds who line-up in the Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) on March 23, it's not the trip that is the issue for Enthralled, who will move to a rating in the low 70s after Sunday's win.
Tidy win, Young Champion! 👊
The HKJC Racing Club-owned chestnut overhauls Healthy Happy to secure a @brentonavdulla race-to-race double at Sha Tin... #LoveRacing | #HKracing pic.twitter.com/W1t2g6IU2i — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) March 2, 2025
Size labelled trying to get the galloper into the Derby 'a futile exercise' – the lowest-rated runner in the Classic Cup was Sky Trust on 79 – but Avdulla knows the son of American Pharoah can make an impact if he does get there.
'I actually said to John after I first rode him that if you had another two months up your sleeve, he'd be one of the live chances in the Derby,' said Avdulla after Enthralled broke through in Hong Kong at start three.
'He's had to get him there quickly. It's not often you see John give them only a couple of trials and then run them in a mile.
What a ride, @brentonavdulla! 🙌
Enthralled makes it a treble for the Australian rider at Sha Tin as the American Pharoah gelding wears down Pray For Mir... #LoveRacing | #HKracing pic.twitter.com/KKIxlH0v6L — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) March 2, 2025
'I think he's a good quality horse and if he makes his way into the Derby field, he'll be a live hope for sure.'
Size's double moved him to 34 victories for the season and he sits just one victory behind championship leader Hayes, while Avdulla surged to third in the jockeys' premiership on 29 wins.
Of the six big-name jockeys in town for the afternoon, McDonald was the best performed with a double aboard Lucky Fionn and Fast Network, while Blake Shinn tasted success with Ballistic Win.
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