Latest news with #JohnSize
New Paper
6 days ago
- Sport
- New Paper
All hail King Size at his 13th HK crowning moment
HONG KONG John Size secured a record-extending 13th Hong Kong trainers' championship at Sha Tin on July 13 as the master trainer embarked on a familiar coronation march with a treble, further burnishing an extraordinary career. Size sealed the championship with the wins of Sight Dreamer, Raging Rapids and Bundle Award. That left the Australian with 69 wins for the season - beyond the reach of compatriot David Hayes (60), who has only eight entries in the nine races left at the July 16 season finale at Happy Valley. Nearing the end of his 24th season in Hong Kong, Size added to the previous championships he won in 2001/02, 2002/03, 2003/04, 2005/06, 2007/08, 2009/10, 2011/12, 2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18, 2018/19 and 2022/23, and took his Hong Kong career tally to 1,612 wins - second overall to retired Australian John Moore (1,734). George Moore held the record for the most Hong Kong trainers' titles with 11 until he was joined in 2018/19 by Size, who has also finished second five times and third three times in the championship. Characteristically modest, Size, 71, was proud and reflective on securing his latest crown. "There's a lot of satisfaction in that (winning) and probably something I'm very grateful to achieve," said Size. "It's a very strong and stiff competition and so therefore you have to rise up to it. "As I've said before, I'm surprised that I've been so successful in Hong Kong. It's always been a test of whether I can keep performing at that level and, so far, I've been able to over 24 years and, God willing, and if my health is still okay, I can do it for a little bit longer." Rating Red Lion's Group 1 FWD Champions Mile (1,600m) as the highlight of another glorious season, Size said: "That was a really good example of what can happen on a race track and that's what makes the game go round - the vagaries of racing, the uncertainties and the unpredictability of it. "Owners, trainers and jockeys should take some encouragement from those sorts of performances. It just proves it can be done if everything is right on the night. That was very satisfying." Likening the art of training to other sports and vocations, Size described the need to constantly improve as a "natural progression, it's evolution". "Like every business, every sport's the same, training racehorses is no different. You have to keep improving to keep up and you certainly have to be improving to stay ahead," he said. "If you're doing it for a long period of time, I think it's hard to stay in a good position for a quarter of a century. You don't see it every day. "So, I get some sort of gratification from that in my innovations and my attempt to keep up and stay ahead of the younger ones is working to some degree. "Every now and then, I change small things but my approach in general hasn't changed in training horses. But I have to adapt to different scenarios in order to keep winning and, even in 24 years, a lot of things change, so you have to adapt and I've managed to survive." Leading Hayes 66 wins to 60 at the start of the meeting, Size stretched the lead to seven when Sight Dreamer ($42) prevailed in the Class 5 Miraculous Handicap (1,400m) under Andrea Atzeni before Karis Teetan won aboard Raging Rapids ($71) in the Class 4 Medic Kingdom Handicap (1,400m). Bundle Award ($23) shunted Size further clear with a brilliant performance - clocking a searing 21.87sec for the final 400m - under Atzeni in the HK$4.075 million (S$664,000) Class 1 The Hong Kong Racehorse Owners Association Trophy Handicap (1,600m) to ultimately seal the championship. Already crowned eight-time champion jockey on June 28, Zac Purton ended the Sha Tin season as he started it - with a quartet. The battle for the Tony Cruz Award for the leading homegrown jockey is set for a cliffhanger finish on Jul 16, after both Matthew Chadwick and Derek Leung sliced further into Matthew Poon's lead. With one meeting to go, Poon (36 wins) leads Chadwick (35) and Leung (34), after Chadwick triumphed on Chris So's Devas Twelve to land the Class 4 Pingwu Spark Handicap (1,400m). Leung followed suit on Jimmy Ting's Happy Universe in the Class 4 Solar Hei Hei Handicap (1,600m). HKJC
South China Morning Post
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong could have a Class Three Champion Griffin for the first time in 14 years
Not since the 75-rated Bear Hero took the gong at the end of the 2010-11 season has a horse on a mark below 80 been crowned Hong Kong racing looks set to have it's lowest-rated Champion Griffin in 14 years after the Jockey Club confirmed the initial nominations on Wednesday. Not since the 75-rated Bear Hero took the gong at the end of the 2010-11 season has a horse still in Class Three won Champion Griffin, but that is likely to change this season. Sky Jewellery and Crossborderpegasus are the nominated gallopers and, with the John Size-trained pair unlikely to race again this season, it looks as though either the former off a mark of 79 or the latter with a 77 rating will join the likes of Ka Ying Rising, Howdeepisyourlove, Lucky Sweynesse, Champion's Way and Mr Stunning on the honour roll. There is scope for additional nominees to be added if they stake their claim across the final four meetings of the season, but it's highly unlikely anything can win their way to a rating of 80 or higher. Crossborderpegasus is a handful! John Size's emerging talent wins for a third time from four starts thanks to some skillful handling from @zpurton at Sha Tin... 👏#LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) May 4, 2025 The Champion Griffin award is open to 'new imports carrying the 'K' brand, which arrived in Hong Kong unraced, and which were aged either two or three on the date of the first Hong Kong race meeting of the 2024-25 season'. To boast the 'K' brand, horses had to arrive in Hong Kong on June 1 last year or later. Another Size-trained galloper, Juneau Pride, actually boasts a higher rating than his stablemates on a mark of 80, but he isn't eligible because he arrived in March last year, even though he didn't race last season and began the campaign as a three-year-old. The highlight of the Jockey Club's Champion Awards night on July 11 will be the culmination of the Horse of the Year battle between Voyage Bubble, Ka Ying Rising and Romantic Warrior, while a swag of other honours will be dished out. Ka Ying Rising is the only galloper nominated for Champion Sprinter, Voyage Bubble and Red Lion will duke it out for Champion Miler, Romantic Warrior and Voyage Bubble are in the running for Champion Middle-Distance Horse, Voyage Bubble has the Champion Stayer category all to himself and Ka Ying Rising, Cap Ferrat, My Wish and Rubylot have been nominated for Champion Four-Year-Old. Manfred is the Man Thanks to his impressive treble at Sha Tin on Tuesday, Manfred Man Ka-leung now boasts the highest strike rate of any trainer this season. By bagging his first three-timer since 2016 and moving to 43 wins from 383 runners this campaign, Man lifted his strike rate to 11.23 per cent and past 12-time champion trainer Size, who is striking at 11.04 per cent. Reunification Raceday wins from We Are Hero, Pearl Of Pang's and Yuen Long Elite continued a strong run of form for Man, who has banged home 16 winners in the past two months. Man, who sits just one win short of his personal-best tally for a season, has eight runners at Sha Tin this Saturday, including the white-hot Patch Of Stars, who shoots for a fourth consecutive victory. While ending the season with the highest strike rate would be a feather in Man's cap, Size is on track for much higher honours and looks well placed to further ram home his advantage in the race for the trainers' title. Eight victories clear of David Hayes with only four meetings remaining, Size saddles up last-start winners Masterofmyuniverse and Szeryng as he looks to seal a record-extending 13th title. While the race for the trainers' title won't mathematically be over for a little while, a couple of unofficial titles will be settled this weekend as the city enjoys its last two dirt races of the term. Unsurprisingly, Zac Purton will prevail on the jockey front, with the suspension of Britney Wong Po-ni preventing the possibility of a late duel. While both riders have eight all-weather wins for the season, Purton has far more seconds and he has rides in both of Saturday's dirt contests. No one else is in contention. Things are much tighter from a trainers' perspective, with Hayes and Frankie Lor Fu-chuen tied on nine wins and Man and Caspar Fownes in striking range on seven winners.
South China Morning Post
27-06-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
John Size hoping for a wonderful Sha Tin Saturday with Wunderbar and Stellar Express
John Size saddles up Wunderbar and Stellar Express as he looks to claim Sha Tin's Saturday feature, the Class One Pearce Memorial Challenge Cup (1,000m). The 12-time champion trainer, who heads into Saturday with a commanding nine-win lead over nearest rival David Hayes in this season's premiership, will be chiefly relying on his winning machine Wunderbar to extend his buffer. The Rich Enuff galloper won four of his five starts as a three-year-old and kicked off this campaign with a pair of victories to bring his tally to six wins from seven, before his form levelled off following those tough performances. Following a four-month break, Wunderbar stepped forward from a fairly promising reappearance by cruising past his rivals under Hugh Bowman to win the Class Two Business School And Faculty Of Engineering Handicap (1,200m) at Sha Tin two weeks ago, improving his record to seven wins from 12 starts. Back in business! 😤 John Size's Wunderbar, the only horse to defeat Ka Ying Rising (not once but twice), takes the Class 2 feature at Sha Tin with @HugeBowman ahead of stablemate Raging Blizzard... #SummerSeries | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) June 14, 2025 The last time Wunderbar ran over the 1,000m trip, he was pinched late by a reopposing Magic Control, but he was a dual winner over the course and distance in 2023 and Size has no concerns about his credentials. 'He seems fine, he's in pretty good shape. He's done well after the race. He looks in good order,' said Size. 'I think coming back in distance for this particular race, it looks extremely competitive and there are quite a few horses there that are suited by the straight 1,000m. He'll run well but it's a good competition. 'He can handle the straight 1,000m all right. He ran second this season there. It was a good run. He runs in a straight line pretty well.' HK Racing News Get updates direct to your inbox Sign up Best Bets Racing News By registering you agree to our T&Cs & Privacy Policy Error: Please enter a valid email. The email address is already in use. Please login to subscribe. Error, please try again later. THANK YOU You are one the list. 1⃣,6⃣0⃣0⃣ HONG KONG WINS FOR JOHN SIZE! 👏 Stellar Express brings up a major milestone for our 12-time champion trainer, who becomes the second in history to reach the mark... 🍾 @brentonavdulla @WorldPool | #TripleCrown | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) May 25, 2025 Brenton Avdulla will return to the plate with Bowman serving a ban, meaning the Stellar Express ride has been freed up for Andrea Atzeni. The five-year-old was a winner under Avdulla at Sha Tin two starts ago, blazing up the rails to go from pillar to post in the Class Three Indigenous Handicap (1,000m) and double his tally over the track and distance. He had excuses over 1,200m at Happy Valley on his most recent start, trailing in last of 12 after using plenty of petrol to cross to the front over a distance that does not play to his strengths. The Zoustar galloper is likely to be gunned to the front once more to play catch me if you can. Elsewhere in the race, Magic Control will bid to defy top weight and confirm the placings of his earlier encounter with likely short-price favourite Wunderbar. That's impressive, Magic Control! 🪄 Cody Mo's talented chestnut, formerly known as Archo Nacho in Australia, denies Wunderbar down the straight at Sha Tin under @mattLchadwixk... 🌟#LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) November 9, 2024 The Cody Mo Wai-kit-trained four-year-old has struggled in Group company in his recent starts, but he will benefit from the step down in grade and the 5lb claim of the in-form Ellis Wong Chi-wang. The red-hot 24-year-old jockey has ridden 12 winners since the start of April, losing his 7lb claim in the process. Another jockey to hit top stride in recent weeks is Keagan de Melo, who partners Red Elegance for trainer Douglas Whyte. Fresh off his first Hong Kong Group win aboard Copartner Prance in the Group Three Premier Cup (1,400m), the South African will hope to galvanise the five-year-old back to winning ways. A two-time winner over the course and distance from his past three starts, he fell short in his hat-trick bid when trying the same distance at Happy Valley at the end of April.
South China Morning Post
14-06-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Wunderbar bounces back to top form with slashing Class Two win at Sha Tin
Hugh Bowman guides Wunderbar to his first victory since October. Photos: Kenneth Chan Known as the only horse to have beaten superstar Ka Ying Rising, talented sprinter Wunderbar bounced back from a string of out-of-character defeats with a stylish win at Sha Tin on Saturday night. Beaten on his previous four starts after starting his career in a blaze of glory, the John Size-trained gelding saluted for punters who crunched him late from $7 to $3.5 favouritism in the Class Two HKU Business School And Faculty Of Engineering Handicap (1,200m). Hugh Bowman settled Wunderbar three-back on the fence from gate one and he relished a frenetic speed set by $4.7 chance Bottomuptogether, who scorched forward early from gate 10 to win a fierce battle for the lead. While Wunderbar was briefly held up early in the straight, the Rich Enuff gelding was hooked off the fence by Bowman and powered through a gap between rivals to launch his run. He soared past Bottomuptogether approaching the 100m and drew clear, beating Raging Blizzard by three-quarters of a length in a quinella result for championship leader Size. Harmony N Blessed ran third. Back in business! 😤 John Size's Wunderbar, the only horse to defeat Ka Ying Rising (not once but twice), takes the Class 2 feature at Sha Tin with @HugeBowman ahead of stablemate Raging Blizzard... #SummerSeries | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) June 14, 2025 Wunderbar narrowly beat Ka Ying Rising in back-to-back starts at the end of last season and extended his winning streak with a pair of victories to start his latest campaign. However, his hot form came to a halt and forced Size to give him a mid-season break, with the four-year-old improving off his last-start eighth to Lady's Choice. 'He's been overracing a little bit and I gave him a break and that didn't work, so I had to do something else,' said Size. HK Racing News Get updates direct to your inbox Sign up Best Bets Racing News By registering you agree to our T&Cs & Privacy Policy Error: Please enter a valid email. The email address is already in use. Please login to subscribe. Error, please try again later. THANK YOU You are one the list. 'Then he had a couple of trials and was fine. He didn't race for four months last time fresh and this time he was perfect - right tempo and everything went well for him. 'He had a little bit of an interruption in his good form, so at this moment I'm not really reaching for anything else.' Jockey Hugh Bowman, trainer John Size (second from right) and owner Andrew Li Kwok-nang after Wunderbar's win. Bowman was ecstatic to deliver the goods in his first race ride on Wunderbar. 'He was great. He had a bit in his favour. He had a track bias – the fence was like gold – he had barrier one, he's obviously got abundant natural pace and he got the conditions to suit today,' Bowman said. 'He was able to settle mid-race and he was able to provide the finish which he'd been lacking. It's Class Two and they don't give them away and he won with authority. Full credit to him.' Wunderbar's seventh career success helped Size extend his championship lead over David Hayes to nine wins with eight meetings left this term. Zac Purton and The All Out return to the winners' enclosure. Elsewhere at the twilight meeting, Zac Purton booted home a double on a pair of promising young gallopers – two-year-old The All Out, who maintained his unbeaten record at start two for Jamie Richards, and three-year-old Patch Of Stars, who notched a hat-trick with an explosive triumph for trainer Manfred Man Ka-leung. Andrea Atzeni joined Purton with a brace after winning on the David Eustace-trained Truly Fluke and Mark Newnham's Mojave Desert. Tony Cruz took home training honours with a double after Angus Chung Yik-lai guided Smart Beauty to victory and Kingly Demeanor scored under Keith Yeung Ming-lun.
South China Morning Post
12-06-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
David Hayes desperate to keep fading trainers' championship hopes alive at Sha Tin on Saturday
For David Hayes, the equation is simple if he is to keep his faint hopes of a late charge at the trainers' championship alive. 'I need to be training more winners than John [Size] at the next few meetings to have a sneak of a chance,' said Hayes, who trails Size by eight wins with only nine meetings left this season. 'It's highly unlikely but I haven't given up, for all that I'm a realist. If he equals me or worse on Saturday, I'll hoist the white flag.' A two-time champion Hong Kong trainer, Hayes cut Size's double-digit lead to as little as four wins last month before the latter struck back to regain breathing space. After the Australian handlers came up empty at Happy Valley on Wednesday night, they turn their attention to Sha Tin on Saturday with 26 runners between them. David Hayes has a double! ✌️ Solid Shalaa makes it consecutive wins with @elliswong05 at Sha Tin, prevailing in the Members Cup over Packing Bole... 🏆#LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) May 18, 2025 Dirt specialist Solid Shalaa, who bids for a hat-trick of victories in the Class Three HKU Jockey Club Student Villages Handicap (1,200m), and the in-form World Hero are among Hayes' leading chances, while hat-trick seeker Ping Hai Comet shapes as one of Size's best contenders. The prospect of a wet track – with heavy rain forecast on Saturday – threatens to throw a spanner in the works, but Hayes said it won't be an issue for Solid Shalaa. 'He loves the dirt and if all this rain does come, he loves wet dirt as well,' Hayes said. 'I expect him to be one of the favourites and justifiably so – he's on the upgrade.' Returning from almost a year out of racing because of multiple leg injuries, Solid Shalaa followed a first-up second with a pair of fast-finishing victories on dirt under in-form apprentice Ellis Wong Chi-wang. Wong will have to produce another top ride on the Shalaa gelding, who has drawn wide in barrier 10. Rising Force, an outstanding debut winner and unlucky second last start for Ricky Yiu Poon-fai, Mr Energia and Packing Bole look to be his main dangers. World Hero, who has made all in two of his past three starts, must also overcome a wide gate in 14 in the Class Four Hong Kong University Alumni Association Challenge Cup (1,400m). 'He's in great form – he had a class rise and he did get a beautiful ride to win the other day,' Hayes said. 'He gives himself every chance by putting himself on the pace and should run well again.' Hayes will also be represented by Tomodachi Kokoroe and Harmony N Blessed in Saturday's feature, the Class Two HKU Business School And Faculty Of Engineering Handicap (1,200m). 'They are two warhorses for the stable,' said Hayes of the pair, who dead-heated for third behind Kaholo Angel at Happy Valley last start. 'They are at their marks at this stage of their careers but I'd expect them both to get prize money. You never know, if they get the right runs, they're more than capable of winning, though it's a tough class for them. 'I'd lean towards Harmony N Blessed if the going gets soft, but I'd be favouring Tomadachi Kokoroe if it isn't.' Size boasts three of the 11 runners in the race – Wunderbar, who can improve from a last-start eighth in what was his first run in four months, the consistent Raging Blizzard and Must Go, who is better known as a dirt horse. Dashing Maurison, Field Marshal, Sight Happy, Star Brose, Youth Power, Star Mac, Ariel and Supreme Mastermind are Hayes' other runners.
