Latest news with #PatchOfTheta
South China Morning Post
21-06-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Andrea Atzeni bullish about Patch Of Theta: ‘I wouldn't swap the horse for anything else in the race'
Andrea Atzeni has strong confidence in his two Group Three mounts at Sha Tin on Sunday. Photos: Kenneth Chan Bidding to add to what has already been a fruitful campaign, Andrea Atzeni has declared he wouldn't swap Patch Of Theta for any other ride in Sunday's Group Three Premier Cup (1,400m) at Sha Tin. The Sardinian jockey has legitimate claims in the final two features of the season, with Patch Of Theta and his Group Three Premier Plate (1,800m) mount Bundle Award shaping as strong contenders. Atzeni, who sits third in the jockeys' championship with 54 wins, hops aboard Patch Of Theta for the first time as Francis Lui Kin-wai's classy five-year-old chases a second Group Three triumph this term. Victorious in the Chinese Club Challenge Cup (1,400m) in January, the Zoustar gelding put the writing on the wall with a fast-finishing third to Helios Express in the Group Three Sha Tin Vase (1,200m) last start. Smart win, Patch Of Theta! 🫡 Francis Lui's Hong Kong International Sale graduate could be Stewards' Cup bound after his smashing G3 Chinese Club Challenge Cup victory on New Year's Day at Sha Tin... @KarisTeetan #LuckyStart | #LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) January 2, 2025 'He's a very good ride to get,' Atzeni said. 'His last run was very good. If he can repeat that, he shouldn't be too far away. To be honest, I'd say I wouldn't swap the horse for anything else in the race. 'I think 1,400m is his perfect trip because he's not short of speed and he can travel strong. Sometimes 1,200m looks a little bit sharp and a mile, although he's won over it, can be a little bit far for him.' Patch Of Theta emerged as one of Lui's more progressive gallopers during his championship-winning campaign last season with four wins – all over 1,400m at Sha Tin. Since winning a Class Two mile and the Chinese Club Challenge Cup, he has been tested at a much higher level and, despite finishing well back in his two Group One starts, he was not disgraced. Atzeni highlighted another progressive Lui galloper in Packing Hermod, who shoots for a third consecutive win, and Group One victors Beauty Eternal and Invincible Sage as Patch Of Theta's major rivals on Sunday. Bundle Award drops back in trip in the Premier Plate after a solid fifth to Voyage Bubble in the Group One Champions & Chater Cup (2,400m) when making late ground from the tail of the field. The John Size-trained gelding has won three races this season, crowned by last month's Group Three Queen Mother Memorial Cup (2,400m). 'He's another good ride. He ran very well the other day in the mile-and-a-half race,' Atzeni said. 'If you take away the winner Voyage Bubble, it was a very close finish – there wasn't far between second, third, fourth and fifth. I didn't get stuck behind horses but if I got a slightly better run in the straight, I think I would have finished a lot closer. 'Back down into a Group Three handicap with a bottom weight [of 115lb], I know he's dropping back to 1,800m but he won over it before he went on to run in the Derby. 'It's a competitive race, but with the weight difference I think he's definitely well in.' Bundle Award jumps from gate 13 in an even race featuring the likes of dual Group Two winner Straight Arron, Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) hero Cap Ferrat and last-start Group Three Lion Rock Trophy (1,600m) winner Pray For Mir. Blazing Wukong, an impressive debut winner for Ricky Yiu Poon-fai, and Frankie Lor Fu-chuen's talented three-year-old South Star are among the best of Atzeni's other rides this weekend. 'Blazing Wukong is a really nice horse. He trialled the other day and looked like he's sharpened up from his first run,' Atzeni said. 'It looks like a nice race, but I do like my horse and I think whatever he does this season, he's going to be a much better horse for next year. 'South Star is another horse I like a lot. It's a very good race with some young horses who could be pretty smart next season taking each other on.'
South China Morning Post
17-02-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Harry Bentley eyes Happy Valley bullseye before tackling Group Ones: ‘he's one I'm really looking forward to'
Harry Bentley returns to the applause of the Happy Valley crowd after a recent winner. Photo: Kenneth Chan He's got a couple of Group One rides to look forward to this weekend but it's a Class Three sprinter giving Harry Bentley cause for excitement ahead of Wednesday night's Happy Valley meeting. After consecutive fast-finishing thirds from double-figure draws, Young Arrow has scored gate two for the second section of the Class Three Ma Wan Handicap (1,200m). 'I really like Young Arrow. He's drawn well for the first time in a very long time, so that's going to help him,' said Bentley, who partners the Douglas Whyte-trained galloper for the fourth straight time. 'He's run massive races the last couple of times. He's knocking on the door and with a good draw he should be thereabouts. He's one I'm really looking forward to. Impressive as, Beauty Destiny! 🫡 Frankie Lor's chestnut collects a third win this term and first in Class 3 to continue his dazzling rise... @Atzenijockey #HappyWednesday | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) January 22, 2025 'He's the one that really stands out to me and would be my best chance,' added Bentley of the four-year-old, who will bid to break his Hong Kong maiden at start nine in the city. Bentley will also ride Quantum Patch among six rides at the Valley before jumping aboard Patch Of Theta for the same owners in this Sunday's Group One Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup (1,400m). 'Quantum Patch is carrying a light weight and he's run some good races, so he's definitely one to be considered,' said Bentley ahead of the Class Three Kap Shui Mun Handicap (1,650m). 'It's a tough race for Patch Of Theta, naturally taking on Ka Ying Rising is not going to be easy. G1 Stewards' Cup bound!? 👀 Patch Of Theta is enormously impressive under the light weight in the G3 Chinese Club Challenge Cup with @KarisTeetan for Francis Lui... 🏆#LuckyStart | #LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) January 1, 2025 'But he's a really nice horse and he seems a progressive type. I sat on him the other day in a trial and he gave me a lovely feel, so I'm chuffed to pick the ride up.' Bentley, who sits on 15 wins for the season including eight already in 2025, jumps aboard Winning Dragon for Tony Cruz in Sunday's other Group One, the Gold Cup (2,000m). 'I'm pleased with how the past few weeks have gone. I feel like I've just got a bit of momentum and I'm riding for some good stables, so that's good,' said the jockey. 'To pick up a couple of Group One rides is great. I'm pleased to be riding in them and hopefully we can be competitive. Strong effort! 💪 Chancheng Glory lifts tenaciously to win the Group 3 Centenary Vase under @HugeBowman for Francis Lui at Sha Tin... 🏆#LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) January 31, 2025 'Winning Dragon was good last start [when second in the Group Three Centenary Vase (1,800m)]. 'He was carrying a light weight, so that helped, but he travelled into the race really well and just got seen off by a very gutsy horse in Chancheng Glory. You never know. It's a tough ask but you've got to give it a crack.' While he has become accustomed to being the lone English rider on the Hong Kong roster, Bentley will be one of four Britons donning the silks at Happy Valley on Wednesday night with Hollie Doyle, Tom Marquand and Richard Kingscote in town as injury cover. 'It's good to have them in town. I know Richard really well from back home and having ridden against him for many years,' Bentley said. 'He's a top lad so it will be nice to have him around. It makes a bit of a change having a few Brits in town. I've spoken to him. He's had a few questions about how the place works and what not, so hopefully I've steered him in the right direction.'
