04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Tony Cruz celebrates 2,500 Hong Kong wins as a jockey and trainer after Sha Tin double
Legendary figure reaches another big milestone after Liveandletlive and Winning Ovation win Sunday's final two races
Tony Cruz's status as a legend of Hong Kong racing elevated to a new level again on Sunday when he reached 2,500 wins as a jockey and trainer with a double at Sha Tin.
A winner of 946 races in his time in the saddle which included six Hong Kong championships, Cruz hit the new milestone when striking in Sunday's final two races with Liveandletlive and Winning Ovation.
The now 68-year-old made a seamless transition to training with two championships and a swag of Group One wins with some of the city's top gallopers, headlined by champion Silent Witness who won 17 consecutive races.
'I'm very happy with that. It's great,' Cruz said after training his 1,554th winner.
Tony Cruz is INCREDIBLE! 👑
Winning Ovation brings up the legendary figure's 2,500th win in Hong Kong as both a jockey (946 wins) and trainer (1,554 wins) with success in the finale under @AlexisBadel... #LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) May 4, 2025
Cruz was quick to deflect praise to jockeys Angus Chung Yik-lai and Alexis Badel for their rides on Liveandletlive and Winning Ovation, respectively.
A two-time winner in Britain under the same name, Liveandletlive broke through for his first Hong Kong success at start seven when leading all the way in the Class Three Chatham Handicap (2,000m).
Chung controlled the race from the front on the $9.75 chance and he lifted when challenged by Gold Master to prevail by a nose in a thrilling finish.
'I must give credit to Angus on Liveandletlive – he rode a perfect race,' Cruz said.
'[Gold Master] went past him, but he fought back just on the wire. All credit to Angus.'
Liveandletlive's best previous run in the city was a close third to Steps Ahead in February. The Muhaarar four-year-old had excuses on his start before Sunday's victory, running seventh to Winning Wing after knuckling over at the start and unbalancing Chung.
Another British import, Winning Ovation, capped Cruz's day to remember with an impressive triumph in the Class Three Austin Handicap (1,400m).
Settling third on the fence from gate one, the three-year-old was hooked off the inside by Badel and pounced on pacesetter Yuen Long Elite to take control at the 150m.
He soared clear at his second local start to beat heavily-backed $3.2 favourite Yuen Long Elite by a length.
'The jockey, Alexis Badel, rode a perfect race. The barrier draw was a benefit – if we didn't have that, we might not have won the race,' Cruz said.
Winning Ovation won at Salisbury and finished midfield in Royal Ascot's Group Two Coventry Stakes (1,200m) when known as Nascimento pre-import.
Elsewhere on Sunday's card, trainer Chris So Wai-yin was in awe of Hong Lok Golf's fifth victory at start six in the Class Two Hillwood Handicap (1,600m).
On his first start over a mile, the emerging four-year-old dug deep to beat Pray For Mir by half a length in a tight finish.
'Wow,' So said. 'In the straight when I saw [Pray For Mir], I thought he would beat us. But I spoke to Harry [Bentley] and he just said that he wasn't that worried.
'The last 100m, he did it easy. I was just a bit worried because he was stepping up from 1,400m to 1,600m and for some horses it's a big challenge.'
So will consider setting Hong Lok Golf, who was an unlucky second on his only career defeat in February, for upcoming features such as the Group Three Lion Rock Trophy (1,600m) on May 31.
'We now have the choice whether to give him a break or another run. There's Group races coming at the end of May, but we will decide,' So said.
