Werther
The 2016 HKG1 BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) on Sunday 20 March has all the hallmarks of a thriller. This year's exciting field of 14 was revealed on Wednesday at Happy Valley Racecourse, before an expectant audience of horsemen and media.
With a prize fund of HK$18 million, the BMW Hong Kong Derby is the second richest Derby in the world and this year's contest has attracted a field befitting that status. The third and final leg of the season's four-year-old majors features the horses that vied to the wire in the first two legs, Sun Jewellery (Snitzel) and Werther (NZ) (Tavistock).
"The BMW Hong Kong Derby is a race at the very heart of the sport here in Hong Kong," said Mr. Anthony Kelly, the Hong Kong Jockey Club's Executive Director of Racing Business and Operations. "It is a race with a prestigious history and a contest full of promise for the future as it brings together the very best of the emerging stars, the four-year-old elite, in a battle for once-in-a-lifetime glory.
"The Derby carries a special charisma, it is an attention-grabber; it is a race that every owner, trainer and jockey in Hong Kong is eager to win. The road to this year's Derby has been particularly fascinating; the leading protagonists so far are evenly-matched and it will be exciting to see which of this talented crop will put his head in front of the rest and earn the rare accolade of Derby winner."
Sun Jewellery heads into the race as the highest-rated contender (110) thanks to wins in the HKG1 Hong Kong Classic Mile and HKG1 Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m).
The John Moore-trained Werther will be seeking to avenge his previous narrow defeats at the hands of Sun Jewellery.
The Hong Kong Derby was first staged in 1873. Recent winners of the race include subsequent international G1 winners Vengeance Of Rain (NZ) (Zabeel) (2005), Viva Pataca (Marju) (2006), Ambitious Dragon (NZ) (Pins) (2011), Akeed Mofeed (Dubawi) (2013) and Designs On Rome (Holy Roman Emperor) (2014).
With a prize fund of HK$18 million, the BMW Hong Kong Derby is the second richest Derby in the world and this year's contest has attracted a field befitting that status. The third and final leg of the season's four-year-old majors features the horses that vied to the wire in the first two legs, Sun Jewellery (Snitzel) and Werther (NZ) (Tavistock).
"The BMW Hong Kong Derby is a race at the very heart of the sport here in Hong Kong," said Mr. Anthony Kelly, the Hong Kong Jockey Club's Executive Director of Racing Business and Operations. "It is a race with a prestigious history and a contest full of promise for the future as it brings together the very best of the emerging stars, the four-year-old elite, in a battle for once-in-a-lifetime glory.
"The Derby carries a special charisma, it is an attention-grabber; it is a race that every owner, trainer and jockey in Hong Kong is eager to win. The road to this year's Derby has been particularly fascinating; the leading protagonists so far are evenly-matched and it will be exciting to see which of this talented crop will put his head in front of the rest and earn the rare accolade of Derby winner."
Sun Jewellery heads into the race as the highest-rated contender (110) thanks to wins in the HKG1 Hong Kong Classic Mile and HKG1 Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m).
The John Moore-trained Werther will be seeking to avenge his previous narrow defeats at the hands of Sun Jewellery.
The Hong Kong Derby was first staged in 1873. Recent winners of the race include subsequent international G1 winners Vengeance Of Rain (NZ) (Zabeel) (2005), Viva Pataca (Marju) (2006), Ambitious Dragon (NZ) (Pins) (2011), Akeed Mofeed (Dubawi) (2013) and Designs On Rome (Holy Roman Emperor) (2014).