Top 5 HK moments of 2022-23

With Hong Kong racing to take a break following Sunday night's 11-race card at Sha Tin and the news season not due to kick off until September, here are my top five moments from the past ten months in the high-pressure jurisdiction.

Golden Sixty's triumph in the G1 Stewards' Cup

It was built up to be a race for the ages and it did not disappoint, as Hong Kong's three best horses - Golden Sixty, California Spangle and Romantic Warrior - clashed for the very first time.

Romantic Warrior and California Spangle were out to continue their winning ways following their victories on international day, however, Golden Sixty was able to bounce back to his best, proving why he's been the champion of Hong Kong racing for the past three years.

The trio staged a sensational battle down the Sha Tin straight, with Golden Sixty reeling in California Spangle in the final 200m to score decisively.

It was a significant win for the rising eight-year-old, as the Stewards' Cup had been the event in which his 16-race winning streak came to an end 12 months earlier, while it was also the first of his three Group 1 triumphs for 2023, preceding his wins in the Hong Kong Gold Cup and the Champions Mile.

Zac Purton breaks Joao Moreira's record for most wins in a season

It's been quite the season for champion Australian jockey Purton.

He has been a dominant figure in Hong Kong racing, particularly over the past 10 years, but openly discussed the possibility of returning to Australia this year as well as the injury issues that he's faced.

Despite that, he was determined to break the record of his longtime rival Moreira for the greatest number of winners ridden in a season, which stood at 170.

Purton achieved that feat last Sunday aboard Magic Supreme, with two meetings left in the season, further enhancing his legacy in Hong Kong, where he was also crowned champion jockey for the sixth time this season.

The Caulfield Cup-winning rider has committed to riding in the lucrative jurisdiction next season, however, don't be surprised to see more of Purton in Australia over the spring now that Hong Kong's borders have opened up and the Hong Kong Jockey Club's willingness for its riders to compete in the world's biggest races.

International glory for Jamie Kah in the Hong Kong Classic Mile

In Australia, and particularly here in Victoria, we've become used to seeing Kah's stellar skills in the saddle, but the world got an opportunity to appreciate her talents earlier this year when she landed the Hong Kong Classic Mile aboard Voyage Bubble at Sha Tin.

Riding in Hong Kong for just the second time, Kah rated Voyage Bubble perfectly out in front, going all the way in the $2.2 million event, giving her the biggest win of her career outside of her home country.

For good measure, Kah's win on Voyage Bubble was part of a double on the day for her at Sha Tin, fueling speculation of a possible full-time move to Hong Kong.

Kah's fall at Flemington on Super Saturday ruled her out of riding in this year's Hong Kong Derby in March, however, there's no doubt that Hong Kong racing fans would love to see her back at Sha Tin and Happy Valley in the future.

Romantic Warrior's dominant Hong Kong Cup victory

Romantic Warrior headed into Hong Kong's premier race meeting in December as a winner of eight of his nine starts and a proven high-class galloper, thanks to his victories in the Hong Kong Derby and QEII Cup earlier in the year.

Nevertheless, the Hong Kong Cup presented him with a new challenge, as it was his first assignment against international opposition, with a quality group of Japanese runners and Aidan O'Brien's Order Of Australia in town to take him on.

Punters held their faith in Romantic Warrior and he did not disappoint, running out an emphatic four-and-a-half-length victor under James McDonald, who returned to ride him to another G1 success in the QEII Cup in April.

Romantic Warrior could now head Down Under, with connections keen to run him in this year's Cox Plate before a defence of his Hong Kong Cup title.

Sweynesse's coronation in the Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup

Undoubtedly, Lucky Sweynesse was one of the success stories of the 2022/23 season in Hong Kong.

Manfred Man's superstar won a record-equalling eight races through the campaign, three of those coming at the highest level, with his rating skyrocketing from 98 to 131.

In my opinion, his most significant win was in the G1 Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup in March, where he defeated proven G1 galloper California Spangle and elite sprinter Wellington, while also proving himself at the elite level over the extended distance of 1400m.

It was also one of three G1 victories in Hong Kong for McDonald this season, with Australia's leading rider frequently flown in for the biggest meetings at Sha Tin and Happy Valley.

While there had been talk of Lucky Sweynesse travelling to Sydney for The Everest, that appears to be unlikely, with a trip to Japan the more likely option for connections if they want to travel abroad with him.

A return tilt at the Hong Kong Sprint in December would also be high on Man's to-do list, given his stable star had no luck as the favourite in the race last year.