What you’ve missed in the Hong Kong racing off-season

There has been no racing in Hong Kong for more than seven weeks. There have been some interesting events in the off-season.

Jockey Club launches Trainer Challenge at season opener at Sha Tin. Trainer earns 12 points for a win, six for second place and four for third place. Winning Trainer Composite Win will be suspended.

Vincent Ho Chak-yiu won five races in his first stint in Japan. He also won the QE II Cup at Sha Tin with trainer Yoshito Yahagi. Alexis Badel failed to salute from five rides in France. Vagner Borges was among the winners in Brazil.

Vincent Ho won the Leopard Stakes Niigata. KAFUJI OCTAGON was trained by Yoshito Yahagi.

Keith Yeung Ming-lun is out of the season opener after testing positive to Covid-19. Jerry Chau Chun-Lok has been under an injury cloud and missed trackwork and trials last week. Dylan Mo Hin-tung has also been sidelined after being a Covids- 19 close contact. Matthew Chadwick will be missing after partnering Kings Shield and Computer Patch in Korea at the weekend.

Jack Wong Ho-nam has been passed fit to resume riding trackwork in early August after a lengthy stint on the sidelines. Silvestre de Sousa has also been given a six-month contract and will be riding in Hong Kong since February 2020. New apprentice Angus Chung Yik-lai has was allocated to trainer Tony Cruz ahead of his first Hongkong season. Marc Van Gestel will succeed Kim Kelly as chief steward at the Jockey Club.