Hong Kong Derby
Hong Kong | FEATURE RACE GUIDE
History
The Hong Kong Derby is a non-international graded race run under the Set Weight conditions for four year olds at Sha Tin conducted by Hong Kong Jockey Club.
The Hong Kong Derby is run over 2000m. It was first run in 1873, before the HKJC was formed.
It was originally run over 2400m and even went back to 1800m but has been at the current 2000m since the year 2000.
It became for four year olds and not the traditional three year olds in 1981.
It is the final leg of the Hong Kong 4yo Triple Crown following the Hong Kong Classic Mile and the Hong Kong Classic Cup and is one of the races most sought after in Hong Kong.
Several Hong Kong Horse of the Year title winners have been the Derby winner including in recent times Ambitious Dragon (2011), Designs On Rome (2014), Werther (2016), and Rapper Dragon (2017).
Rapper Dragon became the first horse to win all three legs of the Four-Year-Old Classic Series. Golden Sixty joined him in 2020.
Golden Sixty would come back from his Derby win to score three times before bolting away with the Hong Kong Mile on international day in 2020 and just keep winning.
Vengeance Of Rain was a much heralded horse in Hong Kong and also took his acclaim around the world winning a Dubai Sheema Classic.
A couple of horses beaten in this race have produced some superb form after that including Able Friend who was second to Designs On Rome and Beauty Generation who was behind Rapper Dragon and Pakistan Star in what has turned out to be a star studded field in 2017.
Three fillies have won the Hong Kong Derby in the recent era - Vivacious (1972), Corvette (1976) and Elegant Fashion (2003).
The 2022 running would see the eventual Hong Kong Cup winner defeat the Hong Kong Mile winner in a great race.
The Hong Kong Derby is now worth HK$26m in 2024.
Some notable winners of the Hong Kong Derby include Romantic Warrior (2022), Golden Sixty (2020), Rapper Dragon (2017), Werther (2016), Designs On Rome (2014), Akeed Mofeed (2013), Ambitious Dragon (2011), Collection (2009), Viva Pataca (2006), Vengeance Of Rain (2005), Lucky Owners (2004), Elegant Fashion (2003), Johan Cruyff (1998), Makarpura Star (1995), River Verdon (1991), Yuno When (1986), Co-Tack (1983) and Football (1982).
The 2024 Hong Kong Derby was won by Massive Sovereign from Galaxy Patch and Ka Ying Generation.
Previous Hong Kong Derby Winners
| Date | Horse | Jockey | WT | Trainer | BP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
MASSIVE SOVEREIGN
(IRE)
4G NO NAY NEVER (USA) - SWEET CHARITY (FR) MYBOYCHARLIE (IRE) |
Z PURTON | 57.0 | C H YIP | 10 |
|
|
VOYAGE BUBBLE
(AUS)
4G DEEP FIELD (AUS) - RAHEIGHTS (AUS) RAHY (USA) |
ALEX BADEL | 57.0 | P F YIU | 14 |
|
|
ROMANTIC WARRIOR
(IRE)
4G ACCLAMATION (GB) - FOLK MELODY (IRE) STREET CRY (IRE) |
K TEETAN | 57.0 | C S SHUM | 8 |
|
|
SKY DARCI
(NZ)
4G DARCI BRAHMA (NZ) - STRICTLY MATERNAL (NZ) O'REILLY (NZ) |
JOAO MOREIRA | 57.0 | C FOWNES | 2 |
|
|
GOLDEN SIXTY
(AUS)
4G MEDAGLIA D'ORO (USA) - GAUDEAMUS (USA) DISTORTED HUMOR (USA) |
C Y HO | 57.0 | K W LUI | 9 |
|
|
FURORE
(NZ)
4G PIERRO (AUS) - STORMY CHOICE (AUS) REDOUTE'S CHOICE (AUS) |
HUGH BOWMAN | 57.0 | F C LOR | 12 |
|
|
PING HAI STAR
(NZ)
4G NOM DU JEU (NZ) - VICKY (AUS) ENCOSTA DE LAGO (AUS) |
RYAN MOORE | 57.0 | JOHN SIZE | 9 |
|
|
RAPPER DRAGON
(AUS)
4H STREET BOSS (USA) - SWING DANCE (AUS) DANEHILL DANCER (IRE) |
JOAO MOREIRA | 57.0 | JOHN MOORE | 4 |
|
|
WERTHER
(NZ)
4G TAVISTOCK (NZ) - BAGALOLLIES (AUS) ZABEEL (NZ) |
HUGH BOWMAN | 57.0 | JOHN MOORE | 3 |
|
|
LUGER
(AUS)
4G Choisir (AUS) - Miss Conception (AUS) DANZERO (AUS) |
Z PURTON | 57.0 | JOHN SIZE | 12 |
|
|
DESIGNS ON ROME
(IRE)
4G HOLY ROMAN EMPEROR (IRE) - SUMMER TRYSTING (USA) ALLEGED (USA) |
TOMMY BERRY | 57.0 | JOHN MOORE | 10 |
|
|
AKEED MOFEED
(GB)
4H DUBAWI (IRE) - WONDER WHY (GER) TIGER HILL (IRE) |
D WHYTE | 57.0 | R GIBSON | 3 |
|
|
FAY FAY
(NZ)
4G FALKIRK (NZ) - GLAMAINE (NZ) CENTAINE (AUS) |
D WHYTE | 57.0 | JOHN SIZE | 14 |
|
|
AMBITIOUS DRAGON
(NZ)
4G PINS (AUS) - GOLDEN GAMBLE (NZ) OREGON (USA) |
MAXIME GUYON | 57.0 | A T MILLARD | 14 |
|
|
SUPER SATIN
(NZ)
4G DANEHILL DANCER (IRE) - MANTLES PRINCESS (GB) ROCK CITY (IRE) |
D WHYTE | 58.0 | C FOWNES | 7 |
|
|
COLLECTION
(IRE)
4G PEINTRE CELEBRE (USA) - LASTING CHANCE (USA) AMERICAN CHANCE (USA) |
D BEADMAN | 58.0 | JOHN MOORE | 9 |
|
|
HELENE MASCOT
(IRE)
5H PEINTRE CELEBRE (USA) - RAZANA (IRE) KAHYASI (IRE) |
F COETZEE | 58.0 | A S CRUZ | 3 |
|
|
IZZAT
(NZ)
4G ALMUTAWAKEL (GB) - WAUWINET (NZ) BASSENTHWAITE (GB) |
B PREBBLE | 58.0 | P O'SULLIVAN | 4 |
|
|
VIVA PATACA
(GB)
4G MARJU (IRE) - COMIC (IRE) BE MY CHIEF (USA) |
C SOUMILLON | 58.0 | JOHN MOORE | 10 |
|
|
VENGEANCE OF RAIN
(NZ)
4G ZABEEL (NZ) - DANELAGH (AUS) DANEHILL (USA) |
ANTHONY DELPECH | 58.0 | D E FERRARIS | 6 |
|
|
LUCKY OWNERS
(NZ)
4H - MISS PRIORITY (NZ) |
F COETZEE | 58.0 | A S CRUZ | 10 |
|
|
ELEGANT FASHION
(AUS)
4M DANEWIN (AUS) - WILY TRICK (USA) CLEVER TRICK (USA) |
G MOSSE | 56.0 | D A HAYES | 2 |
Related News
Pierre Ng hopes the HK$5.35 million G2 BOCHK Private Wealth Jockey Club Mile (1600m) at Sha Tin on Sunday (17 November) will deliver further evidence of Galaxy Patch’s status as a leading contender for next month’s HK$36 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (1600m).
Fresh from a record-breaking Melbourne Cup Carnival at Flemington last week, James McDonald will reunite with Hong Kong champion Romantic Warrior in Sunday’s (17 November) HK$5.35 million G2 BOCHK Jockey Club Cup (2000m) at Sha Tin after completing Australian riding commitments at Caulfield on Saturday (16 November).
Young Emperor and Romantic Son clash for a second time at Happy Valley on Wednesday night (13 November) in the HK$1.86 million Class 3 Fung Mo Handicap (1200m), with the latter seeking payback after he was overhauled as a well-fancied favourite last month.
Versatility and consistency have been two hallmarks of Voyage Bubble’s career and the Ricky Yiu trainee is chasing a seventh career win in Sunday’s (17 November) HK$5.35 million G2 BOCHK Private Wealth Jockey Club Mile (1600m) at Sha Tin.
Karis Teetan has become only the sixth jockey to reach the 700-win milestone in Hong Kong, joining one of the city’s most exclusive clubs with victory aboard David Hall-trained Speedstar in the first section of the Class 5 Tai Lam Chung Handicap (1200m) at Happy Valley on Wednesday night (6 November).
Brett Davis provides exclusive Preview of Sha Tin races.
Former Australian galloper Six Pack embarks on a new career chapter in the HK$2.84 million Class 2 Guangzhou Handicap (1200m) at Happy Valley on Sunday (27 October) as trainer Douglas Whyte plots a path towards Hong Kong’s lucrative 2025 Four-Year-Old Classic Series.
Brett Davis provides exclusive Preview of Sha Tin races.
Karis Teetan knows what it takes to win the HK$5.35 million G2 Premier Bowl Handicap (1200m) and the affable Mauritian has the chance to land a second aboard the John Size-trained Howdeepisyourlove at Sha Tin on Sunday afternoon (20 October).
Pierre Ng will venture to Sha Tin on Sunday (13 October) in search of two objectives with Galaxy Patch – a strong showing in the HK$5.35 million G2 Sha Tin Trophy Handicap (1600m) and greater clarity into the immediate pathway of one of Hong Kong’s most talented and versatile horses.
Selections and analysis for Sunday's (13/10/24) 10-race fixture at Sha Tin.
Romantic Warrior accelerated preparations for the HK$5.35 million G2 BOCHK Jockey Club Cup (2000m) at Sha Tin on 17 November and the HK$40 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m) on 8 December with a strong trial win at Happy Valley this morning (Saturday, 5 October).
