The All Out snares season's first Griffin race, while Dream Winner headlines huge exotics
The All Out (right) hangs on to beat Quick Money in the first Griffin race of the season. Photos: Kenneth Chan
He may not have won like you hope to see from a $1.2 chance, but The All Out still produced a performance that suggests he's got plenty more to give.
Red-hot favourite for the first Griffin race of the season, the Racing For Charity Plate (1,000m), two-year-old The All Out controlled things from the front on the outside rail down the Sha Tin straight.
After shrugging off pressure from Hyannis Star 300m out, The All Out looked poised for a comfortable victory under Zac Purton before Quick Money flashed late to get within a short head on the line.
The third-placed Babieca was a whopping six and a half lengths off the quinella pair.
'I would have liked to see him win a little easier, but a win's a win. He's got more improvement to come – he's a big, strong horse and he'll improve with more racing,' said trainer Jamie Richards.
The All Out was all out in the finish! 💪@JamieRichards3' 2YO wins on debut at Sha Tin with @zpurton over a fast-finishing Quick Money... #LoveRacing | #HKracing pic.twitter.com/iAi6EkbObk — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) April 13, 2025
'It didn't go exactly to plan, he got a bit softened up in front and the horse that ran second got an easy time of it and was going to be strong late after trialling well at Conghua earlier in the week.
'But The All Out's got more scope for improvement yet, so hopefully he can go on with the job.'
Richards' victory in the first of 2025's Griffin races, which are run for southern hemisphere two-year-olds and northern hemisphere three-year-olds, took him to 13 wins for the campaign.
Winner headlines exotics to Dream of
While jockey Jerry Chau Chun-lok had to settle for second aboard Quick Money, he was right in the money aboard the Frankie Lor Fu-chuen-trained Dream Winner in the Class Three Nurturing Talent Handicap (1,000m).
Not only did Dream Winner reward his supporters with victory at a massive $66.3, he also lead in a string of enormous exotics in Sha Tin's ninth event.
The second placing of Manfred Man Ka-leung's Magic Hallow at win odds of $103 ensured the quinella paid an eye-watering $25,905 and the forecast a mind-boggling $49,241.
Sparkling Fellow ran third at $22 to complete a $65,503 trio and a huge $739,695 tierce.
While hot favourite Justifying filled fourth at $1.2, the quartet still came in at a massive $1,291,048.
While Dream Winner's victory was his first in almost two years after he started his career with three straight successes, it continued a recent run of vastly improved form from Chau.
After snapping a run of 74 rides without a victory aboard Chateau Le Peche last Sunday, Chau booted Northern Fire Ball to victory at Happy Valley during the week before cashing in again on Sunday.
He sits on 15 winners after 62 of the season's 88 meetings.
Jockey Club unveils RTTC refurbishments
The Jockey Club unveiled its refurbished Racing Talent Training Centre (RTTC) training stable at Sha Tin on Friday, with the facility ushering in a 'new era of developing the next generation of horsemen and horsewomen'.
The new training stable 'embodies a commitment to excellence and a future filled with promise for Hong Kong's world-class horse racing industry'.
'Ever since it opened in 2008, the RTTC stable has been fundamental to talent development at the club,' said Jockey Club chief executive Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges.
'It represents our commitment to nurturing the very best talent and to achieving the highest standards of equine management and care – all of which are essential to our world-class racing.
'This commitment goes back to the establishment of the Apprentice Jockey School in 1972.
'World-class champion trainers Tony Cruz, Francis Lui [Kin-wai] and Ricky Yiu [Poon-fai] are all graduates from the school.
'Others, such as Matthew Chadwick, Vincent Ho [Chak-yiu], Derek Leung [Ka-chun] and Matthew Poon [Ming-fai], are currently pursuing highly successful careers in the saddle.
'No less essential is the daily care and management of racehorses. Recognising this, in 2005 the club established the Racing Development Board, which in 2022 was rebranded as the Racing Talent Training Centre.
'Over the past two decades, the RTTC has provided vocational and skills training to non-riding professionals. Many have gone on to enjoy highly successful careers as assistant trainers, head lads, stable assistants, farriers, and in many other roles.
'I sincerely hope every trainee who benefits from its outstanding facilities will go on to enjoy a fulfilling and successful career with the club. I hope they will join with us to take Hong Kong's world-class racing to even greater heights of excellence.'
Upgrades have been completed on the stable facilities and the classroom, with new horse stalls installed and the wash-down bay redesigned to provide a comfortable environment for horses.
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