Latest news with #PrayForMir
South China Morning Post
17 hours ago
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Pray For Mir shoots for feature double after feeling the wrath of handicappers
Matthew Chadwick waves to the crowd after winning the Group Three Lion Rock Trophy (1,600m) aboard Pray For Mir. Photo: Kenneth Chan Matthew Chadwick is hopeful Pray For Mir can overcome a 21-point jump in the ratings and continue his strong late-season form in Sunday's Group Three Premier Plate (1,800m) at Sha Tin. Victorious in open company for the first time in last month's Group Three Lion Rock Trophy (1,600m), Pray For Mir will attempt to complete the same feature-race double Galaxy Patch bagged last season. Penalised so heavily because his last-start win came from 17 points outside the handicap, Pray For Mir will carry only 6lb more this weekend and Chadwick is confident he will be right in the thick of things again. 'He's very consistent and he's shown us what he's capable of. It's an interesting field. He gets in with a decent weight still so I'm not too worried about [the ratings jump],' said Chadwick of Pray For Mir, who led all the way to win the Lion Rock Trophy carrying 115lb. 'There's some more pace in the race, so it will be interesting to see how that plays out, but we've seen him take a sit before so we're not too worried about that. Pray For Mir was not for catching! Cody Mo savoured a first Group race win on Saturday at Sha Tin in the G3 Lion Rock Trophy... 💪 @mattLchadwixk #LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) June 2, 2025 'It will just depend how much pressure there is. It's the end of the long season so you never know how the other horses are going to be, either.' While Pray For Mir is stepping up in trip, his rival Cap Ferrat drops in distance after running third behind Voyage Bubble in last month's Group One Champions & Chater Cup (2,400m). The pair jump from adjacent gates and while Pray For Mir is expected to push forward from barrier eight, Hugh Bowman will have some work to do finding cover for Cap Ferrat from the ninth alley. 'He's in great form,' said Bowman of this year's Hong Kong Derby hero, who will carry 126lb. 'It's a lovely race for him and he gets in with a lovely weight. 'I would have really liked a soft draw with him, but it is what it is. I galloped him the other day on the grass and he gave me a really smooth feel. I think it's a lovely set up for him.'
South China Morning Post
31-05-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Pray For Mir leads them a merry dance to win Lion Rock Trophy for delighted Cody Mo
Matthew Chadwick and Pray For Mir (left) grit it out to win at Sha Tin. Photos: Kenneth Chan Cody Mo Wai-kit continued his impressive season with his biggest career success at Sha Tin on Saturday, with Pray For Mir toughing it out from the front to win the Group Three Lion Rock Trophy (1,600m). It was a well-executed game plan by jockey Matthew Chadwick, who pointed the Justify galloper straight to the lead from barrier eight ahead of the stalking pair of Red Lion and Chancheng Glory. Chadwick was still travelling best of all as the field turned in, but he was immediately confronted by Chancheng Glory, who levelled up and looked set to go on by at the 200m pole. But Pray For Mir refused to be denied and was roused by Chadwick to go on again, edging clear late for gritty half-length success. They can't get past Pray For Mir! 💪 Cody Mo celebrates a first Group race win as his Justify 4YO leads throughout with @mattLchadwixk to capture the G3 Lion Rock Trophy at Sha Tin... #LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) May 31, 2025 On ratings it was an unlikely triumph, with the pair 17lb out of the handicap, but it was ultimately attitude that won the day – and Mo his first Group race. 'This is one of my targets for the season, now a dream has come true. I'm so happy – thanks to all my staff and the owners for their support,' he said. 'This horse is a very honest horse, you can see he has so many seconds and only loses by a little bit. 'Today Chadwick controlled the pace very well and the horse carried a light weight. At the end of the season, all the horses were maybe a bit tired and I kept him a bit fresh. '[Matthew and I] have very good communication. This season I have been really supporting local jockeys and I'm happy together we could win a Group Three.' Mo called his first season of training last campaign 'acceptable' after a haul of 20 winners, but the 47-year-old is already on the 38-winner mark for this campaign. The win was a meaningful one for Chadwick, who has had a long association with Mo dating back to their time working together in Tony Cruz's stable. The 34-year-old moves onto 31 winners for the season and home-grown talent was quick to return Mo's praise. 'He's always been very honest, he just gets beat, unfortunately. The weight really helped today,' said Chadwick. 'He was left alone and he relaxed really well and when [Chancheng Glory] put it to him, he just kept fighting and his quality just shone through. '[Cody and I] go way back when we were both training in Tony's stable and we've come through the ranks together and it's great to be part of this with him.' It was a race where it ultimately paid to be close to the speed, with the front two always in those positions in the run. Beauty Eternal enjoyed a midfield trip and stuck on well to finish third, while Sunlight Power was the only horse to make ground from the rear to finish fourth. The bitter disappointment of the race was undoubtedly the $3.7 favourite Johannes Brahms, who did not travel into the straight with his usual zest and he checked out quickly at the 200m pole to finish seventh. That was one position behind the top weight Red Lion, who was unable to follow up his Group One Champions Mile win from Champions Day, finishing sixth after lumping 135lb.
