MR BRIGHTSIDE, ROYAL PATRONAGE TO FLY THE AUSTRALIAN FLAG ON FWD CHAMPIONS DAY AT SHA TIN

By Darren Winningham | Wednesday, April 23, 2025

After an extensive absence from Hong Kong racing the Australian racehorses and trainers are making a comeback to Hong Kong.

At the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races in December there were three representatives – Antino, Recommendation, and Without A Fight. Fast forward to the present time and, with the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) having been actively touting to get Australian runners back to the FWD Champion’s Day which takes place at Sha Tin on Sunday we will, once again, have quality representatives on the big day.

Mr. Brightside, a proven Group 1 winner trained by Ben, Will and JD Hayes, with Craig Williams to ride, will contest the Group 1 FWD Champion’s Mile worth HK$24 million. A winner of nine Group 1 races – he obviously, thoroughly deserves his place in this field.

Then there is the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott trained Royal Patronage in the same race. He is primed for this assignment with a last start gallant second place in the Group 1 Doncaster Mile at Randwick. A previous Group 1 winner in the Canterbury Stakes over 1300 metres. He will be ridden by regular rider Tim Clark.

That concerted effort to bring Australian horses back from the HKJC is headed by this Greg Carpenter, HKJC Head Of Racing Product, who is focused on getting the best horses in the world to Hong Kong for these feature meetings.

Carpenter explained to me that his role is to encourage owners and trainers around the world to bring their horses to Hong Kong to compete against the best local horses in the international races. These feature events are the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races (HKIR) in December each year. Then the FWD Champion’s Day occurs in April annually.

Regarding the Australian horses on FWD Champions Day Carpenter said:

“With Mr. Brightside, we have courted him for a number of years and for the Hayes boys to bring the nine-time Group 1 winner to Hing Kong. He is a great benchmark for Voyage Bubble (current HK mile champion).

“Royal Patronage, is a recent Group 1 winner and ran great second in the Doncaster”.

“It is about getting a nice spread of representation in the various races from various jurisdictions. High quality horses. It's important that our best are tested against the best from overseas. Equally we encourage our horses to compete in races overseas.”

There is so much attention to detail and support provided to visiting trainers, track work riders, staff and the owners when they come to Hong Kong. The facilities are first class – the track, the training facilities and access to whatever is required to ensure the horses perform to their very best on race day.

If only I had a Group 1 horse trained somewhere in the world – so I could come and experience that incredible level of HKJC hospitality from the other side.

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