Matthew Chadwick is facing an extended stint on the sidelines after suffering a fractured right ankle in a tumble before the last of Tuesday morning’s 12 barrier trials at Sha Tin.
Chadwick has undergone surgery after falling from the Jamie Richards-trained Plentiful and “will not be fit to resume riding for some time”, according to a Jockey Club statement.
While the in-form Chadwick, who has 17 winners so far this season, would have missed Wednesday night’s meeting at Happy Valley through suspension anyway, another star local jockey is looking to cash in at the city circuit.
Vincent Ho Chak-yiu has a full book of nine rides and will be looking to pick up from his Happy Valley double a week ago after suffering an agonising defeat aboard Golden Sixty in Sunday’s Group One Hong Kong Mile.
Ho looks to have winning chances aboard the likes of Yellowfin, Gallant Waking and Jumbo Legend, the latter of whom is hoping to return to the winner’s circle in the Class Three Tern Handicap (1,200m) after narrowly failing to complete a hat-trick of course and distance wins last start.
“He was a bit slow out and I needed to keep pushing to keep his momentum going, so he took time to wind up last time. Hopefully this time with the blinkers on it helps a bit,” Ho said, adding that he will aim to be a bit closer in the run from barrier three.
“It would be good to be a bit closer, especially with the gate. We don’t have to be too far back and need to go through a lot of horses. We will try to [take a position], hopefully the blinkers help.”
Jumbo Legend takes on last-start winner Beauty Tycoon, the consistent Igniting and the returning California Cible.
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It was the ride aboard California Cible that saw Damian Lane sent off one of the more-fancied chances for last year’s Longines International Jockeys’ Championship (IJC) but it turned out to be a night to forget for both horse and rider.
Lane failed to register a point in a competition won by Zac Purton, while he was forced to ease California Cible out of the final leg of the IJC because of what turned out to be an injury to the left side of his pelvis.
California Cible had been sent off at $4.90 on the back of an impressive last-start win and the five-year-old will look to recapture that sort of form as he resumes his career.
His return run comes over the course and distance of his single Hong Kong victory and he will have to overcome barrier 10, although he does have Angus Chung Yik-lai’s 10-pound claim to take the edge off top weight.
Meanwhile, Ho can’t wait for Golden Sixty’s next date with his Hong Kong International Races conqueror California Spangle, which is likely to come in next month’s Group One Stewards’ Cup (1,600m).
“I’m very pleased with the performance. He did amazing and he’s pulled up very well,” Ho said.
“We’ve got one and a half months until the next race, so he should be able to recover well and let’s see how his form is. But no doubt he definitely can be winning – he should win.”
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