He’s been one of the biggest supporters of the interport series throughout its nearly two-decade existence, and Joe Lau will be front and centre on Saturday when the Hong Kong Macau Trophy returns to Sha Tin for the first time since 2019.
An annual fixture before its Covid-enforced hiatus, the two-leg series has been the source of some of the highest highs and the lowest lows of Lau’s 30-year Macau training career.
He swept the very first edition back in 2004, winning at Sha Tin and Taipa with Crown’s Gift, and again thought he had completed the sweep in 2007 before Crown’s Master returned a positive swab following his victory in Hong Kong.
The good memories first, and Lau admits they’re as vivid as ever as he recalls showing up to Sha Tin for the first time and taking out the first-ever Hong Kong Macau Trophy with $28 outsider Crown’s Gift, seeing off John Size-trained pair Gift and River Dancer.
“They’re great memories. It all seems like yesterday, put it that way,” said a reflective Lau after working his runner in this year’s contest – Star Of Yiu Cheung – at Sha Tin on Wednesday morning.
“Today, walking down and taking the horse onto the track brought back a lot of good memories about winning the first race there.
“The first one, everything was new, and I was still green coming into a new place. Especially somewhere like Hong Kong, it was such a great feeling to bring a horse here. Then to win it, that made it so much more exciting. Sometimes you think it’s still a dream.
“It boosted my confidence and gave me a lot of courage to bring more horses over in time. I’m lucky I had good owners who were willing to bring horses over.”
One of those horses was Crown’s Master, who beat the Hong Kong gallopers in Macau before returning serve at Sha Tin three weeks later.
But nine days after completing what Lau thought was another sweep, a post-race blood sample taken from Crown’s Master contained the banned 17-alpha-hydroxyprogesterone hexanoate.
“Crown’s Master was treated with this substance by the veterinary department here at the Macau Jockey Club around two months ago. They told me it would assist his recovery and fully clear his system in two weeks,” Lau told the Post in 2007.
Now, Lau’s summary of the incident is simple: “I was surprised – that was probably the biggest disappointment in my life”.
This weekend, Lau gets the chance to add to his series CV – which also includes a victory with Clown Master in 2011 – with a horse he wishes he could have bought to Hong Kong earlier.
Now a seven-year-old, Star Of Yiu Cheung must lump top weight of 135 pounds after 15 victories in Macau. While the Jockey Club reported on Wednesday that the gelding developed “an elevated temperature with an associated blood abnormality” last week, the galloper is free to race and Lau is happy with his condition.
“He’s got to carry the grandstand and give weight to the Hong Kong horses, which is never easy to do, but his rating is that high in Macau, so it is what it is. But he’s in good nick, so fingers crossed he puts up a good performance,” said Lau, who was last in Hong Kong with Sacred Capital for the 2020 Group Three Centenary Vase (1,800m).
“It’s just good to be back. I love being involved. Any trainer who has a horse who is good enough to come to Hong Kong would come. The Sha Tin track is a lovely galloping track. It’s got lovely grass coverage and it’s a wide track with a long straight. It’s like going away for a holiday.”
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