The coveted Hong Kong Derby went the way of Invincible Ibis for Hugh Bowman and Mark Newnham, who overturned the Classic Cup form with the third-placed Stormy Grove.
It was a memorable success for owner Daniel Zigal, who was having his first runner in the Derby after being involved in Hong Kong racing since the 1990s. It was especially poignant for the trainer Mark Newnham, who was beaten a short-head in the Derby last season. When asked by the South China Morning Post – via Sporting Life – how he’s feeling, Newnham remarked: “the complete opposite to last year, that’s for sure.
“Hopefully they play [the replay] as many times as they played last year’s – for the next 12 months. I’ll be quite happy to watch this one.
“It was just a really smooth race to watch. If I could have picked a position prior to the race, it would have been midfield one off in a consistent speed and Hugh got into that position early. At the corner it was just going to be is he good enough? And probably a furlong into the straight, I was pretty confident he was going to be strong late.”
“I was very doubtful whether he was going to be able to bring it together” – Hugh Bowman
Hugh Bowman added a third Derby to his credentials, though remarked he wasn’t all that positive going into the race. “The dream was always there but you have to stick with the process. After the Classic Mile, I was very doubtful whether he was going to be able to bring it together. But I took a lot of confidence out of the 1,800m.
“It means a lot to win the race for a third time and being based here now. It makes it a bit more special for some reason or other,” added Bowman.
Former British jockey Harry Bentley could only manage fourth under Stormy Grove, who was given plenty to do from rear. Dylan Brown McMonagle had a full book of rides on the card, but despite not landing a winner, he still grabbed £148,713.06 in prize money after finishing fourth in the Derby. Former Ralph Beckett inmate Seraph Gabriel ran a credible race in fifth under Zac Purton. Drawn in stall 12, he used plenty of gas up to gain a prominent position.
Numbers, who jumped from stall 13, made the running which ensured a strong gallop as Invincible Ibis recorded the quickest Hong Kong Derby in history.