Chancheng Glory (130lb) posted the biggest win of his career on Friday afternoon in the HK$4.2 million Group 3 Centenary Vase Handicap (1800m) at Sha Tin.
Placed at Group 2 and Group 3 level before Friday, Mor Spirit gelding Chancheng Glory was tenacious from barrier nine in denying Winning Dragon (115lb) and Ensued (125lb) at odds of +600 with Bovada, clocking a time of 1:46.67 under Hugh Bowman for trainer Francis Lui.
“I was fortunate to get the opportunity to ride him. I get limited opportunities in these races with the weight conditions but it is what it is. I thought his run last start had a lot of merit against the highest quality of horses,” Bowman said.
“Today when he jumped out well and travelled – I was always very confident. He was aided by a nice genuine speed set by Sword Point and his class showed over the final two furlongs.”
Sword Point (131lb) led the race until the 250m mark. Chancheng Glory raced in second throughout the contest before denying Winning Dragon by three quarters of length.
Bred in the American state of Iowa, Chancheng Glory led home a first three for the Americas. The two-time Group 1 winning Winning Dragon hails from Chile, while Ensued is an American foaled son of the late Lemon Drop Kid.
Chancheng Glory is now an eight-time winner from 23 starts, boasting earnings of HK$19.66 million for his connections the Chancheng Racing Syndicate.
The five-year-old placed second behind Galaxy Patch last term in the HK$4.2 million Group 3 Lion Rock Trophy Handicap (1600m) by a nose.
“He’s a Group 2 and Group 3 handicap horse, of course, if it is a Group 1 then maybe on his day. He’s (Hugh Bowman) a top jockey. I don’t have any worry about him,” Lui said.
Friday’s success is Chancheng Glory’s first this season. He came into the event following consecutive sixth placings in December’s HK$36 million Group 1 Hong Kong Mile (1600m) and January’s HK$13 million Group 1 Stewards’ Cup (1600m).
Lui will plot a path towards the HK$24 million Group 1 Champions Mile (1600m) on April 27 at Sha Tin for Chancheng Glory. The trainer won the FWD Champions Mile in 2021, 2022 and 2023 with champion Golden Sixty.
Chancheng Glory will also take aim at the HK$13 million Group 1 Hong Kong Gold Cup (2000m) at Sha Tin on February 23, the second leg of Hong Kong’s Triple Crown, says Lui: “I think he’ll go for the Gold Cup, 2000 (metres) suits him better than 1400 so he’ll go for that.”
Bowman won the 2023 Centenary Vase with Senor Toba, while Lui previously scored in 2021 with Glorious Dragon.
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