Matthew Poon

Travel Datuk salutes at last ending a 48-race losing streak

Posted on March 11, 2021
in Hong Kong Horse Racing News

Almost five years after debuting at Happy Valley, Irish import Travel Datuk shed unwanted status as Hong Kong’s most celebrated maiden by successfully snapping a 48-start losing streak to the bemusement and delight of Richard Gibson and Matthew Poon. Feted as a cult horse – and Facebook hero – after 17 minor placings (11 seconds[...]

Posted on February 18, 2021
in Hong Kong Horse Racing News

Danny Shum is considering an audacious tilt at the HK$24 million BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) in March with Charity Fun after the Irish import’s stunning victory in the Class 3 Hung To Handicap (2200m) at Happy Valley on Wednesday night (17 February). Contesting only his second race in Hong Kong, Charity Fun surged to[...]

Posted on February 1, 2021
in Hong Kong Horse Racing News

Glorious Dragon has avenged defeat in the 2020 Group 3 Centenary Vase Handicap (1800m) by denying Exultant a third win in the staying feature while delivering Matthew Poon one of the most important triumphs of his career. Beaten by Tony Cruz’s Exultant in the same race last year, Glorious Dragon swept past the reigning champion[...]

Posted on January 22, 2021
in Hong Kong Horse Racing News

Jolly Banner might be in the twilight of his career as a nine-year-old but that didn’t stop him from snaring second in last month’s Group 1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) against an international field and his recent form has trainer Ricky Yiu brimming with optimism ahead of Sunday’s (24 January) Group 1 Centenary Sprint[...]

Posted on January 9, 2021
in Hong Kong Horse Racing News

After clean-sweeping last season’s Four-Year-Old Classic Series with the brilliant Golden Sixty, trainer Francis Lui is looking to Lucky Patch (117lb) this time around and Sunday’s (10 January) Class 2 Choi Hung Handicap (1400m) will see him lay out his credentials for a Hong Kong Classic Mile tilt in 16 days’ time. “He’s good –[...]

Posted on December 27, 2020
in Hong Kong Horse Racing News

As has become customary, Joao Moreira was the headline act with a Boxing Day quartet but, in Richard Gibson’s eyes, mafoo (stable assistant) Josephine Kwok deserved acclaim as the unsung heroine at Sha Tin on Saturday (26 December) following Wellington’s stunning win in the Class 3 Long Ke Handicap (1000m). Posting his fourth win from[...]

Posted on November 5, 2020
in Hong Kong Horse Racing News

Kings Shield put his rivals to the sword with an authoritative all-the-way win in the Class 2 Hebe Hill Handicap (1650m, dirt) at Sha Tin on Wednesday, 4 November. The former British-trained import has developed into a force to be reckoned with on the dirt in Hong Kong: this latest win, his third over the[...]

Posted on October 31, 2020
in Hong Kong Horse Racing News

Tony Millard is looking to enhance his excellent record in Sunday’s (1 November) Group 3 Sa Sa Ladies’ Purse Handicap (1800m) at Sha Tin, with the South African’s hopes resting on Singapore Sling who is looking to return to the top of his game with setbacks behind him. Millard has four wins in Sunday’s HK$3.5[...]

Posted on September 30, 2020
in Hong Kong Horse Racing News

Champion trainer Ricky Yiu’s stable stalwart Jolly Banner is looking to land a third Group 3 win for his handler in Thursday’s (1 October) National Day Cup Handicap (1000m), ahead of what is likely to be the classy veteran’s sixth and final Hong Kong racing season. “This will be one of his last few runs[...]

Posted on July 11, 2020
in Hong Kong Horse Racing News

Ricky Yiu’s stable stalwart Jolly Banner returns this Sunday (12 July) at Sha Tin with the chance of securing a vital win for his handler in the HK$2.8 million Class 1 Sha Tin Mile Trophy Handicap (1600m). Yiu leads the trainers’ championship by one win, with Francis Lui in second (64-63), but with 13 intended[...]

Posted on June 28, 2020
in Hong Kong Horse Racing News

The heat is on in the race to be champion trainer with front-runner Ricky Yiu feeling the burn at his back after closest rival Francis Lui maintained his excellent form with a double at Sha Tin on Saturday, 27 June. Yiu had to sit and suffer on Wednesday night when a Lui four-timer lifted the[...]

Posted on June 22, 2020
in Hong Kong Horse Racing News

Jolly Banner (114lb) showed plenty of vim for a veteran as he battled past younger rivals to win the Group 3 Premier Cup Handicap (1400m) at Sha Tin on Sunday, 21 June. “Amazing – he’s an amazing horse,” trainer Ricky Yiu said after the eight-year-old maintained his record of winning at least one race in[...]

Posted on June 8, 2020
in Hong Kong Horse Racing News

Matthew Poon illuminated a rain-drenched Sunday (7 June) at Sha Tin with a four-timer capped by victory aboard the courageous Perfect Match in the Class 2 Butterfly Handicap (1400m). The Danny Shum-trained Perfect Match defied a 130lb burden to gallop with resolute heart through yielding ground and claim the afternoon’s finale by half a length[...]

Posted on March 18, 2020
in Hong Kong Horse Racing News

Matthew Poon is preparing for a big day in the saddle on Sunday (22 March) when he will jump aboard the Tony Cruz-trained Private Secretary for a first-time ride in the HK$20 million BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m). “The Derby is the most prestigious race in Hong Kong – it’s the biggest race here because[...]

Posted on February 13, 2020
in Hong Kong Horse Racing News

Ping Hai Galaxy was an unconsidered 159/1 chance to win yesterday (Wednesday, 12 February) evening’s finale, the Class 3 Fo Tan Handicap (1200m) at Happy Valley, but John Size’s charge belied those odds with a comfortable win under Matthew Poon. The four-year-old had been unplaced at each of his five previous starts, which included running[...]

Posted on February 9, 2020
in Hong Kong Horse Racing News

There were two Class 2 races at Sha Tin yesterday afternoon (Saturday, 8 February), the Class 2 Choi Hung Handicap (1200m), went to Gold Chest (111lb) who scored a thrilling success to halt Duke Wai’s (118lb) streak at four. A stalking ride from Matthew Poon saw the wide-finishing winner pip Duke Wai by a nose.[...]

Posted on January 16, 2020
in Hong Kong Horse Racing News

Jimmy Ting bagged a treble last Wednesday and continued his hot Happy Valley form last night (Wednesday, 15 January) with a double courtesy of Flying Godspell and Vigor Fame. That gave the trainer five wins from his last 12 runners at the downtown venue, a haul complemented by two second placings, and he was quick[...]

Travel Datuk salutes at last ending a 48-race losing streak

Charity Fun charges into BMW Hong Kong Derby calculations

Poon and Lui combine with Glorious Dragon to snare Centenary Vase Handicap

Veteran Banner looks to fly for Yiu in Group 1 Centenary Sprint Cup

Lui has Lucky Patch on Classic Mile trail

Richard Gibson praises mafoo as Wellington makes triumphant return

Kings Shield dominates with Dubai on the radar

Singapore Sling aims to give Millard a fifth Sa Sa Ladies’ Purse success

Yiu’s veteran Jolly Banner aims to fly once more

Jolly Banner returns for Yiu as the season’s finish line nears

Yiu feels the heat as Lui closes in trainers’ premiership battle

Premier victory for Yiu’s Jolly Banner

Poon shines with a Sha Tin four-timer as Mighty Valor gives Yiu a hand

Matthew Poon gets a ticket to ride the BMW Hong Kong Derby train

Galaxy sparkles at long odds

Gold Chest steals it in a thriller

Ting’s on fire

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