Numbers bids to boost Four-Year-Old Class Series credentials

Frankie Lor is optimistic talented young stayer Numbers can achieve twin objectives when the gelding contests the HK$4.2 million G3 Centenary Vase Handicap (1800m) at Sha Tin on Sunday (8 February).

Targeting the HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) on 1 March and the HK$26 million BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) on 22 March with the last-start winner, Lor believes the Tivaci gelding is capable of landing his first Group race win in Hong Kong while also advancing Four-Year-Old Classic Series hopes.

To carry only 115lb under Derek Leung, Numbers will aim to emulate the feats of Glorious Dragon (2021), Zebrowski (2022) and Nimble Nimbus (2024), who all carried 115lb or less to victory in the Centenary Vase.

“He (Numbers) looks okay, everything is good. He trialled well over 1600m at Sha Tin (on 20 January) and his work since has been good,” Lor said as Numbers clocked 59.2s (32.9, 26.3) at Sha Tin on Thursday morning (5 February).

“This time, we try to get a Group 3 with him. We have got a light weight, which I hope will help him. We are looking towards the (Hong Kong) Classic Cup and the (BMW Hong Kong) Derby.

“But this coming Sunday, we will see how he is running.”

Second in the 2025 G1 Queensland Derby (2400m) in Australia, Numbers has raced only twice in Hong Kong, following a good third on debut at Happy Valley over 1800m on 10 December with an impressive all-the-way Class 2 win over 2000m at Sha Tin on 27 December.

Rated 90, Numbers is a chance of providing Lor with his third Hong Kong Classic Cup success following the wins of Mission Tycoon in 2019 and Healthy Happy in 2021.

Numbers will face six rivals on Sunday – Straight Arron (135lb), Beauty Joy (134lb), last year’s winner Chancheng Glory (132lb), Encountered (126lb), Speed Dragon (126lb) and Ensued (125lb).

Changcheng Glory will start from gate five on Sunday under Zac Purton and is in similar form to when he won the 2025 Centenary Vase, according to trainer Francis Lui, who is also represented by Speed Dragon (Lyle Hewitson, gate three).

“Changcheng Glory is about the same as he was last year. Group 3 is good for him, and it all depends on the pace of the race. He needs to travel comfortably. He needs to run his own race,” Lui said.

“Speed Dragon will be suited by the distance, and he’s been racing well at Happy Valley, but he hasn’t raced at Sha Tin for a long time. I hope he can improve a little bit.”

A spectacular last-start winner of the G3 January Cup Handicap (1800m) at Happy Valley, Speed Dragon will race at Sha Tin for the first time since February last year.

Brett Crawford will bid for a second Group 3 this season with veteran galloper Encountered, who won the G3 Sa Sa Ladies’ Purse Handicap (1800m) at Sha Tin on 9 November.

Karis Teetan will partner Encountered from gate seven.

“He’s (Encountered) doing very well, I’ve been very happy with him at home. He looks amazing, so there’s a bit of a turnaround in the weights with a couple of horses that beat him last time, so I think he’ll be better suited to the 1800m at Sha Tin,” Crawford said.

“It’s a small field, so I’m expecting a very competitive run. He likes to run at horses, so I think if we give him a chance to do that, it would be good. It’s a small field, so he shouldn’t have too much ground to make up.

“He seems to like to race that way, so we won’t change too much.”

Preparing to chase Hong Kong racing history at Sha Tin with an 18th consecutive win at Sha Tin on 22 February in the HK$13 million G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m), the world’s premier sprinter Ka Ying Rising continued his smooth preparations at Sha Tin this morning (Friday, 6 February).

Ridden by Zac Purton, Ka Ying Rising pleased trainer David Hayes as he clocked 24.0s while dashing over the final 400m on Sha Tin’s dirt course after striding from the 1400m.

Ka Ying Rising last start equalled fellow champion sprinter Silent Witness’s feat of racking up 17 consecutive wins by a Hong Kong-trained horse with victory in the G1 Centenary Sprint Cup (1200m) on 25 January.

The five-year-old, currently rated the joint second-best horse in the world, will have a barrier trial at Sha Tin on Tuesday (10 February).

Hayes provisionally plans to give Ka Ying Rising two more starts this season – in the HK$5.35 million G2 Sprint Cup (1200m) on 6 April and the HK$24 million G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) on 26 April – before preparing the superstar for a defence of the AU$20 million (approx. HK$108 million) G1 The Everest (1200m) in Sydney in October.

Sunday’s (8 February) 11-race fixture at Sha Tin begins at 12.30pm with the Class 5 Fu Tai Handicap (1400m).