GALAXY PATCH BOUND FOR EPIC CLASH WITH GOLDEN SIXTY

Trainer Pierre Ng confirms Champions Mile target for last-start Hong Kong Derby runner-up

Emerging star Galaxy Patch will clash with champion galloper Golden Sixty in the Group One FWD Champions Mile, provided he pleases trainer Pierre Ng Pang-chi in the lead up to the April 28 feature.

Ng confirmed the Champions Mile was his preferred Champions Day target over the Group One QE II Cup (2,000m), which will feature the likes of superstar galloper Romantic Warrior and BMW Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) hero Massive Sovereign.

However, this season’s leading trainer wants to see improvement from Galaxy Patch before committing to a start in the HK$22 million feature.

Ng admitted the son of Wandjina has needed time to recover from his barnstorming second in the Derby on March 24.

In his first attempt at the trip just three weeks after racing over 1,000m, Galaxy Patch stormed home from last under Blake Shinn to be beaten a neck by Massive Sovereign.

“We plan to run him in the Mile,” Ng said. “He’s still recovering from the last run, so the next few weeks will be very crucial to make the decision.

“It’s not guaranteed yet. Hopefully he’ll get better every week and we’ll see how he recovers. I really want him to run against top quality gallopers, like Golden Sixty, so he can get experience for that. Once he gets that experience, I think he’ll be a better horse next season.”

Ng, who leads the premiership with 55 wins, confirmed Shinn would return to Hong Kong to ride Galaxy Patch if he ran in the Champions Mile.

Galaxy Patch has burst on the scene with a superb debut season, which started with victories in four of his first five starts.

The four-year-old also stamped himself as a future star with a fast-finishing second to California Spangle in the Group One Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1,400m) on March 10.

Meanwhile, Golden Sixty started his build up to the Champions Mile in a Sha Tin trial last Tuesday, running on comfortably late for third under regular rider Vincent Ho Chak-yiu.

Francis Lui Kin-wai’s superstar will have one more trial before he attempts to win the Champions Mile for a record-extending fourth consecutive year.

The winner of a record HK$165.8 million in prize money hasn’t raced since his spectacular Group One Longines Hong Kong Mile triumph last December, with a left foreleg injury on January 3 leading to a short stint on the sidelines.

Ho will make his own return from injury at Happy Valley tomorrow night when he rides Caspar Fownes-trained pair Noble Pursuit and Atomic Force.

The 33-year-old hasn’t ridden since sustaining neck and finger injuries in a race fall from Romantic Charm at Sha Tin on January 24.

In other Champions Day news, connections of Japanese star Obamburumai have accepted an invitation to run in the Champions Mile.

The Keiji Yoshimura-trained Obamburumai has won four races, including the Golden Eagle (1,500m) at Rosehill last year, and was an unlucky 13th in Saturday’s Group One Doncaster Mile (1,600m) at Randwick.

Connections of fellow Japanese galloper Sunrise Ronaldo have accepted an invitation to run in the Group One Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1,200m) on Champions Day.

The Shogo Yasuda-trained Sunrise Ronaldo, a winner at four of 17 starts, ran third to Win Marvel in the Hankyu Cup (1,400m) at Hanshin in his latest appearance.

The Champions Day fields will be announced tomorrow, with dual Group One winner Dubai Honour and Prognosis also among those confirmed.