Any owner, trainer or jockey in Hong Kong is eager to participate in one of the city’s most prestigious races – the BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m). Janice Cheng Po Hei and Patrick Kwok Ho Chuen, Members of Beauty Syndicate, are no exception and they are thrilled their four-year-old son of Starcraft secured a late admission ticket to the Classic, thanks to the horse’s impressive victory last Wednesday (12 March).

The 148th BMW Hong Kong Derby, carrying the total prize money of HK$26 million, will be held on Sunday (23 March) and today (Friday, 14 March), 14 youngsters were confirmed as starters in the BMW Hong Kong Derby. After a convincing win two days ago under Alexis Badel, Beauty Alliance’s rating climbed 12 points to 77, earning him a spot in the Derby.

Cheng said: “We are very happy to get the chance to run in the Derby as all along we believe Beauty Alliance has the ability. Patrick and me had been the racehorse owners for many years in Hong Kong and it is most delighted that our horse can be take part in it.”

Kwok also can’t hide his feeling and said: “Our horses had been selected in the Derby for a few times but frankly we are ‘ten-time’ more happy than before as not only last Wednesday meeting was the last race meeting before the selection announcement today, but also the race he won was indeed the last race of that meeting. All Members of the syndicate were very excited and were eagerly looking forward to a confirmation call next day. We were on top of the world.”

Though Beauty Alliance is the lowest-rated runner in the field, both Cheng and Kwok believe the horse has the stamina edge to run well in the Derby.

Cheng said: “We believe Beauty Alliance is a stayer and he had displayed his quality with big-margin wins in his recent two starts. As such, 2000m shouldn’t be a problem.”

Kwok shared Cheng’s view: “I would say that among those have stamina in this year’s Derby field, Beauty Alliance will be one of them. I think he can stay to 2000m or even 2400m. He is by Starcraft who was a winner up to 2400m, and I would reckon that Beauty Alliance is the type of one-paced but can run in a solid tempo.”

Alexis Badel will retain the ride in the BMW Hong Kong Derby as Cheng and Kwok are both pleased with the Frenchman’s riding performance last time and mentioned that Badel knows the horse well.

Kwok added that this year’s BMW Hong Kong Derby will mean a lot to the syndicate Members, as Beauty Alliance is the syndicate’s first runner in the Derby and also the syndicate consists many Members who are not from the Kwok’s family. “If we can win this time the excitement we get will definitely be more,” Kwok said.

Cheng described Beauty Alliance is a horse with plenty of fighting heart, while Kwok opined the horse always keeps improving. Kwok said: “He looked not that outstanding at the very first beginning among the same batch of horses we bought, but he keeps on improve and now he becomes the best one among that batch.”