Tony Cruz will bid for a remarkable sixth HK$4.2 million G3 Queen Mother Memorial Cup Handicap (2400m) victory when he saddles a trio of runners in the staying feature at Sha Tin on Sunday (4 May).
A legendary figure in Hong Kong as a six-time champion jockey and dual champion trainer, Cruz has posted a combined 2,498 wins in Hong Kong – 946 as a rider and 1,552 as a trainer – and has won virtually all of the city’s elite feature races, often on multiple occasions.
Cruz, 68, hopes to add to his tally this weekend when he chases a fifth victory as a trainer in the Queen Mother Memorial Cup with La City Blanche and Five G Patch – who finished first and second, respectively, in last season’s running of the race – and Winning Dragon.
Cruz won the Queen Mother Memorial Cup as a jockey on Always Win in 1988 for Lawrie Fownes before striking as a trainer with Supreme Rabbit (2003), Super Pistachio (2011), Exultant (2018) and La City Blanche (2024).
Cruz’s trio will face three opponents – Bundle Award, Bravehearts and Noisy Boy – in preparation for potential tilts at HK$13 million G1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2400m) at Sha Tin on 25 May, when international stars Dubai Honour, Stellenbosch and Al Riffa are entered to run, with champion miler Voyage Bubble also a likely starter.
Cruz bypassed last Sunday’s HK$28 million G1 FWD QEII Cup (2000m) with La City Blanche, who will be ridden by Brenton Avdulla this weekend, Five G Patch (Hugh Bowman) and Winning Dragon (Alexis Badel) and hopes the decision pays off.
“I always seem to have a lot of stayers and I don’t want to miss this opportunity, I know they can win this type of race. I think Five G Patch is the best of my three horses, but Winning Dragon and La City Blanche can run well,” Cruz said.
“Last year, La City Blanche and Five G Patch had a great battle in the Queen Mother Memorial Cup and I think they will again.”
La City Blanche (135lb) and Five G Patch (135lb) top the weights for Sunday from Winning Dragon (125lb), Bundle Award (123lb), Noisy Boy (121lb) and Bravehearts (119lb).