Tony Cruz will target Hong Kong’s elite 2000m races with Stunning Peach after the Irish-bred fulfilled long-held promise with dramatic victory in the HK$3.12 million Class 2 The Year Of The Horse Cup Handicap (1600m) at Sha Tin on Thursday (19 February).

Ridden by Angus Chung, Stunning Peach (116lb) fended off a desperate late challenge from Top Dragon (118lb) to triumph by a short head in 1m 33.95s, with Regal Gem (119lb) third, as dual Hong Kong champion trainer Cruz posted his third win in the race previously known as the Chinese New Year Cup.

Settling sixth, Stunning Peach speared into clear running entering the straight and forged to the lead at the 300m, only to be challenged by the luckless Top Dragon, who had to change course before unleashing a rousing finish under Maxime Guyon. Under desperate riding from Chung, Stunning Peach prevailed.

Having added Stunning Peach’s name to the race winners’ list, joining former Cruz gallopers Penglai Xianzi (2013) and Beauty Smile (2021), Cruz outlined ambitious plans for the Wootton Bassett gelding.

“I’ve got big ideas for him. I always thought he was a good horse. He got injured (in 2024) at Happy Valley and now he’s fully recovered I’m aiming for the top – I’m aiming for Group races in Hong Kong and when he wins Group races, I would consider looking overseas with this horse.

“He had a light weight today. The last time he ran he had 135 (lb). Today, he had 116 (lb) – that tells the tale,” Cruz said. “With that light weight, these other horses don’t stand a chance. He was getting weight off every horse.

“Angus rode a perfect race from his good draw (barrier four) and the weight was such a big advantage today – it was massive even though the distance was too short.”

Formerly trained by Joseph O’Brien in Ireland, where he raced as Islandsinthestream, the bay twice finished runner-up in Group 1 contests in France and Ireland before export to Hong Kong, where he has now posted two wins for prizemoney of HK$7.8 million – including a Top-Up Bonus of HK$1.5 million for today’s success.

Cruz sealed a double when Gentlemen Legacy (135lb) claimed the Class 3 Red Packet Handicap (2000m) under Hugh Bowman, defeating stablemate Liveandletlive (131lb) by a nose.

Francis Lui compared Hot Delight (119lb) to retired champion and winner of 10 Group 1s, Golden Sixty, after the three-year-old underlined his rich talent with a brilliant win in the first section of the Class 3 Yue Yee Handicap (1200m) under Vincent Ho to maintain his unbeaten record after two starts.

Stepping up in class, the Too Darn Hot gelding sat outside the leader before sweeping to an unextended two-and-three-quarters length margin over Armour War Eagle (118lb) in 1m 09.04s, clocking 22.01s for the final 400m, prompting Lui to declare Hot Delight superior to Golden Sixty at the same stage of their careers.

“He’s a nice horse. He needs to improve but the way he runs, he looks like he’s better than Golden Sixty at the same stage. He’s learning – especially after his first run, he’s more relaxed. I think that’s the main thing for a young horse,” he said.

“He’ll have one or two more runs (this season). We won’t push him too hard. I think even up to a mile will be no problem.”

Lui stablemate Baby Sakura (128lb) also created a good impression with success under James Orman in the second section of the Class 4 Fat Choi Handicap (1200m).

“I trialled him maybe three times in Conghua and he’s a nice horse,” Orman said. “The wide gate (barrier 11) was a bit of a worry, but he got across well and he’ll only improve off that. He’s still quite new. He’s a lovely, progressive horse.”

Jubilant Winner (118lb) provided Jamie Richards with his 100th Hong Kong winner when Alexis Badel piloted the Capitalist gelding to an emphatic victory in the Class 3 Yue Yee Handicap (1200m) as Caspar Fownes took the lead in the trainers’ championship when Zousain debutant Papaya Brose (127lb) struck in the third section of the Class 4 Fat Choi Handicap (1200m) under Hugh Bowman.

The four-time champion trainer Fownes moved to 36 wins for the campaign, one more than Mark Newnham.

Hong Kong International Sale graduate Circuit Champion (131lb) swept to an easy win in the first section of the Class 4 Fat Choi Handicap (1200m), scoring for Keith Yeung as Danny Shum slotted his 32nd victory of the campaign to remain in contention for the trainers’ championship.

Aeroinvincible (128lb) returned to the winners’ arch for the time since 2024 with an all-the-way success in the Class 4 Prosperity Handicap (1400m) for Pierre Ng and Andrea Atzeni before David Eustace’s Riding Together (125lb) resisted all pursuers under Dylan Browne McMonagle to close the meeting with success in the Class 3 Kut Cheong Handicap (1400m).

The honour of winning the first race in the Lunar Year of the Horse fell to Jimmy Ting’s Come Fast Fay Fay (133lb), who charged late under Richard Kingscote to land the Class 5 Kung Hei Handicap (1200m) before Michael Chang-trained Flying Boom (122lb) under Matthew Poon edged out Glorious Success (129lb) to clinch the Class 4 Lucky Star Handicap (1600m).

Hong Kong racing continues at Sha Tin on Sunday (22 February) with the HK$13 million G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m), where Ka Ying Rising will aim to secure an 18th consecutive win.