Horse Racing

Racing News

Season

Road to the Derby: Me Tsui holds high hopes for Pope Cody

Font Size

09/03/2026 18:52

Pope Cody opens his Hong Kong account this term.

In the 12th instalment of The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Road to the Derby series, we zoom in on the galloper Me Tsui hopes will become his first BMW Hong Kong Derby runner since Wah May Star ran 11th in 2013.

Pope Cody entered this year’s Four-Year-Old Classic Series in the second leg, the HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) on 1 March, and showed he belongs in that company with a solid sixth, three and a quarter lengths off impressive winner Stormy Grove.
With the 149th HK$26 million BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) on 22 March less than a fortnight away, Tsui is dreaming of Derby glory with just his second runner in the city’s most prestigious race.

“It’s been more than 10 years so it’s exciting for me,” he said. “He has a Derby entry and we will see if he makes it in or not.”

Pope Cody was one of the lowest-rated gallopers to sneak into the Classic Cup on a mark of 76, and he again looks like he’ll be vying for a Derby position with a number of other hopefuls, though his prospects of making the field appear reasonable.

A product of Queensland in Australia, Pope Cody had five starts at five different tracks around that state, winning three times before being acquired by Hong Kong owner Cheng Chak Yin.

Pope Cody finished sixth in the Hong Kong Classic Cup.

While he has only saluted once from 15 Hong Kong starts, he’s been nothing if not consistent and has missed the top six only three times while amassing HK$4.35 million in prize money, including a Private Purchase Bonus of HK$1.5 million for his Class 3 1600m victory in September last year.

While Pope Cody’s win and two placings this season have come at a mile, he’s raced three times over 1800m and performed admirably each time.

“I think he will handle the 2000m no worries and if he gets into the Derby, I think he’s a chance,” Tsui said.

“He ran well (in the Classic Cup) and he always performs consistently. He maintains his form.”

Me Tsui is a senior trainer in Hong Kong.

Tsui will be hoping the Queensland connection can serve him well come Derby day, with another product of the Sunshine State, jockey James Orman, to retain the ride aboard Pope Cody after partnering the son of Showtime in all 15 of his Hong Kong starts and also three times in Australia.

While Tsui was also hoping to see Natural Numbers thrust himself into Derby calculations at Sha Tin on Sunday, the 73-rated galloper could only manage 11th in a race won by fellow four-year-old Endued.

Endued also looks unlikely to have the rating to make the Derby field, jumping to only 72 on Monday; and Fortune Boy moved to a mark of 73 for his fourth from outside the handicap in Sunday’s Class 2 1800m contest.

Winning Ovation was another notable four-year-old victor from the weekend, and he now boasts a rating of 82, although he did not hold a Derby nomination at the second stage of entries. The third stage of entries closed on Monday.

Looking forward, Le Zonda, Enthusium and China Win could potentially propel themselves into the Derby reckoning with big showings in Wednesday night’s (11 March) Class 3 Lyttelton Handicap (1800m) at Happy Valley.

The Contenders

Name	Rating	Trainer	Owner	Record	Country of Origin	Import Type
Little Paradise	103	Jimmy Ting	Ko Kam Piu	6-1-1-10	Australia	PPG
Numbers	100	Frankie Lor	23/24 Frankie Lor Fu Chuen Trainer Syndicate	2-0-1-4	New Zealand	PP
Sagacious Life	97	Pierre Ng	Leslie Lui Chi Yuen	2-0-0-5	Brazil	PP
Invincible Ibis	94	Mark Newnham	Ibis Syndicate	4-3-1-9	Australia	PPG
Infinite Resolve	89	Mark Newnham	Absolute Return Syndicate	1-4-2-10	Australia	PP
Patch Of Cosmo	89	Manfred Man	Simon Yeung Chun Kin	5-0-1-14	New Zealand	PPG
Beauty Bolt	88	Tony Cruz	Eleanor Kwok Law Kwai Chun & Patrick Kwok Ho Chuen	2-3-2-9	Ireland	PP
Top Dragon	87	Chris So	Vincent To Wai Keung, Kenneth To Kin Ting & Ronald To Yiu Ting	3-4-2-13	Australia	PPG
Regal Gem	85	Frankie Lor	Everest Syndicate	3-2-1-12	Great Britain	PP
Akashvani	82	David Hayes	Prem Fathechand Melwani	3-1-2-15	Australia	PPG
Dazzling Fit	80	David Eustace	David Ho & Liann Ho	3-1-2-11	New Zealand	PPG

Pope Cody	76	Me Tsui	Cheng Chak Yin	1-1-1-15	Australia	PP