David Hayes heads into Sunday’s (23 November) HK$5.35 million G2 BOCHK Private Banking Jockey Club Sprint (1200m) at Sha Tin with perhaps the two leading chances: Hong Kong Horse of the Year (2024/25) and five-time Group 1 winner, Ka Ying Rising, plus seasoned veteran, Tomodachi Kokoroe, who has embarked on a stunning rise from Class 2 to Group 2 with three wins from three starts this season.

“We’ll see him against the champ. I knew I’d have the leading sprinter, but Tomodachi Kokoroe, well it’s incredible,” Hayes said. “It took him eight starts to win in Class 4, and as a seven-year-old now, he’s arguably inside the top three sprinters in Hong Kong. He’s a revelation – a fantastic horse.”

Tomodachi Kokoroe won nicely first-up in Class 2, but what followed was remarkable. He followed his return success with another win, earning a shot at October’s HK$5.35 million G2 Premier Bowl Handicap (1200m), a race he blitzed in 1m 07.39s – the second-fastest 1200m time in Hong Kong racing history behind Ka Ying Rising (1m 07.20s) – to crown his extraordinary turnaround. 

“He’s always shown he’s a good horse, but he’s a horse like so many, who just took that time at the start to adjust to Hong Kong. We’re training him the same, but the one thing that has made a massive difference is the one-eyed blinker,” Hayes said.

Hayes, 63, added the ‘blinker with one cowl only’ to Tomodachi Kokoroe four starts ago. Before that, his most recent victory was in February, 2024 at Happy Valley. Raced by the Tak Sum Syndicate, Tomodachi Kokoroe’s unlikely emergence this season has lifted his rating from 84 to 110 in Hong Kong.  

Hayes saddles Straight Arron in the HK$5.35 million G2 BOCHK Jockey Club Cup (2000m) with Vincent Ho booked to ride. An earner of HK$21.4 million, the dual Group 2-winning son of Fastnet Rock began his career in Hong Kong with Hayes before being transferred after three starts. 

“He always had the potential to be one of Hong Kong’s top middle-distance horses, and when he left, he hadn’t got to that stage, but he’s a very similar horse now – he arrived in the stable in very good order,” Hayes said. “I thought his first-up run was terrific; he got back and ran home strongly.”

Straight Arron was a resuming fourth in October’s HK$5.35 million G2 Sha Tin Trophy Handicap (1600m). He trialled recently, and Hayes is weighing up either the HK$40 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m) or HK$26 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m) as his December target.

“His trial was really good. He followed Voyage Bubble around and tracked him nicely. We’re going to run on the weekend and then decide which is the target race,” Hayes said.

Harry Bentley rides Tomodachi Kokoroe, while at Happy Valley on Wednesday evening (19 November), he pairs with Romantic Son in the Class 3 Cotton Handicap (1200m), also trained by Hayes.

“I’m really looking forward to partnering up with him (Tomodachi Kokoroe) again. It’s a tough ask against Ka Ying Rising, but I am really excited for the challenge. He’s in really good order,” Bentley said. 

Bentley seeks a second triumph with Romantic Son (123lb) tomorrow night against 11 rivals.

“He’s (Romantic Son) in good form. He’s finally drawn a nice barrier (one) and that’s going to certainly help him. He’s coming into the race with pretty good form. He’s finished off his last couple of races well, so with a nice trip, I’m hopeful of a good run,” Bentley said. “We know he’s up to it.”

Bentley’s book of seven mounts rounds off with two-time winner, Flying Fortress (132lb), for trainer Cody Mo in the Class 3 Causeway Bay Handicap (1650m). 

“The 1650 (metres) at Happy Valley has suited him previously. We know he goes around the track, and he’s another horse where there’s probably more to come as well. I’d look for a good run,” the Englishman added. 

Wednesday night’s (19 November) nine-race fixture at Happy Valley begins at 6.40pm with the second section of the Class 4 So Kon Po Handicap (1200m).