The 2025 Hong Kong Derby may only have been run and won on Sunday but owners are already eyeing off prospects for next year’s Derby after Shanwah emerged as a candidate in Melbourne over the weekend.
Shanwah, currently trained by Ciaron Maher, will continue his career in Hong Kong after his next start in the G1 Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick on April 5 under a deal accepted by his original owners Kevin and Vikki Payne.
Idol Horse understands that Shanwah was secured in a deal in excess of A$2 million. The son of Too Darn Hot won the G2 Alister Clark Stakes (2040m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday under Ethan Brown, who wore the Paynes’ yellow and green colours, but the gelding will switch to different colours in the Australian Derby before he is exported to Hong Kong.
“Thankfully, the clients that bought into him allowed him to stay in Australia to run in the Alister Clark and then the Derby in Sydney,” Maher’s assistant trainer Jack Turnbull told Idol Horse. “He’s a very professional individual, he’s got very good tactical speed, he’s a fast ground horse. In terms of behaviour, now that he’s a gelding, he’s very straightforward, very sound in the mind. I could confidently say that he could cop the environment mentally and would suit the system over there.
“Ethan got off and said he feels that if he had something to go with him, he would pick up again. He has really been dominant at his last couple – I’m not sure if they’re the top-liners of his generation but we will definitely find out when we go to Sydney for the Derby. What we do know is that he’s been running very good figures and beating the Victorian three-year-olds very comfortably.”
Shanwah will be aiming to become the first ever Alister Clark winner to make the Hong Kong Derby field. However, 2013 winner Philippi and 2019 victor Global Exchange both ran in the Classic Cup under the names Vanilla and Enjoying respectively.
Ruthven and Ambitious General, who both finished fourth in the Derby, also came through the Alister Clark.
Third-placed Statuario caught the eye down the outside and Matt Sellick, representing owners Toward Reward Thoroughbreds, said that as a syndicate horse, it can be tricky to get a majority required to sell unless the right offer came through.
“The number one priority at Toward Reward is to get the best possible result for our clients, so all offers are always considered and put out for a vote with the ownership group,” he said. “We received a couple of lower-range offers from Hong Kong earlier in his career, which were subsequently knocked back by the owners, but every horse has a price. The bigger the ownership group, the harder they are to buy, and he’s got over 30 owners.
“He came through the run well so we will decide next week whether we press on to the Australian Derby, head to the South Australian Derby or go elsewhere. He is a lovely horse and he is giving all of his owners a great thrill.”
Also run in Australia on Saturday was the G1 Rosehill Guineas (2000m), a race that has been a strong guide to the Hong Kong Derby. Like the Alister Clark, no winner has progressed to the Derby but the Guineas has produced Derby winners including 2025 hero Cap Ferrat, who was third behind Riff Rocket and Ceolwulf last year.
Before him, Furore was also third in the Rosehill Guineas in 2018 before winning at Sha Tin in 2019.
The most prominent Hong Kong horse to come through the Rosehill Guineas was Beauty Generation, who finished second to Tarzino in 2016. He would finish third to Rapper Dragon in the 2017 Hong Kong Derby before a remarkable career as a miler.
This year’s Rosehill Guineas winner Broadsiding is not for sale, nor is runner-up Aeliana, and they are set for potentially lucrative four-year-old seasons in Australia. However, those in behind could potentially find themselves in contention for the 2026 Hong Kong Derby.
Prominent owner Rupert Legh, who won the 2016 G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize with Chautauqua, had third Swiftfalcon, trained by Michael, Wayne and John Hawkes, and fourth Plymouth, prepared by Ballymore Stables’ Glen Thompson, in his navy and gold colours.
Swiftfalcon is set to step out next in the G1 Doncaster Mile on the same day as the Australian Derby with only 49kg, although his toughest battle may be making the field in the first place. Long term, he is likely to be aimed at the rich Golden Eagle (1500m) in October.
Plymouth has attracted comparisons to Merion, who raced in the same colours for Thompson’s former training partner, the late Michael Moroney. Merion was sold to James Lau and Alice Woo, who had Hong Kong Derby heartbreak of their own this year when their South African import Mondial was controversially omitted from the final field.
However, Ballymore Stables racing manager Anthony Feroce said it was unlikely that Plymouth would follow the same trajectory.
“Plymouth will run in the Derby,” Feroce said. “At this stage, we’d have to think it is unlikely that he will be sold to Hong Kong.”
Rosehill Guineas sixth Majorca Sunset will not push onto the Australian Derby, but trainer Bjorn Baker believes that he would make an ideal type for next year’s Hong Kong Derby.
“We’d be open to offers for sure,” Baker said. “He’ll go for a good spell now, but he’s a nice horse and he’s still immature. I think this time next year, he’ll be twice the horse.”
Highly touted Kiwi raider Checkmate, who finished eighth at the end of a long preparation for trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott, is another whose three-year-old season is done and dusted, having returned to New Zealand after Saturday’s effort.
Imports already in Hong Kong who may aim at the Derby include dual Brazilian Group 1 victor Snowfield, Australian Group 2 placegetter Anode and British Group 3 winners Make You Smile and Symbol Of Strength.
A number of three-year-old griffins – those that arrived in Hong Kong unraced – have already put themselves into the picture through their exploits, including the Manfred Man-trained Patch Of Cosmo and John Size pair Juneau Pride and Sky Jewellery ∎
