Singapore

Such was the influence that kiwi trainer Laurie Laxon had in Singapore racing that trainers, jockeys & officials paused for a minutes silence for the legendary trainer who passed away during the week. Laxon trained 1263 winners from 2000-2017 and was crowned champion trainer on nine occasions

Donna Logan trained three winners and Mark Walker one winner on Sunday night.

Hong Kong

Hong Kong racing season came to a close last week. The first meeting in the new season is on September 5th.

Hong Kong Jockey Club reported their highest ever turnover figures. HK$136 billion (NZ$25 billion) has been wagered across the season’s 88 race meetings, and increase of 12%. Marking the first time that turnover has risen above the HK$130 billion mark.

Ex-pat kiwi trainer Paul O’Sullivan finished the season with 26 winners and 52 placegetters from 377 runners. O’Sullivan has now trained a total of 492 winners in Hong Kong since relocating there in 2004.

Japan

With no Group Ones until early October in Japan, there are only G2 and G3 races every Sunday until then, yesterday was the running of the G3 Hakodate Kinen (2000m) which was impressively won by Tosen Surya. The six-year-old could be an outside chance runner in the Cox Plate or Hong Kong. Arc’ nominated Meiner Virtus finished a disappointing eighth.

With Snowfall winning the Irish Oaks and becoming the 15th filly to complete the English-Irish Oaks double, it also meant that the great sire Deep Impact has now sired G1 winners in SEVEN countries.

Macau

This Sunday, is the running of the NZ$450,000 Macau Derby (2nd leg of the Macau Triple Crown) over 1800m. The one to beat will be Irish-bred 4yo City Gold, ridden by former kiwi rider Masa Tanaka. They took out the 1st leg, the Macau Guineas last month.

Korea

Cheongdam Dokki, one of Korea’s best racehorses for several seasons was sounding beaten by over six lengths, finishing fourth in the class 1 at Seoul on Sunday.