Second stage entries released on Monday morning with Sky Darci, Excellent Proposal & Lucky Express heading ratings

A total of 40 four-year-olds remain in contention for this year’s Hong Kong Derby (Listed, 2000m) which will be run at Sha Tin on March 21 with the second stage entries released by the Hong Kong Jockey Club on Monday.

The highest rated horse is the Caspar Fownes-trained Sky Darci (Darci Brahma) who has a rating of 103. The New Zealand-bred gelding, who was bought for NZ$160,000 at Book 1 of New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2018 Karaka sale, has won five times from ten starts in Hong Kong and finished second in the Challenge Cup (Gr 3, 1400m) at Sha Tin on New Year’s Day. 

Meanwhile John Size’s Excellent Proposal (Exceed And Excel) (101) and Lucky Express (Toronado) (97) also feature in the nominations. Australian-bred gelding Excellent Proposal was last seen taking out the Hong Kong Classic Mile (Gr 1, 1600m) at Sha Tin on January 24 and was formerly trained in Australia by Richard and Michael Freedman while his stable mate, Lucky Express, finished second to him in the Group 1 last start. 

Fownes and Tony Cruz are the most represented trainers, each with six horses entered whilst David Hayes has four four-year-olds remaining in contention. Click here to view the entries.