Can Cruz trio topple Bundle Award in Queen Mother Memorial Cup?

Tony Cruz will bid for a remarkable sixth HK$4.2 million G3 Queen Mother Memorial Cup Handicap (2400m) victory when he saddles a trio of runners in the staying feature at Sha Tin on May 4.

A legendary figure in Hong Kong as a six-time champion jockey and dual champion trainer, Cruz has posted a combined 2,498 wins in Hong Kong racing — 946 as a rider and 1,552 as a trainer — and has won virtually all of the city’s elite feature races, often on multiple occasions.

Cruz, 68, hopes to add to his tally this weekend when he chases a fifth victory as a trainer in the Queen Mother Memorial Cup with La City Blanche and Five G Patch – who finished first and second, respectively, in last season’s running of the race – and Winning Dragon.

Cruz won the Queen Mother Memorial Cup as a jockey on Always Win in 1988 for Lawrie Fownes before striking as a trainer with Supreme Rabbit (2003), Super Pistachio (2011), Exultant (2018) and La City Blanche (2024).

Cruz’s trio will face three opponents – Bundle Award, Bravehearts and Noisy Boy – in preparation for potential tilts at HK$13 million G1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2400m) at Sha Tin on May 25, when international stars Dubai Honour, Stellenbosch and Al Riffa are entered to run, with champion miler Voyage Bubble also a likely starter.

John Size’s Bundle Award is the short-priced favourite tow in the Queen Mother Memorial Handicap, with Betway pricing it at 2.30 to win. Cruz’s trio La City Blanche, Five G Patch and Winning Dragon are paying 5.50, 7.00 and 7.50 respectively with horse racing betting sites.

Cruz bypassed last Sunday’s HK$28 million G1 QEII Cup (2000m) with La City Blanche, who will be ridden by Australian jockey Brenton Avdulla this weekend, Five G Patch (Hugh Bowman – does he make our top jockeys list?) and Winning Dragon (Alexis Badel) and hopes the decision pays off.

“I always seem to have a lot of stayers and I don’t want to miss this opportunity, I know they can win this type of race. I think Five G Patch is the best of my three horses, but Winning Dragon and La City Blanche can run well,” Cruz said.

“Last year, La City Blanche and Five G Patch had a great battle in the Queen Mother Memorial Cup and I think they will again.”

La City Blanche (135lb) and Five G Patch (135lb) top the weights for Sunday from Winning Dragon (125lb), Bundle Award (123lb), Noisy Boy (121lb) and Bravehearts (119lb).

Mark Newnham combines with Matthew Poon and Bravehearts, a Group 1 winner over 2400m in Argentina in 2022, who bids for his fourth win from only seven appearances this season.

“This race has always been on his agenda after his first couple of starts for me,” Newnham said. “He looks a horse who will run out a strong 2400m. You don’t get too many opportunities to do that in Hong Kong.

“I gave him a short break and then a ‘prep’ run two weeks ago and everything has gone smoothly. He’s got a nice, big relaxed stride. He saves energy during the race. I rode him work on Tuesday (29 April) and he strode through the line strongly and I’m happy with the way he’s going into it.”

Master trainer John Size chases a second win in the Queen Mother Memorial Cup with Bundle Award, having savoured success in the race with Dr Well under Chris Munce in 2006.

To be ridden by Zac Purton, Bundle Award steps to 2400m for the first time after showing strong staying promise with two wins up 1800m during his maiden Hong Kong campaign, which includes a seventh placing in the HK$26 million BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) behind Cap Ferrat.

“I’m confident he (Bundle Award) should be in the race, whether the race tests his stamina or not remains to be seen,” Size said. “I think he will acquit himself well, I think he’ll run well.

“He’s been good this season, he’s won a race and done everything right. He qualified himself for the Derby and he ran well in that, so I think he’s been good.”

Dennis Yip will be represented by Noisy Boy on Sunday as he seeks a third success in the Queen Mother Memorial Cup, having won it as a jockey on Wonderful World in 1991 and as a trainer with Fat Choy Ichiban in 2010.

Noisy Boy, a two-time winner this season up to 2200m, will be ridden by Jerry Chau from barrier four.

Sha Tin’s 11-race card on Sunday (4 May) starts with the Tsim Sha Tsui Plate (1000m) for Griffins at 12.30pm local time.