Sky Darci Claims Rich Hong Kong Derby

Royal Ascot winner Russian Emperor (Galileo-Atlantic Jewel, by Fastnet Rock) came within inches of winning last night’s 2021 BMW Hong Kong Derby (2400m) at Sha Tin, narrowly losing out to the Joao Moreira-ridden Sky Darci (Darci Brahma-Strictly Maternal, by O’Reilly) by a head. The ex Aidan O’Brien-trained son of Galileo and former Australian Champion Atlantic Jewel, who won the Group 3 Hampton Court Stakes last June, finished faster than any other horse, but couldn’t reel in the eventual winner of Hong Kong’s premier prize for 4YOs which is worth over $4 million in prize money. It was an emotional second win in the race for ‘Magic Man’ Moreira, who celebrated his first Derby success aboard the ill-fated Rapper Dragon in 2017. “I knew they (rival runners) were coming, they were good horses as well. He’s not a specialist 2000 metre horse, in my opinion, but he’s got heart and even if they were coming, he was giving his best”, said Moreira. “This is the first Classic that I’ve had for him (Fownes). I haven’t had too many rides in the big races for him and he’s a tough trainer, he’s won the championship a number of times, he’s won the Derby before and this is such a great training achievement. It was a red-letter day for Jockeys’ Championship leader Moreira, who chalked up his one hundredth win of the season in Race 7, before following up with the Derby (Race 8) and then completing a hat-trick in Race 9.

Jaoa Moreira and Sky Darci claimed the Hong Kong Derby (pic: hkjc.com)