3 minute read
Andrea Atzeni would love to tick off winning a Group 1 race in Hong Kong.
Well-versed in global competition, Atzeni has won big races all around the world and he is hopeful of carrying his red-hot recent form through to this weekend when he hops on Lucky With You in the HK$13 million G1 Centenary Sprint Cup (1200m) at Sha Tin.
"I didn't expect anything at all when I first came here. It would be great, I've ridden in Group 1 races but I have never won one in Hong Kong.
"He definitely has a live chance but it will be tough against one of the best sprinters we've seen – Lucky Sweynesse," Atzeni said.
Ahead of Sunday's (28 January) race meeting, Atzeni has seven wins from the last seven fixtures, including a HK$4.2 million G3 Chinese Club Challenge Cup Handicap (1400m) victory aboard Taj Dragon at Sha Tin on New Year's Day (1 January).
Starting at odds of 36/1, Lucky With You finished a surprise second last start behind Lucky Sweynesse in the HK$26 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) at Sha Tin.
"Hopefully he's improved, which he'll need to be, and hopefully we get a good draw with 13 entries. He's a horse who needs luck in running," Atzeni said.
The Italian rider is a top-level winner in Great Britain, France, Ireland, the United Arab Emirates, Canada and more. Atzeni has won once aboard Lucky With You , he also steered the bay into third place behind Lucky Sweynesse in a recent turf trial at Sha Tin.
"I was very happy with his trial. I thought he trialled very well, it seems as though he has come out of the Hong Kong Sprint nicely – he feels stronger to me," Atzeni said.
Atzeni is currently positioned fifth in the jockeys' championship with 22 wins.
Lucky Sweynesse, Wellington, Duke Wai, Taj Dragon, Super Wealthy, Packing Treadmill, Sight Success, Victor The Winner, Flying Ace, Whizz Kid, Son Pak Fu and Courier Wonder are also entered to run in the Centenary Sprint Cup.
Prior to taking up a Hong Kong contract this season, Atzeni is best known for associations with Postponed, Defoe, Kingston Hill and Simple Verse. He also partnered Stradivarius to consecutive G1 Goodwood Cup wins over two miles in 2017 and 2018.
