Cheng Toasts to Our Lucky Glory
The Toast Trust brand is starting to make inroads in Hong Kong, both on and off the track.
Three weeks after their Prawns Eleven scored for them in a Class 3 event at Sha Tin on March 3, the green and black hoops shone again at Happy Valley with Our Lucky Glory on March 27.
This time, Toast Trust Syndicate’s principal owner Constance Cheng was on hand to lead in the winner – their third in Hong Kong all-up.
“This is our third win in Hong Kong, but more importantly, it’s great to win for our syndication of owners,” said Cheng.
“Syndication is popular worldwide and is the way to go. More owners can afford to have a share in a horse and still enjoy the thrills of horse racing.
“Our winner on Wednesday, Our Lucky Glory, was actually our first Hong Kong winner back in 2022, on July 13.”
Then prepared by ex-multiple champion jockey Douglas Whyte, the Brazilian-bred has since moved to Jamie Richards, then Chris So, his current trainer.
Ridden by English jockey Harry Bentley in a Class 4 (1,200m), he came off a midfield spot to power through a gap at the 400m before getting the better of King Eccelente (Ellis Wong) by three parts of a length.
Bentley is fast becoming the “toast” of the happy owners as he was also aboard the Mark Newnham-trained Prawns Eleven at a win that did not bring them just cheers.
“Our second winner was Prawns Eleven. On top of prize money, we also won a bonus of HK1.5 million (S$259,000),” said Cheng.
“Any PP or Private Purchase is eligible for that one-time bonus if they win a Class 3 race when rated 60 or above.
“This is to encourage owners to buy young horses and help them recover their purchase costs.”
In Hong Kong, an owner must apply for a permit through an annual ballot in order to own and race a horse.
Buys are referred to as Privately Purchased Horse (PP), a raced horse who is younger than five years old, or Privately Purchased Griffin (PPG), an unraced griffin – two- or three-year-old.
Cheng is particularly proud that Toast Trust Syndicate, which was registered in Hong Kong in 2021, is also becoming the poster child of that ballot drive.
“Our Lucky Glory’s first win is featured in the Hong Kong Jockey Club video promoting that ballot, which closes on April 25,” she said.
More buzz is afoot for Cheng with the arrival of Silo. The former Kranji boom three-year-old landed in Hong Kong on March 1 and joined Newnham’s stables two weeks later, under the Toast Sports Trust Syndicate.
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