John Size won a 13th trainers’ premiership at Sha Tin on Sunday thanks to a treble on the night spearheaded by Bundle Award’s last-gasp win in the feature Class One Hong Kong Racehorse Owners Association Trophy (1,600m).
The 71-year-old entered the penultimate meeting of the season with a six-win lead over David Hayes but put the exclamation point on his season by sprinting into a nine-win lead to put the race beyond doubt.
With Hayes having entries in only eight of the nine races at Happy Valley on Wednesday, it left Size with an insurmountable lead and saw him crowned champion.
“There’s a lot of satisfaction in [winning] and probably something I’m very grateful to achieve,” Size said. “It’s a very strong and stiff competition and so therefore you have to rise up to it.
“As I’ve said before, I’m surprised that I’ve been so successful in Hong Kong. It’s always been a test of if I can keep performing at that level and so far I’ve been able to over 24 years and, God willing, if my health is still OK, I can do it for a little bit longer.”
Huuuuuuuuge finish! Bundle Award goes from last-to-first with @Atzenijockey to land the Hong Kong Racehorse Owners Association Trophy for John Size... 🏆#SeasonFinale | #HKracing pic.twitter.com/jhwf0s25vA
— HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) July 13, 2025
Sprinting home was also exactly what Bundle Award did after settling last in the feature and having a mountain to climb turning into the straight, still last as the field hit the 200m pole.
Andrea Atzeni was in no mood to be denied, however, and got everything required out of his mount to sprint past the entire field in a matter of strides for an emphatic success.
Hayes’ fleeting hopes of a comeback were dented in the first race of the day when Size’s Sight Dreamer landed the Class Five Miraculous Handicap (1,400m), once again ridden by Atzeni.
The Almanzor galloper enjoyed the perfect trip just ahead of midfield and after charging to the lead at the 300m peg, he had plenty in reserve to fend off Fight Time in the closing stages.
Size went two up on the evening when the aptly named Raging Rapids split horses to win the Class Four Medic Kingdom Handicap (1,400m) under Karis Teetan.
Superb ride, @KarisTeetan! 👊
— HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) July 13, 2025
Raging Rapids scores a first win at Sha Tin as John Size extends his trainers' championship lead to eight... #SeasonFinale | #HKracing pic.twitter.com/TFJoWhQdcL
Meanwhile, the race for the Tony Cruz Award was given some extra spice when Matthew Chadwick reduced Matthew Poon Ming-fai’s lead to one thanks to Devas Twelve’s triumph in the Class Four Pingwu Spark Handicap (1,400m).
The Chris So Wai-yin-trained five-year-old travelled kindly in second throughout the journey and after overhauling long-time leader Glaciated, he had plenty in reserve to fend off Pejibaye late on.
Derek Leung Ka-chun was also on the scoresheet thanks to Happy Universe’s win in the Class Four Solar Hei Hei Handicap (1,600m), meaning he will enter Happy Valley on Wednesday just two behind Poon.
It was another big night for champion jockey Zac Purton.
Unsurprisingly, there was a four-timer on the card for Zac Purton too, with Circuit Mighty’s gutsy win in the Class Five Mr Award Handicap (1,400m) putting trainer Manfred Man Ka-leung onto a career-best Hong Kong total.
The victory secured Man a 45-win season, while Purton also struck aboard the Jamie Richards-trained Bulb General in the Class Four Victory Marvel Handicap (1,200m) and Jimmy Ting Koon-ho’s Huge Wave in the Class Three Sight Winner Handicap (1,600m) – the second leg of a Ting double after Happy Universe’s earlier win.
His final win came in the last, with Beauty Bolt making it second time lucky with a late burst to win the Class Three All You Wish Handicap (1,400m) for trainer Tony Cruz.
