The AP25000 Cross-Country Chronicles

Chris Waller concedes “it looks a tough ask” to beat Ka Ying Rising as Sydney’s leading trainer bids to dethrone the Hong Kong champion with a dual-pronged assault on Saturday’s Group One The Everest (1,200m) at Randwick. New Zealand-born Waller will saddle top sprinter Joliestar and Angel Capital in the A$20 million (HK$109.87 million) feature, but he rates Ka Ying Rising as clearly the horse to beat despite the prospect of an unsuitable wet track. A sensational winner of 21 consecutive races,...

South Korea’s football association has told fans to stop “excessive personal attacks”, warning of the “psychological burden” they could inflict on national team players in the crosshairs since their World Cup flop. Hong Myung-bo quit as coach after the team failed to advance past the group stage in North America, and Spanish interim manager Robert Moreno is awaiting word on a possible extension. With the Asian Cup scheduled to take place in January in Saudi Arabia, the national side are engulfed...

It has been a busy start to the season for Andrea Atzeni and he is looking to continue some strong early momentum with the likes of Wukong Jewellery, Californiatotality and Red Brick Warrior at Happy Valley on Wednesday night. The Sardinian has ridden seven winners so far this season from 84 rides, the same number of mounts as champion jockey Zac Purton, and he is grateful for the support as looks to consolidate last season’s career-best tally of 63 winners. “The support is coming in and has...

Explaining his aversion to socialising, Vincent Ho Chak-yiu was suitably succinct. “When I have to talk, it’s a lot of effort,” he told the South China Morning Post. “Harder than riding a horse, for sure.” It is logical that one of Hong Kong’s greatest jockeys feels most contented on horseback. When Ho begins speaking, though, the personal takes and tales roll off his tongue. He relives the day in New Zealand that he “felt completely dead” after riding 39 horses, explains how he bounced back...

Explaining his aversion to socialising, Vincent Ho Chak-yiu was suitably succinct. “When I have to talk, it’s a lot of effort,” he told the South China Morning Post. “Harder than riding a horse, for sure.” It is logical that one of Hong Kong’s greatest jockeys feels most contented on horseback. When Ho begins speaking, though, the personal takes and tales roll off his tongue. He relives the day in New Zealand that he “felt completely dead” after riding 39 horses, explains how he bounced back...

Chinese Basketball Association president Guo Zhenming addressed the national team’s struggles on Monday afternoon, warning that the domestic league had reached a critical juncture in its bid to improve standards in the country. Speaking at the season launch press conference, Guo placed the burden of accountability squarely on the domestic competition as he discussed the state of the national squad. “We must clearly recognise that Chinese basketball is at a critical juncture of climbing a slope...

Jay Rooney LE ZONDA - R6 (7) In terrific form at present and looks very hard to beat once again   Owen Goulding FORERUNNER - R4 (2) Ran an enormous race from miles back on return and draws much better tonight   Paul Lally CHINA WIN - R8 (9) Fitter for last start and drawn to get a good run under the champion jockey   Phillip Woo SHOOTING TO TOP - R3 (2) Racing well and is a huge chance from gate two with Zac Purton aboard again   Trackwork Spy CLOUD NINE - R7 (5) Beaten by a short head on return...

Tai Po have hauled Gabriel Mesquita over the coals after he posted a racially sensitive message on social media, issuing the teenage midfielder with a formal written warning and indefinitely suspending him from first-team training and matches. Brazilian Mesquita, who joined the local Premier League club as a free agent this summer, aggressively bit back after a Threads user wrote “Gweilo will always be Gweilo” in response to the player posting an image of his Hong Kong identity card application...

A wide draw in barrier 11 failed to dampen David Hayes’ enthusiasm with Ka Ying Rising, but the prospect of a wet track in Saturday’s Group One The Everest (1,200m) at Randwick is more of a concern for the champion trainer. Ka Ying Rising was dealt the second widest gate at Tuesday night’s barrier draw at Luna Park on the Sydney Harbour, but Hayes was looking at the positives as his superstar sprinter bids to become the first horse to win the prized race from barrier 11. “I know Zac [Purton]...

Freshly crowned China Open champion Zheng Qinwen will be hoping to keep her renaissance on the court going when she makes her debut at the Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open in November. Zheng will be joined by Venus Williams, who is returning for the third time, and Alexandra Eala. The 24-year-old became the first Chinese player to clinch the Beijing title on Sunday and also made it to the US Open quarter-finals, losing to eventual champion Elena Rybakina in September. “I am delighted to be...

Gianni Infantino could survive weeks of criticism and secure re-election as Fifa president in the absence of a heavy hitter to challenge him, observers have said. The 56-year-old Swiss has lost the support of many associations in his bid to be re-elected to a fourth and final term since he launched and then hastily shelved his plan to allow private investment into the World Cup. Infantino, though, does crucially retain his core support in Africa and South America. His Fifa Forward Enterprise...

There were many reasons for Hong Kong to celebrate the recent Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. From the most golds won to bringing home a record-breaking number of medals, the city generally fared well at the multi-sport event. Whether it was the 11 golds or the 54 medals from the city’s athletes playing in 14 sports, some sports, notably sailing, were the biggest winners of all, with four golds and 10 medals overall. Fencing, swimming, cycling, karate and squash all won their fair share of medals,...