Hanley Best of Irish in Second Day of Hong Kong Masters

FORTY year-old Cameron Hanley proved best of the Irish in the second day (Saturday) of the hotly-contested Hong Kong Masters when taking a third place this morning in the Prix Euroasia jump-off class with Eleonore Paschoud and Yves Bouvier’s 13 year-old gelding Newton du Haut Bois.

The Mayo rider was one of ten combinations through to the jump off from a starting field of 20, and though posting a clear second round, failed to catch eventual Swiss winner Martin Fuchs and PSG Future, who stopped the clock two seconds ahead of the Irishman, to claim the 8,000 euro trophy.

Later today, Hanley and Antello Z were one of four Irish combinations to challenge for the Hong Kong Jockey Club trophy, but collected eight faults in the first round. Identical penalties were also incurred by Denis Lynch and All Inclusive NRW, Mark McAuley and Par Trois and Shane Breen and Farao van T Vennehof, excluding them all from taking part in the second round.

The Hong Kong Masters reaches its climax on Sunday, with the Longines Grand Prix offering a massive 500,000 euro prize purse.