Chengdu’s CEA National Tour Final became a centre of celebration for the China Horse Club in its first season of racing on the circuit when its China based racing team dominated the meet. At a festival drawing the best performed runners from the CEA season the CHC claimed:
- 1st 3000m CEA National Tour Final: North Dakota
- 1st 2000m CEA National Tour Final: La Casino
- 1st 2000m flat race winner: Beat of the Drum
- 2nd 1000m CEA National Tour Final: Vinson Massif
- Best Groom Horse: Vinson Massif
- Champion Jockey: Chen Li
CHC Trainer, Quinton Cassidy receiving the Best Groom Horse Award(Vinson Massif) and Jockey Chen Li with the Champion Jockey Award
“The CEA National Tour Final has been a goal of the CHC’s since our inception. We know how hard other clubs work to bring horses here at their peak and it is exceedingly rewarding to see how we measure up against them,” said Eden Harrington, General Manager for the China Horse Club.
“Success on this level at Chengdu and previously at Wuhan is a great result for our members. Great occasions are always enjoyed and they are enjoyed more with great race results like this. It is a credit to our entire team in China headed by Quinton Cassidy, our head trainer.
“Many are watching the outcome of Chengdu and hopefully our results will motivate not only our team going forward but also other clubs as we head into 2015.”
CHC Jockey, Chen Li with North Dakota(No 7) to the finished line of the 3000m race
North Dakota and La Casino put the stamp on an exceptional weekend at Chengdu with success over 3000m and 2000m respectively in the National Tour Finals. North Dakota has blossomed late in the season and his triumph was an exhibition of grit, determination and flourishing talent to overcome a torrid run in transit and still win.
CHC Jockey, Chen Li with La Casino (No 1) and CHC Jockey QIn Yong with Beat of the Drum(No 11) to the finishing line of the 2000m race
La Casino, a project for trainer Cassidy earlier in the year, crystalized the middle distance talents he sensed during CECF Hohhot when accounting for all rivals over 2000m. A series of other stable stars were unlucky not to finish on the podium after striking bad luck.
“I couldn’t be more proud of the all the team and all of our horses. It is a great achievement for a club that only began racing on the CEA circuit six months ago,” said Cassidy.
Vinson Massif, Best Groom Horse with CHC Jockey Qin Yong
“I cannot speak highly enough of the work produced by the barn staff over the last year, each one has developed individually and each has helped our racehorses develop. Our jockeys have also made wonderful progress especially in the last few months. Chengdu is a reward for so much hard work and dedication.”
At the last two meetings at Wuhan and Chengdu the CHC has won six races, collected a series of placings and been crowned champion club at Wuhan.
