It took two days for second-season trainer Jamie Richards and former New Zealand champion jockey Danielle Johnson to settle on Spencer William Richards for the name of their baby boy.

“William is my middle name, my uncle’s middle name and my grandfather’s middle name, so he was going to be something William Richards, but Danielle wasn’t quite sure what his first name was going to be. She sorted that out last night. He arrived on the 21st – two days ago. We had a few different ideas but couldn’t settle on something,” Richards said.

“Danielle’s good. She’s a little bit sore, but she and Spencer will be home on Christmas Day. Danielle’s mother is coming up on about the 28th, so we’ll get Spencer home to Sha Tin and get him settled in. Hopefully, he’s a baby who doesn’t cry too much.”

Richards saddled six runners at Sha Tin on Saturday, but he did not celebrate at least one winner at a third consecutive meeting because his highest-placed finisher was Happy For All, who was third across the line in the Class Four Ivy Handicap (1,400m).

Jubilation again for Yeung

It speaks volumes for Keith Yeung Ming-lun’s sunny disposition that you wouldn’t have known he had gone 75 rides without a win before Class Four Amaryllis Handicap (2,000m) victor Jubilation snapped his losing streak in Saturday’s Sha Tin opener.

Yeung hadn’t visited the winner’s enclosure since the previous success of Jubilation on October 25, when the 35-year-old jockey and the five-year-old gelding combined to take out a Class Five all-weather event.

Following Jubilation’s one-and-a-half-length defeat of Wonder Years, Yeung thanked the galloper’s owner for sticking with him through thick and thin.

“He’s been a very good owner, he’s given me a lot of support, and it’s nice to repay him with a winner,” Yeung said. “The horse is lovely to ride, 2,000m is his distance, and the slow pace suited him. He wants the race tempo like that. We improved the pace in every section, and then he finished off nicely. Having a win is always good for the confidence.”

Jubilation’s turf triumph completed his set of Hong Kong track wins – he’s won races at Happy Valley and on both Sha Tin circuits – and that’s something that his new trainer this season, Chris So Wai-yin, said opens up more programming possibilities.

Absolute relief for Ting

Jimmy Ting Koon-ho became the final trainer to pose for a winning photograph at Sha Tin this term when The Absolute upset Class Four (Restricted) Erica Handicap (1,400m) hotpot Super Legends on Saturday.

Super Legends traded and travelled like the winner of the race limited to three-year-old gallopers imported to Hong Kong as either privately purchased griffins (PPGs) or international sale griffins (ISGs), but The Absolute ran down the $1.60 favourite late on.

“He’s a nice horse, and I think 1,600m could be even better for him in the future,” Ting said following The Absolute’s three-quarter of a length defeat of Danny Shum Chap-shing’s Super Legends, with another five lengths back to David Hayes’ Chater Gold.

“Last time, he ran well, but the draw was bad, so he was further back. It was nice to see him do that.”

Ting, whose only previous win this season occurred at Happy Valley on October 18 when Alloy King took out a Class Five sprint, is trying to remain optimistic.

“Every year is tough, and I hope that some of the new horses can run well and we can have better results,” Ting said. “Hopefully, the winners can keep coming.”

Christmas Eve simulcast action

The Group One Arima Kinen (2,500m), also known as The Grand Prix, is the main course on Sunday’s Jockey Club simulcast of seven races from Nakayama.

With Equinox retired and Liberty Island, the filly the world’s highest-rated galloper thrashed by four lengths in last month’s Group One Japan Cup (2,400m), sitting out the Arima Kinen, the year’s edition of Japan’s biggest betting race is wide open.

Three-year-old gallopers have won the past two Arima Kinens - Efforia in 2021 and Equinox in 2022 - and there are three runners representing this season’s classic generation - Sol Oriens, Harper and Tastiera.

Also in the Arima Kinen field are 2022 Group One Hong Kong Vase (2,400m) heroine Win Marilyn, and Shahryar, the three-time top level-winning stayer whom Jockey Club stewards scratched from this year’s Vase on vets advice three days before the 12-furlong contest.