The 26-year training career of Hong Kong conditioner Peter Ho came to an end on Sunday when his five runners in the season’s final meeting failed to deliver the two wins required for him to avoid receiving his third and final strike.
The trainer of 634 winners since the Jockey Club licenced him ahead of the 1997-98 season, Ho said he would not appear before the licensing committee to plead for a stay of execution.
“The rules are the rules. We have to respect the rules under which we play,” Ho told scmp.com
“At least I have tried my best this season. I’ve got 16 winners, but unfortunately, I’ve had too many in Class Five.”
The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s trainers’ benchmark requires 16 victories of single-site trainers and 18 of those with a Conghua base – with only two in Class Five counting towards the tally.
Departing trainer Richard Gibson was not on course to celebrate his final Hong Kong winner as Ernest Feeling landed the Class Five Miraculous Handicap (1400m).
Gibson, whose stable stars during his dozen seasons in Hong Kong included Akeed Mofeed, Giant Treasure, Gold-Fun and this season’s Gr.1 Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) winner Wellington, finished with 287 victories in the city.
In addition to Ho and Gibson, whose 10 wins this term did not meet the performance benchmark, the Jockey Club will issue first strikes to Dennis Yip and Tony Millard and strike two to Me Tsui.
