The Hong Kong exile who overcame depression to come full circle in Qatar

The Europeans may have won three of the four thoroughbred features on HH Amir Sword Day in Qatar last weekend but it was the victory of the Hong Kong horse Russian Emperor that sparked the most emotional scenes at Al Rayyan racecourse.

Broadcaster Martin Kelly even had to call a halt to his post-race interview with jockey Alberto Sanna, who was in floods of tears after his triumph in the feature HH Amir Trophy, one of two $2.5 million contests on the card.

For the Italian rider it was some sort of compensation nearly four years after the loss of his licence to ride in Hong Kong following a ten-meeting suspension for not taking ‘all reasonable and permissible measures’ on one of his mounts at Sha Tin in November 2019. Sanna was adamant at the time he was guilty of a poor ride rather than anything untoward and got out of the sport for nine months, during which he suffered with depression.