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On the road to Hong Kong
- Updated: October 6, 2016
With just over two months until the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races at Sha Tin, connections in Hong Kong and around the world are beginning to plot a path to the global year-end showpiece.
A total of HK$83 million is up for grabs at the “Turf World Championships” on Sunday, 11 December, across four races – the HK$25 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m), the HK$23 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (1600m), the HK$18.5 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) and the HK$16.5 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m).
The dawn of October marked the start of Hong Kong’s feature race calendar, with the first Group races of the season at Sha Tin last Saturday (1 October) – the Group 3 National Day Cup Handicap over the straight 1000m and the Group 3 Celebration Cup Handicap over 1400m.
The short-course sprint produced high drama, with the John Size-trained Amazing Kids (126lb) knuckling down to get the better of straight track specialist Amber Sky (113lb) in the final stride.
Amazing Kids, described as “unassuming” by rider Brett Prebble, had emerged as one of Hong Kong’s young talents on the sprinting scene towards the back end of last season and confirmed that promise with a win that puts him right in the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) picture.
With a secure Sprint berth now seeming likely, he will head to the G2 Premier Bowl on 23 October.
Last year’s Hong Kong Sprint hero Peniaphobia (133lb) stuck on gamely under top-weight for third, while Neil Callan urged punters to forget Not Listenin’tome’s (130lb) checkered fifth as he also presses on to the Premier Bowl.
In the Celebration Cup, generally a starting point for horses heading towards the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile, Joyful Trinity (115lb) confirmed himself as one of the most progressive horses in town and put himself closer to a Mile berth in the process with his one and a quarter length victory under Joao Moreira.
Trainer John Moore confirmed after the race that the four-year-old, who formerly raced as Baghadur in France, would now follow the traditional path to the Hong Kong Mile, heading next to the G2 Oriental Watch 55th Anniversary Sha Tin Trophy Handicap (1600m) on 23 October before progressing to the premier lead-up, the G2 BOCHK Wealth Management Jockey Club Mile on 20 November.
This is also the likely path for stablemate Helene Paragon, who failed to fire when finishing 10th but satisfied his trainer regardless.
Trainer Tony Cruz’s Beauty Only and Beauty Flame filled the tierce, the former in particular catching the eye with his fast-finishing second. Both will also take the well-trodden path to the Mile.
G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) winner Contentment showed he was on track, boxing on for fifth, while Packing Pins disappointed with his ninth-placed finish.
Leading big race trainer John Moore may have lost his ace, with G1 Audemars Piguet QEII Cup (2000m) winner Werther forced out due to injury, but the handler is still building a formidable team for Hong Kong’s richest race, the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m).
Moore sent out three potential Cup runners at Tuesday’s trials, led by veteran Designs On Rome. The 2014 Hong Kong Cup winner has not been at his peak since fetlock surgery ended his 2014/15 season prematurely, but he still managed one victory last season in the G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup over 2000m and will once again be aimed at the Hong Kong Cup. Rider Karis Teetan was pleased with his easy sixth in the 1000m turf trial.
By contrast, Rapper Dragon will be out to achieve a rare feat by taking an international race on his way to the trio of four-year-old classics in early 2017. He will be out to emulate Lucky Owners, who won the 2003 G1 Hong Kong Mile on his way to victory in the 2004 HKG1 Hong Kong Derby (2000m). He looks on target after finishing third to Lucky Bubbles in his heat, with rider Joao Moreira suggesting the horse is slightly behind his stablemates in his preparation.
The eye-catcher of the three Moore triallists was last season’s HKG1 BMW Hong Kong Derby runner-up Victory Magic, who flashed home for fourth in the same trial as his stablemates. The son of Savabeel could run in either the Cup or the …
