A quick glance at the honour roll of the HK$12 million Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2400m) serves as a timely reminder of why the final Group 1 contest of the Hong Kong season is so revered.
With a history stretching back to 1870, the Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup has been won by some of Hong Kong’s best stayers, including River Verdon, Vengeance Of Rain, Viva Pataca, Pakistan Star, Indigenous, Oriental Express and Exultant among many others.
The race is not only the last of our 12 Group 1s of the season, but it also continues to showcase the enduring brilliance of Hong Kong’s training coterie. Tony Cruz has trained seven out of the past nine winners; Ivan Allan won the race six times in seven years, including five in a row.
Illustrious names such as Mick Kinane, Basil Marcus, Douglas Whyte, Gerald Mosse, Felix Coetzee and Tony Cruz are among the outstanding jockeys to triumph in the race.
This Sunday’s (22 May) contest at Sha Tin has attracted 10 entries, including G1 winners Russian Emperor and Panfield and shapes as an intriguing race as we celebrate all of the G1 achievements of the 2021/22 season.
Panfield clinched Hong Kong’s Champion Stayer honours with Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup victory in 2021 for Tony Millard and Karis Teetan and the pair will bid to repeat the feat, while last season’s runner-up Columbus County will seek to reverse the result.
Russian Emperor chases his second G1 win of the season for Douglas Whyte and Blake Shinn as we take the opportunity to reflect on the wonderful G1 performances this season of Golden Sixty (two G1s), Wellington (two G1s), Romantic Warrior, Sky Field, Stronger, Waikuku, Loves Only You and Glory Vase.
Before we get to Sunday, the Grass Island Handicap is the Class 2 finale to our Wednesday race meeting at Happy Valley with last-start winners Campione, Lucky With You and Eason heading a strong field of 12 in the 1200 metre test. The pace will be good with Campione flashing his genuine speed under Matthew Poon along with McLucky with Lyle Hewitson and Eason.
Eason has won his last two starts and now steps up in grade with Vincent Ho replacing suspended Joao Moreira. Eason is likely to take a forward spot behind the leaders and the progressive three-year-old has been very consistent over the course and distance. He is a place chance under the light weight.
Campione is also a progressive three-year-old, which is impressive considering his level of maturity as a European bred. He will not reach the age of four until 1 January. Campione is attempting a rare feat for a young horse, by trying to string together three straight wins on three different tracks. He won at Sha Tin in March, then returned with a win on the dirt last month and now moves to Happy Valley. He will be on the pace from the outset and I make him a place chance in his first-ever appearance at the Valley.
Lucky With You is a win and place chance after a solid win last month against a good field at Sha Tin, running his final 800 in 44.08 seconds. He has trialled well at Happy Valley early in his career and should adapt well with his versatile running style. Lucky With You will be in the first half of the field from his good draw and jockey Karis Teetan will get every opportunity with the solid tempo.
Keep You Warm returns to Happy Valley and his recent form in this grade shows that he is in with a place chance. Zac Purton accepts the return engagement and can make things interesting from the good draw.
Campione and Eason are both eligible for the Club’s High Achievement Bonus.
Comment
