With only two weeks until FWD Champions Day, we are delighted to welcome back international trainers, jockeys, owners and horses for our 30 April flagship meeting.
With nine selected runners from abroad, the international entry for the HK$25 million G1 FWD QEII Cup (2000m), HK$20 million G1 FWD Champions Mile (1600m) and HK$20 million G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) is certainly very positive.
To have 10 individual Group 1 winners included among the selected 27 runners, including four G1 winners from overseas, FWD Champions Day regains a more familiar appearance after last season’s edition was limited to local horses only because of COVID-19.
Quality is always an accurate barometer and with the presence of Golden Sixty, Romantic Warrior, Dubai Honour, Lucky Sweynesse, California Spangle as well as a formidable Japanese armada led by Danon The Kid, Geraldina, Hishi Iguazu and Prognosis, we have some fabulous competition in store.
The scheduled arrival of My Oberon from Australia and Aegon from New Zealand early this week will be quickly followed by others from different jurisdictions, including Flaming Rib and Aguri, heralding the official countdown to one of the world’s premier meetings.
Reflecting on the Sha Tin meeting on Saturday, we saw two exciting young sprinters in action with Victor The Winner and Howdeepisyourlove. Victor The Winner was very good in winning, while Howdeepisyourlove – who is only a three-year-old – showed with his effort to run second that we have some very talented young horses coming through.
Victor The Winner clocked 45.14s for the final 800m, while Howdeepisyourlove – who was lost early and then covered ground on the turn – clocked 44.56s in coming from eighth to be beaten half a length.
On Sunday, the G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) for three-year-olds, is run at Nakayama Racecourse. It is the main race of our simulcast meeting and carded as S1-6 at 2.40pm.
As always, the race has attracted a capacity field of 18 runners and there will be genuine pace from the outset with a number of runners having shown natural speed in lead-in races and the ability to race on-pace.
Kitasan Black ran third in this race in 2015 before going on to win seven races at G1 level. He has become with only a few crops one of the best sires in Japan in a very short period of time with the phenomenal Equinox leading the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings. His unbeaten son Sol Oriens comes into the race off a dominant G3 Keisei Hai win over this course and distance on 15 January. His trainer Takahisa Tezuka won the race two years ago with Efforia and, from his rails draw, Sol Oriens is a win and place chance.
Phantom Thief stalked the leader at his last start before coming away for a soft win at G3 level at Tokyo over 1800m on 12 February. He comes back to a right-handed turning course here but has drawn well in gate seven and has superstar rider Christophe Lemaire riding and I make him a place chance.
Damian Lane has an outstanding record of top five finishes in G1 races in Japan and his ride here Hrimfaxi comes into the race having three wins on the bounce. His latest effort delivered a narrow victory at Chukyo at G3 level over 1800m when racing on speed. Damian will have him in a striking position from a good draw and I make him a place chance.
Lord Kanaloa was a superstar sprinter, winning the LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint twice and he is now a superstar sire with his progeny excelling over all distances. He has three runners in this race and Bellagio Opera is unbeaten and will be one of the leading chances despite drawing a wide gate. There are many other runners with claims, including Danon Touchdown and Tastiera, in a race that showcases Japan’s emerging talent and attracts horses that have the potential to be future stars of world racing.
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