Preceded by 11 elite Group 1 contests spread over almost 700 Hong Kong races so far this season, the G1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup is renowned as an outstanding staying test and this Sunday’s edition at Sha Tin is no exception.
This Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup occupies a special place in Hong Kong racing and a cursory glance at the race’s honour roll reveals why with the presence of cherished champions such as River Verdon, Exultant, Vengeance Of Rain and Pakistan Star among the previous winners.
Glory awaits this weekend’s winner of the HK$12 million feature as the battle for the mantle of Hong Kong Champion Stayer intensifies in a clash of established and emerging stars.
Panfield and Russian Emperor, who both return in search of a second victory in the race, clinched the Hong Kong Champion Stayer award with success in this race in 2021 and 2022, respectively, and will joust with reigning Hong Kong Middle-Distance champion Romantic Warrior and rising star Straight Arron among the field of nine contenders.
There are four horses in this year’s Standard Chartered Champions & Chartered Cup – Panfield, Russian Emperor, Senor Toba and Straight Arron – with victories over 2400m in Hong Kong and there has been discussion this week over how Romantic Warrior will cope at his first attempt beyond 2000m.
Before we get to Sunday, I would like congratulate Michael Dee on his effort to ride a winner at his first attempt in Hong Kong when he won on Starry Night at Happy Valley on Wednesday night (24 May).
It was the perfect way to showcase his skills and he backed it up with first-four placings from his three other mounts and I look forward to watching how Michael fares with his seven rides at Sha Tin tomorrow, when the feature race is the Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup, which is run at weight-for-age and is carded as Race 8 at 4:05pm and is the last Group 1 race of the 2022/23 Hong Kong season.
The speed in the race will be moderate with Money Catcher working across from the outside gate. Columbus County will race on the speed and should sit behind the leader with Romantic Warrior likely to be in the leading division, one off the fence. Senor Toba and Panfield can also settle in the front half of the field.
Romantic Warrior extends beyond 2000m for the first time having won five of his six starts at that distance, including his last-start triumph in the FWD QEII Cup on 30 April, when he easily beat Prognosis and Dubai Honour. Zac Purton takes the ride for the first time and should have Romantic Warrior in a perfect position in running. Romantic Warrior’s trackwork is very good and, being one of the best 2000m horses in the world and with a good track expected on Sunday, his superior class should carry him further than his ideal distance of 2000m and he is the horse to beat.
Furthermore, the 2400m course at Sha Tin is “an easy 2400m” with the track being flat with no incline, which makes it easier for middle distance horses to stretch further.
Defending champion Russian Emperor gave all his rivals weight in the Queen Mother Memorial Cup over this trip on 7 May when he was held up before the turn and stayed on well for sixth, beaten less than three lengths from the winner. Russian Emperor is much better suited at set weights and is a place chance with Hugh Bowman taking the ride again. Russian Emperor is proven over 2400m with his Group 1 win in Qatar as well as his victory in this race last year and a soft track would be to his liking.
Straight Arron is undefeated in two runs since a luckless fifth in the BMW Hong Kong Derby. He took advantage of his light weight when beating Sword Point in the Queen Mother Memorial Cup. Straight Arron is not well off at equal weights against proven stars like Romantic Warrior and Russian Emperor, but will be better for having had his first run over 2400m and is a star on the rise. Straight Arron is a place chance who poses a genuine threat in the race.
Panfield won the race two years ago and was fourth in the Hong Kong Vase in December and Money Catcher should have an easy lead in front. Both have place chances at longer odds.
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