The Club’s World Pool and simulcast programme has delivered a string of highlights throughout Hong Kong’s summer racing break and this Sunday our customers have the chance to enjoy two of Europe’s most significant contests with the running of the G1 Grosser Preis von Baden and the G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp.
With only eight days until the launch of the exciting 2023/24 Hong Kong racing season, our overseas focus this weekend turns to two of Europe’s most important races – the 153rd running of the Grosser Preis von Baden (2400m) and the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp (1600m).
As Germany’s highest-rated race, the Grosser Preis von Baden has been won by champion horses such as Danedream, Novellist, Ghaiyyath and Torquator Tasso and this year’s race has attracted seven starters.
Carded as S1-8, the Grosser Preis von Baden will be run at 9.20pm on good ground at Baden-Baden. France’s Zagrey is the only non-German runner engaged and gets the chance to return to the winner’s list for first time since October last year from barrier four under Christophe Soumillon.
Although winless in his past four starts, Zagrey has ran well at his past two appearances at Group 1 level with a third behind Japanese champion Equinox over 2410m at Meydan in March and a good second to talented Westover over 2400m at Saint-Cloud in July.
Yet to win beyond 2000m, Zagrey is a win and place chance.
German Derby winner Fantastic Moon has been supplemented into the race and has strong prospects for trainer Sarah Steinberg and jockey Rene Piechulek. A brilliant winner two starts ago, the three-year-old receives a weight-for-age allowance here and is a win and place chance as well.
In a contest crammed with strong contenders, Sisfahan, Mr Hollywood and the filly Kassada all have place prospects.
Later on Sunday evening, the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp (1600m) will be run at Paris Longchamp as elite milers from across Europe and Britain strive to claim the honour of landing one of the continent’s most coveted mile events.
Carded as S2-2 and run on good to soft going at 10.33pm, the race features a clash between Big Rock and Facteur Cheval – both last-start runners-up at Group 1 level.
Big Rock was toppled by John & Thady Gosden’s top mare Inspiral in the G1 Prix Jacques Le Marois (1600m) at Deauville and is a win and place for Christopher Head and Aurelien Lemaitre. Facteur Cheval, who will be ridden by Mickael Barzalona, shapes as the hardest to beat after his great second to Aidan O’Brien star Paddington in the G1 Sussex Stakes (1600m) at Goodwood in July.
In another open G1 contest, Erevann and Sauterne have place chances.
Returning to Hong Kong racing, the cancellation because of safety considerations of the Pre-season Carnivals scheduled for this weekend was disappointing but unavoidable in the circumstances but we will never create an unnecessary risk for our customers, whose welfare is always paramount.
Despite the cancellation of the pre-season festivities, we are on the cusp of what promises to be another wonderful season and another celebration of our incredible equine champions led by Golden Sixty, Romantic Warrior, Lucky Sweynesse, Russian Emperor and California Spangle.
As usual, Sha Tin has been a hive of activity with a flurry of trials and it will be fascinating to monitor the progress of established and emerging stars as the season unwinds. One of the potential early-season highlights is the reappearance of Lucky Sweynesse in the HKSAR Chief Executive’s Cup Handicap (1200m) on 10 September.
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