And so, the stage is set for the HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) at Sha Tin on Sunday (3 March) when the second leg of the Four-Year-Old Classic Series will be contested by a quality group of emerging horses.
The Hong Kong Classic Cup, which was formerly known as the Hong Kong Derby Trial, has become increasingly important both as a highly coveted race in its own right and also as a potential launching pad towards the HK$26 million BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) at Sha Tin on 24 March.
Worth a combined HK$52 million in prizemoney, the Four-Year-Old Classic Series represents a thorough and complete test of Hong Kong’s finest talent with the running of the Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m) followed by the Hong Kong Classic Cup and, ultimately the BMW Hong Kong Derby.
Some horses are best suited at a mile, while others thrive at 1800m up to 2000m.
History shows how difficult it is for any horse, especially as a lightly-raced four-year-old, to win all three legs of the series. In fact, only two horses – GOLDEN SIXTY in 2020 and RAPPER DRAGON in 2017 – have swept the series.
It is a measure of the competitiveness of the series that both ROMANTIC WARRIOR and VOYAGE BUBBLE, who last weekend shared a stirring battle in the G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup (2000m), both won the Hong Kong Classic Mile and the BMW Hong Kong Derby, but could not manage the clean sweep.
The Hong Kong Classic Cup is an important bridge to the BMW Hong Kong Derby and this season’s edition shapes as another intriguing contest.
This weekend, four top international riders, including the reigning LONGINES World’s Best Jockey Ryan Moore, Mickael Barzalona, Blake Shinn and Damian Lane are flying in to ride in the Hong Kong Classic Cup where they will compete against our Hong Kong-based heroes led by Zac Purton, Hugh Bowman, Karis Teetan, Jerry Chau, Andrea Atzeni, Derek Leung, Alexis Badel, Keagan De Melo, Harry Bentley and Keith Yeung.
The Hong Kong Classic Cup is carded as race 7 at 4.05pm and the pace will be good to slow with CHANCHENG GLORY going forward from his wide gate in search of the lead. HELENE FEELING and HELIOS EXPRESS have both drawn inside gates and will settle in the leading group, with SIMPLY MAVERICK and SPEED DRAGON also handy to the speed.
HELIOS EXPRESS is the highest-rated horse (102) in the field and was a dominant winner of the Hong Kong Classic Mile on 4 February. In that race, Hugh Bowman gave him a perfect ride, third on the fence, before finding clear running at the 300m mark and drawing away to win comfortably. HELIOS EXPRESS has drawn gate two and Hugh should again have him in a striking position in running. One of the challenges for Hugh is to ensure that HELIOS EXPRESS relaxes in the race and is not pulling, especially in the case of a slow place. HELIOS EXPRESS has been kept up to the mark since his last run with an impressive trial win and he is my win selection.
In the Hong Kong Classic Mile HELENE FEELING and STAR MAC both ran well to fill the minor placings. HELENE FEELING went forward at the start to sit outside the leader, before finding the front in the straight but could not match HELIOS EXPRESS in the last 200m. HELENE FEELING will get a good run here from his rails draw and is a place chance.
STAR MAC was impressive behind HELIOS EXPRESS, coming from well back and hitting the line hard to finish third, quickly closing on the first two. STAR MAC produced an outstanding trial in blinkers on 22 February and wears them in this race. STAR MAC is an exciting prospect and, even though he is the lowest-rated horse in the field, he is a place chance for Karis Teetan if he gets clear running early enough in the straight.
Of the other runners from the Hong Kong Classic Mile, SPEED DRAGON was disappointed for a run at a crucial time in the straight and ran well and FALLON was making good ground at the end of the 1600m.
ENSUED is the second of John Size’s runners and champion jockey Ryan Moore takes the ride. ENSUED has won three of his five starts in Hong Kong and at his latest was ridden along early to take up a forward position and stayed on well in the straight to finish second to NATURAL STORM over 2000m on 21 January in Class 2 company.
ENSUED has drawn awkwardly in gate 12, so it will be interesting to see where Ryan has him in the running, but ENSUED is an emerging talent and is a place chance.
KA YING GENERATION is another horse who comes back in distance to 1800m. He raced in a forward position on a very strong pace set by ENIGMA last start, taking the front early in the straight and fighting to beat SIMPLY HEDGE over 2000m on 4 February. KA YING GENERATION may not have the speed of some of his rivals, but he will be strong to the line, having been placed at Group 3 level over 2000m in Ireland. Andrea Atzeni should have him in a good position from gate four and KA YING GENERATION is a place chance at good odds.
While HELIOS EXPRESS is a deserved favourite in the race, this is a field laden with exciting talent, with a number of runners having claims, including SPEED DRAGON who, under Mickael Barzalona, is a place chance because he was baulked for run in the Hong Kong Classic Mile and checked 200m out.
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