Our simulcast programme this Sunday (26 May) covers four international Group 1 races from Japan, France and Ireland and in Hong Kong we have the G1 HK$13 million Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2400m) at Sha Tin as the highlight of our local meeting.
After a string of dazzling Group 1 highlights, the scene is set for the staging of Hong Kong’s 12th and final Group 1 of the 2023/24 season with the running of the Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup, one of our oldest and most prestigious races.
International competition is the ultimate measure in all sports and this weekend, apart from the participation of Hong Kong’s premier stayers, the presence of REBEL’S ROMANCE – the world’s second highest-rated horse in 2024 – further elevates one of Hong Kong’s oldest and most coveted races.
With four international Group 1s to his credit in three different countries – Germany, the United States and Dubai – and an overall record of 12 wins from 18 starts, REBEL’S ROMANCE is a genuine global champion.
His imposing record for trainer Charlie Appleby and owner Godolphin speaks to his undoubted class and the manner in which he defeated nine individual Group 1 winners in the Dubai Sheema Classic (2400m) in March underlines his extreme quality.
The Club is grateful for Godolphin’s support and I wish them, Charlie and William Buick the best of luck at Sha Tin this weekend when REBEL’S ROMANCE attempts to become the first foreign-trained winner of the Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup.
To do so, he will have to account for horses of the calibre of RUSSIAN EMPEROR, who is also proven on the international stage and has won this race for the past two years, and accomplished locals including STRAIGHT ARRON, FIVE G PATCH, LA CITY BLANCHE, SENOR TOBA, MASSIVE SOVEREIGN and MOMENTS IN TIME.
This weekend is particularly busy with five Group 1 races in four different jurisdictions and I am sure our passionate followers of international racing will enjoy the elite competition.
At Sha Tin, the G1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup is carded as Race 7 and run at 4pm. With the rain we have had already this week and the possibility of more to come before the race, it would be prudent to monitor the track conditions.
The speed will be good with MOMENTS IN TIME, who set a strong pace in the Queen Mother Memorial Cup Handicap (2400m) on 5 May, the likely leader. REBEL’S ROMANCE likes to race in a forward position and should be close to the lead. FIVE G PATCH and LA CITY BLANCHE will be midfield with SENOR TOBA, RUSSIAN EMPEROR, STRAIGHT ARRON and MASSIVE SOVEREIGN in the back half of the field.
REBEL’S ROMANCE has an international rating of 123 from his last-start win in the Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan on 30 March and is currently the second highest-rated horse in the world for 2024. Last start, he stalked pacemaker POINT LONSDALE before surging to the lead at the 400m mark and recording a dominant win from a star Japanese trio of SHAHRYAR, LIBERTY ISLAND and JUSTIN PALACE.
REBEL’S ROMANCE has settled well since arriving at Sha Tin last Sunday and has looked in good form in workouts during the week, including a turf gallop on Thursday morning. His regular rider William Buick is one of the world’s leading riders and he flies in for the race to partner REBEL’S ROMANCE who can handle all types of going. With eight wins from 10 starts over 2400m, REBEL’S ROMANCE is my win selection.
Defending champion RUSSIAN EMPEROR gave all his rivals significant weight in the Queen Mother Memorial Cup, settling at the tail of the field and making up some ground in the straight finishing seventh to LA CITY BLANCHE, peaking on his run at the 150m mark. RUSSIAN EMPEROR will be better suited at set weights and will enjoy cut in the ground. He can improve sharply on his last-start run, as he did last year, and is a place chance with Hugh Bowman.
Tony Cruz has won this race a record seven times and is double-handed with LA CITY BLANCHE and FIVE G PATCH. The pair produced strong staying performances in the Queen Mother Memorial Cup three weeks ago coming from midfield positions and making their runs together in the straight. LA CITY BLANCHE proved too strong at the finish and is a place chance for Mathew Chadwick who won this race in 2013 on California Memory, also trained by Tony.
FIVE G PATCH ran well in this race last year when third to RUSSIAN EMPEROR and is also a place chance.
MASSIVE SOVEREIGN was brilliant winning the BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) in March but did not produce his best on a yielding track when unplaced behind ROMANTIC WARRIOR in the G1 FWD QEII Cup (2000m) on 28 April. Zac Purton rides MASSIVE SOVEREIGN and he is capable of sharp improvement.
STRAIGHT ARRON has run over 2400m twice previously, winning last year’s Queen Mother Memorial before finishing fourth behind RUSSIAN EMPEROR when beaten just over a length. STRAIGHT ARRON was disappointing last start in the FWD QEII Cup when checked at the 1400m, failing to finish off the race, but is also capable of improvement with Vincent Ho aboard.
Our international simulcast programme starts on Sunday with the G1 Tokyo Yushun (2400m), also known as the Japanese Derby, which is carded as S1-1 and will be run at 2.40pm at Tokyo Racecourse.
The speed will be good with JUNE TAKE, who has drawn well, the likely leader. DANON AYERS ROCK, SIXPENCE and SUGAR KUN will also settle in the leading group.
JUSTIN MILANO is unbeaten in three runs and settled just behind the leaders before making his challenge in the straight and holding off COSMO KURANDA in the Group 1 Satsuki Sho (2000 Guineas) on 14 April. JUSTIN MILANO drew wide in that race and Keita Tosaki will have to overcome a wide gate again here. JUSTIN MILANO is a place chance.
COSMO KURANDA settled mid-field on the rail in that race before coming wide in the straight and finishing strongly to be beaten a neck by JUSTIN MILANO. COSMO KURANDA’s dam SOUTHERN SPEED won a Caulfield Cup (2400m) in Australia and he should be suited extending to the longer distance. COSMO KURANDA has drawn well in gate six and is a win and place chance for his rider Mirco Demuro.
Not many fillies contest the Derby and the most recent to win was VODKA in 2007. REGALEIRA contested the Satsuki Sho and came from well back in the field to finish sixth, beaten just under three lengths from the winner, giving the impression she will be well suited by 2400m. Christophe Lemaire goes back aboard REGALEIRA and, from an inside draw, she is a place chance.
SIXPENCE is an unbeaten colt by 2013 Derby winner KIZUNA. Last start, SIXPENCE showed brilliant acceleration to win the Group 2 Spring Stakes (1800m). SIXPENCE steps up in distance here but is a place chance for Yuga Kawada.
This is a very competitive race and URBAN CHIC and SHIN EMPEROR, who finished fourth and fifth, respectively, in the Satsuki Sho have claims, as does SUGAR KUN, a half-brother to KITASAN BLACK, the sire of former champion racehorse EQUINOX.
A second blog containing suggestions for the G1 Prix d’Ispahan (1850m) from ParisLongchamp and the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup (2100m) and G1 Irish 1000 Guineas (1600m) from The Curragh tomorrow night will be published after Sunday’s Sha Tin meeting.
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