After a season crammed with Group 1 highlights, it was fitting that the final Group 1 race of the 2023/24 Hong Kong season – the G1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2400m) – was so brilliantly won this afternoon by world-class stayer REBEL’S ROMANCE.
A winner at the highest level in Germany, the United States and Dubai, REBEL’S ROMANCE now counts one of Hong Kong most prestigious feature races among an imposing international collection after a superb display at Sha Tin.
William Buick gave REBEL’S ROMANCE a perfect ride, keeping him out of trouble and close to the lead before allowing him to build momentum when the tempo increased from the 800m. While he appeared to initially come under pressure, REBEL’S ROMANCE’s responded strongly and his class inevitably told to beat FIVE G PATCH, who ran well in coming from the tail of the field, and LA CITY BLANCHE.
I congratulate Charlie Appleby for his handling of REBEL’S ROMANCE, who now has 13 wins from 19 starts, and I thank Godolphin – an organisation committed to the pursuit of global racing excellence – for sending the world’s second highest-rated horse to race in Hong Kong.
Group 1 racing is elite and today we were privileged to watch an outstanding athlete at the peak of his powers.
The Tokyo Yushun (2400m) – also known as the Japanese Derby – is also one of the world’s time-honoured races and the 91st edition of race was won today by 83-1 outsider DANON DECILE under an incredible ride by veteran jockey Norihiro Yokoyama.
At 56, ‘Nori’ became the oldest jockey to win a Group 1 race in Japan with his third Derby win, succeeding on a son of EPIPHANEIA, who did not leave the rail for the entire race to upstage the favourites.
Bred by Shadai Farm in Hokkaido, DANON DECILE is raced by Mr Masahiro Noda and the three-year-old now has three wins from five starts.
Our simulcast programme continues tonight with the G1 Prix d’Ispahan at ParisLongchamp. It is run over 1850m at 9.40pm and carded as S2-1. The race is likely to be run on soft ground.
The pace will be good to moderate with DOLAYLI and BRAVE EMPEROR the likely leaders and BLUE ROSE CEN, HAYA ZARK and MARHABA YA SANAFI also in the forward division.
Master trainer Andre Fabre is seeking his tenth win in the race having won it first with Al Nasr in 1982. He is represented by MQSE DE SEVIGNE who scored successive G1 wins against mares last year in the Prix Rothschild (1600m) and the Prix Jean Romanet (2000m). MQSE DE SEVIGNE made a winning return on 14 April when she raced close to the speed and won with something in hand over this course and distance beating SKALLETI. That run should bring her on further in fitness and MQSE DE SEVIGNE is a win and place for Alexis Pouchin.
BLUE ROSE CEN was the dominant three-year-old filly in France last season, winning the French 1000 Guineas and Oaks. She also beat the older mares to win the Prix de l’Opera (2000m). This is the seasonal reappearance for BLUE CEN and she is a place chance for Aurelien Lemaitre.
Of the male division, HAYA ZARK is unbeaten in two runs this year and at his most recent effort posted his first G1 victory taking the Prix Ganay (2100m) on 28 April. HAYA ZARK comes back in distance for this race but is a place chance with Christophe Soumillon to ride.
HORIZON DORE, who ran in the LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m) in December has not been beaten far in his past two starts and despite being suited on firmer ground has claims with Cristian Demuro taking the ride. BRAVE EMPEROR resumes here after his unplaced run behind BEAUTY ETERNAL in the FWD Champions Mile (1600m) in April and is a place chance for Luke Morris.
Our focus then turns to The Curragh for the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup, which is run over 2100m at 10.10pm and is carded as S3-1.
Champion trainer Aidan O’Brien has won this race 10 times and is represented by AUGUSTE RODIN and HANS ANDERSEN.
The pace should be good with CRYPTO FORCE and ELEGANT MAN both horses who have led in recent races. LUMIERE ROCK and MASHOOR also race close to the speed.
AUGUSTE RODIN was disappointing behind REBEL’S ROMANCE in the G1 Sheema Classic (2400m) in March, finishing last. He won five times at Group One level including the Epsom and Irish Derbies and ended the year with victory in the Breeders’ Cup Turf. He is likely to bounce back from his last-start failure and is win and place chance for Ryan Moore.
WHITE BIRCH showed plenty of ability in his three-year-old season and was third to AUGUSTE RODIN in the Epsom Derby. He has won both starts this year over 2000m, most recently when he raced on the speed and came away for a big win over LORD MASSUSUS in the G2 Mooresbridge Stakes on soft ground. WHITE BIRCH is racing well and is a place chance for Colin Keane.
ELEGANT MAN is also a lightly-raced, progressive horse who has won three of his four starts and the only time he was beaten was runner-up to REBEL’S ROMANCE in a Listed Race over 2399m at Kempton in December. David Egan takes the ride and ELEGANT MAN is a place chance.
The G1 Irish Guineas is run over 1600m at 10.45pm and is carded as S3-2.
The pace should be good to moderate with ALPHERATZ the likely leader. A LILAC ROLLA will be in the forward group, with VESPERTILIO and OPERA SINGER also settling on pace.
Aidan O’Brien has won this race ten times and has one of the favourites in OPERA SINGER engaged. OPERA SINGER finished her 2yo season with a five length romp in the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac at Longchamp on Arc Day. OPERA SINGER resumes here for Ryan Moore and is a win and place chance.
FALLEN ANGEL won the G1 Moyglare Stud Stakes as a two-year-old and started favourite in the English 1000 Guineas on 5 May but could manage only eighth behind ELMALKA. FALLEN ANGEL can improve off that run and is a place chance for Daniel Tudhope from gate three.
VESPERTILIO was second to FALLEN ANGEL in the Moyglare last September and ran well when resuming in the French 1000 Guineas on 12 May with a close third. In that race she led and fought on gamely in the closing stages and with improvement in her fitness and attempting the mile for the second time here VESPERTILIO is a place chance for Declan McDonogh.
AZADA is an interesting runner, with Dermot Weld and rider Chris Hayes combining again, having won this race for the past two years. AZADA has run only once winning her maiden over 1421m at Leopardstown in October and returns to racing here.
A LILAC ROLLA is undefeated in three runs and although her last two wins have been by narrow margins she has shown plenty of fight and is a place chance for Colin Keane after winning on heavy ground in a G3 race at Leopardstown.
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