I hope those of who you spent Wednesday night at Happy Valley for the Cathay Pacific International Jockeys’ Championship enjoyed the terrific atmosphere there and some very exciting races. From a business perspective, I was certainly well satisfied as the night's turnover exceeded HK$840 million. But as a racing enthusiast, I was even happier to see British jockey Ryan Moore deliver one of the most skilled and emphatic displays we've seen in the IJC in recent years, defending last year's shared title with his aptly-named winners Something Special and Fearless. The latter win also denied our perennial champion Douglas Whyte from achieving his fourth success in this international series.
After admiring the wonderful skills of some of the world’s top riders on home turf, now it's time to see some of the world's top horses in action, as tomorrow's Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Races at Sha Tin will feature four star-studded International Group 1 events. This year we have 29 leading overseas runners in town to compete with 26 of Hong Kong's best, and among them are 24 previous top-level winners boasting no less than 46 Group 1 titles between them. This highlights the continuing upward spiral of our international races and the high regard in which they are held by overseas connections.
I’ve also attended the Sha Tin trackwork over the past few days, and am delighted to have the chance meeting again with many overseas trainers and jockeys in the racecourse. Many of them again told me they enjoy the wonderful atmosphere here a lot, and the top-class horse care, racecourse facilities and environment here at Sha Tin also helped their runners to acclimatise quickly, eventually enable them having some smooth preparation for their runners ahead of the big races on Sunday.
I’m also pleased to learn the remarks and praises given by a few world-renowned horsemen, such as Sir Michael Stoute from England, trainer Saeed bin Suroor of the Godolphin, and French trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre, who said our four international events are all of very high level. It’s certainly a great compliment and I’m happy to see our International Races in December to be the race meeting they don’t want to miss in their racing calendar.
Some commentators have described this year’s international line-up as one of the strongest to date. I would go along with that as the top names include reigning Melbourne Cup champion Americain, European classic winners Snow Fairy, Vision d’Etat, Stacelita and Mastery, prolific European miler Paco Boy, and Singapore’s No.1 runner Rocket Man. So whatever the outcome of the four races, I can promise that if you join the party at Sha Tin tomorrow, you will see top of the class and fantastic racing action, and at the same time be thoroughly entertained by our other on-course events. Don't miss it!
For me, this is my biggest racing day of the year, and studying the form always takes on a special challenge. First in the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Vase we will see Americain, only the second Melbourne Cup champion to come on to Hong Kong afterwards, face the likes of English St Leger winner Mastery, two-time US Group 1 winner Winchester and our own evergreen stayer Viva Pataca, who is bidding to win the third international Group 1 title of his illustrious career.
The Vase is expected to be run at a slow pace and I think the runners would need to have nice ability to quicken before having the chance to win. Americain looks terrific and is in great form. But my concern is that he comes back from the Melbourne Cup’s distance of 3200m to a sharp 2400m in Sha Tin, and the fact that he has never been successful in a real Group 1 at 2400m. He is for me the chance for a place. Comparatively, I favour Jaguar Mail more as of his terrific run for fourth in the Japan Cup. Crystal Capella from Michael Stoute's yard, with Ryan Moore on board; and Redwood – a Group 1 winner in Canada – are looking to be the other main dangers. For our home team, I think Viva Pataca remains to be the runner having the best chance to get a result.
For the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Sprint, two-time champion Sacred Kingdom will be seeking a hat-trick of wins in this HK$14 million event, but will face tough opposition from Singapore’s speed machine Rocket Man, who proved his ability in handling the right-handed Sha Tin track in the Cathay Pacific Jockey Club Sprint last month. Also strong contenders will be five-time international G1 winner JJ The Jet Plane from South Africa and three HK sprinters who have all tasted overseas success, Green Birdie, Ultra Fantasy and Joy And Fun. It looks sure to be another terrifically exciting battle.
I think this will be one of the best sprint races ever run, and will be a real test for our sprint stars. The good to fast pace will give closers some chance, but Rocket Man from gate 6 can easily take an ideal position and I think will be hard to beat. Despite that, I still believe in Sacred Kingdom and he will be able to turn the form around, but he has to be at his best. JJ The Jet Plane seems to come back to his best but I have my doubts he is in the class of Sacred Kingdom and Rocket Man. My surprise horse is Green Birdie who was very unlucky in Japan and I expect our Rising Star Little Bridge can also go close in this exciting sprint.
This year the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Mile appears to me to be the most open for a long time. Paco Boy, second to Goldikova in both Queen Anne Stakes and Prix de la Foret this year, will have his farewell run and look for a final success in Hong Kong before retiring to stud. But certainly our two veteran top milers – the in-form Able One and three-time CXHK Mile champion Good Ba Ba – will not be easy competitors to dismiss, nor will prolific French filly Sahpresa or Japanese champion miler A Shin Forward.
In this race, we should see a slow pace set by Able One and if he gets his way in front, it would be difficult for any horse to run him down. In this scenario, A Shin Forward would be the main danger with his terrific form from the Mile Championship. But my personal assumption is that Beauty Flash from the wide gate will go forward, and in this case, the pace should be faster which would give Thumbs Up a chance as well as the best horse in the race who in both scenarios will come with a late run. He is for me the horse to beat.
For the great finale of the Internationals, the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Cup, we have eight top runners coming from the overseas competing with five fine horses from the home team this year. Connections of Vision d’Etat are definitely set on ending this globetrotter's fine career on a high with a back-to-back victory in this HK$20 million event, but one can never overlook the stellar three-year-old filly and dual Oaks winner Snow Fairy, who in my view has great potential to become the next of Europe's super-fillies. I’m also delighted to see that some of our leading Hong Kong contenders like Collection, Irian and Super Satin, have enjoyed decent draws, which are rather important in this 2000m race. I hope one of them can make a breakthrough by becoming the first home runner to win the Cup since Vengeance Of Rain in 2005.
Even with the expected slow pace, Vision d'Etat should be able from gate 7 to find cover and storm home to win the Cup. His main rivals are in my opinion Planteur with the reservation that he has never raced on ground as firm as in Hong Kong, and Snow Fairy which likes good to firm going but the distance is on the sharp side for her. The surprise could be Irian which is the best form and very fit but I would recommend you to look at his pre-race attitude which is of concern, especially when he gets hot in the parade ring.
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