At Sha Tin racecourse on Sunday we saw Military Attack, a horse highly-regarded by John Moore last season as a Group 1 winner in the making, achieve his first win in the top grade in the second leg of our Triple Crown, the HKG1 Citibank Hong Kong Gold Cup. This week we have another international sporting event for horses that will feature top horses and world-class riders, but this time the focus is equestrianism rather than horseracing as the Hong Kong Masters is to be held at the Asia-World Expo starting tomorrow till Saturday.
Not only will it be the highest level international equestrian event to be held in Hong Kong and even in Asia since the hosting of the Beijing Olympics Equestrian events in our city back in 2008, but also it is the first time an International Equestrian Federation-recognised CSI five-star indoor equestrian event to be held here. Along with the other two legs of the Masters Series in Paris and New York, these three events now share the status as the top contests in elite equestrian sport, similar to those grand prix events like Wimbledon and Roland Garros in tennis.
The world’s top 25 equestrian riders, together with outstanding riders from Asia and two Hong Kong representatives – Club-sponsored rider Kenneth Cheng, and Raena Leung – will show their great skills in six competitions over three days, and compete for an overall prize of US$1 million. The event’s highlight will of course be the final Jumping – the Longines Grand Prix – on Saturday evening, in which the participating riders and horses will face various obstacles at a height of 1.6m.
With the difficulty level of the obstacles and the great quality of horses and riders in the field, the Hong Kong Masters is an event of a high-quality rarely seen in Asia. This event has attracted a prime title sponsor in Longines, who of course partnered with the Jockey Club to give generous support to our Hong Kong International Races in December. No doubt the equestrian world will be watching Hong Kong closely this weekend. As a horseman, I am very delighted to see Hong Kong becoming Asia’s top equestrian hub.
For the Hong Kong duo, I know that Kenneth, a member of the HKJC Equestrian Team, has taken part in the Paris Masters twice previously and he achieved one clear round there before. I’m sure he’ll be excited to have the opportunity to compete at such a high level competition on home soil.
I also learnt from my colleagues that Kenneth, who will partner with his horse Jockey Club Caballo for the event, undertook a special fitness programme and successfully shed a bit of weight ahead of this competition. This, I understand, has improved his fitness and he goes into the Masters more physically well-prepared. I wish him all the best this week.
Getting back to our horse racing we will stage a big event at Happy Valley tonight, as it is the finale of 1O1O Million Challenge. Although Cape Canaveral has already collected enough points to be crowned winner of the series this season, there remains a fierce battle for the runners-up positions. Four of the horses in the top 10, namely Gold Racer in 2nd, Romantic City in 5th, Imperial Rome in 6th and Noble Deluxe in 8th, will feature tonight as they aim to secure the necessary points to take a share of HK$1 million bonus. It will be interesting to see how they perform this evening.
In the Hawthorn Handicap which is run as Race 4, Gold Racer who is second in the 1O1O Million Challenge with 46 points is entered and will try to secure his runner-up position and the HK$250,000 bonus. The pace is expected to be good with Bundle Of Love taking up his usual leader position. Gold Racer should be able to share the lead or just sitting off the pace, in company of Dream Builder or Diamond Start. Amigo and Easy Success as well as Shahjee can be well placed behind this group. Smart Man who is only making his third start in Hong Kong, will be further back with Turf Magic and Jun Hao at the back of the field.
Smart Man is an upcoming horse and working well but I am concerned that it is his first start in Happy Valley and he has never trialed here too. Shahjee is running consistently and I see him as a place chance, as well as Gold Racer who was caught wide last time from Gate 9 and has a better chance to be placed today. My top pick in this race is Dream Builder who from gate 2 should be well positioned and with Umberto Rispoli as jockey he has a strong rider on his back. Easy Success has shown improvement and is better drawn this time. He is a win and place chance too.
In the Briar Handicap which is run as Race 5, Romantic City and Imperial Rome will try to get a result and catch up Gold Racer for the Million Challenge runner-up position. Romantic City will, as always, set a good to fast pace, with Good Boy Boy not far behind. Regency Luck, Able Speed, Windicator Star, Imperial Rome and Charles The Great should be all well placed. Good Words and Vital Flyer are likely to be trapped wide with Holiday Sun and Fun Rider at the back.
Charles The Great is working well and he has a place chance for me. Windicator Star is working very well too and with his very good form has a win and place chance. His main rival I see in Imperial Rome who would benefit from the good to fast pace to rally home. Romantic City is in good form but I prefer him over 1000m. A more interesting horse for me is Regency Luck who from Gate 2 has a good chance for a place.
Comment
