Our spring international racing action here in Hong Kong continues for the second consecutive weekend with Sunday’s G1 Champions Mile at Sha Tin Racecourse tomorrow. As is usually the case, we have a decent line-up for this latest renewal, with four G1 winners in our nine-strong field. These include two solid top level performers from overseas, namely King Mufhasa – the evergreen miler who has won 10 G1s in Australia and New Zealand – and Penitent, who won twice at G2 level in Europe last season and was also the runner-up to eventual HK Mile performer Gordon Lord Byron in the G1 Prix de la Foret last October.
Both overseas runners possess quality and come to Hong Kong with a shot at success, but since the Champions Mile became an international event in 2005, home runners have won all of the eight editions. Combined with our wonderful results in the Hong Kong Mile, the local dominance of our international mile events at home and the strong performances of our horses when racing aboard in Japan or Dubai, reflect the great merit of our top milers in recent years.
I know many international horsemen have commented on the depth of HK’s talent pool in the sprint and mile divisions, particularly through the past decade. I personally would say we have a rather balanced population as some of our top middle distance horses, such as Ambitious Dragon, California Memory, Military Attack and even Zaidan, have proven themselves in the highest grade at home and aboard. Having said that, I’m quite happy knowing that many overseas horsemen have this perception; it’s similar to those East African distance runners we see at the Olympics from Ethiopia and Kenya, they’re renowned the world over for their prowess at those stamina disciplines and are respected as such, as are Jamaican sprinters. I think it’s a signature for us; it’s part of Hong Kong racing’s identity and I think in fact this helps overseas racing fans get a handle on Hong Kong racing and get to know our top horses, and it may even drive some of them to go further and really explore the sport in Hong Kong.
So let’s see if our top milers can again win this race, which is the last international G1 event of the current season. I will pay special attention to the performances of Glorious Days, Xtension, Pure Champion and Penitent, who are all selected by the JRA for the G1 Yasuda Kinen in Tokyo next month.
Apart from Sha Tin, racing fans who take a strong interest in overseas racing are going to have a very busy but enjoyable weekend. The first Classics of the English season, the 2,000 Guineas and 1,000 Guineas, will be held at HK time tonight and tomorrow respectively, while across the Atlantic the most prestigious race in the US, the Kentucky Derby, will be run tomorrow morning HK time. This year we will again simulcast this race to our racing fans in Hong Kong. I have heard that this year’s line up is considered one of the best for some years, and includes the impressive winners of several important three-year-old G1s in America over the past two months. Aidan O’Brien has also sent UAE Derby winner Lines of Battle for the event and it is sure to be an interesting race for all. I will for sure set my alarm clock to get up early tomorrow and watch the race.
A total of 19 runners will take part in the 139th running of the Kentucky Derby, to be run at the post time of 6.24am (Hong Kong time) tomorrow. There is rain in the forecast in Louisville, Kentucky, but the Churchill Downs dirt track handles it well and a good track is expected.
Trainer Todd Pletcher has five runners in this 2000m dirt event, including the undefeated Verrazano, a More Than Ready colt that has won all its four races by a combined 28 lengths. He is likely to go forward and will face pace pressure from Goldencents, the Santa Anita Derby winner, and longshot Falling Sky. Jockey Kevin Krigger is the rider of Goldencents and he will attempt to become the first black jockey to win this historic race since 1902, whilst Rosie Napravnik will try to become the first female jockey in history to win the Run for the Roses on Mylute. Rosie won the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks last season, which is run a day before the Derby.
None of the horses in the race have had the opportunity to be tested at 2000m, which is true of most Kentucky Derbies. Orb is a win and place chance for me, as he continues to improve and has won four consecutive races, and looks like he can get the trip. Overanalyze had a nice piece of work at Churchill Downs last week and has run his best at 1800m, an indication that he can handle the Derby distance. He will be an outsider with a place chance. Normandy Invasion was second to the unbeaten Verrazano in New York’s Wood Memorial and seems primed for a peak performance. Revolutionary is another in good form, particularly with Calvin Borel picking up the mount, a jockey that has won the Kentucky Derby in three of the last six years.
Back to Hong Kong for the Champions Mile, after we had two scratchings the race has attracted only nine horses, but the quality of the field which has an average international rating of over 116 makes up for it. The pace is expected to be good to slow and King Mufhasa led in his last races in Australia and is likely to adopt the same tactics again. Dan Excel is expected to take the box seat behind him with Xtension on his outside. Penitent and Gold-Fun from their draws in gate 8 and 7 are expected to be go forward to be placed midfield, with Helene Spirit and Glorious Days behind midfield and Packing Whiz and Pure Champion have to come from the back.
King Mufhasa deserves respect with Michael Rodd on board as this Australian jockey knows Sha Tin well. The horse’s Australian form is impressive with his last start being placed behind Pierro. He has settled in well and is at least a place chance in this race. Glorious Days is working well and is on past form the favourite but he is not unbeatable. His lighter body weight for this run will be a little bit of concern for me and despite this factor he’s still my second choice. My first choice is Packing Whiz who has shown an amazing turn of foot in his last start, running the last 400m in a sectional time of 21.97 seconds. Dan Excel will be in a good position and cannot be ignored but is more a place chance. Xtension is coming back to his best and works well. I would not be surprised that he is able to defend his title even I see him more as a place chance.
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