Although we didn’t have any local race meeting at the weekend, we did have our first simulcasts of the season on Sunday – six races from Sprinters Stakes day in Japan and two races from Australia’s Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes day.
I paid particular attention to the big Japanese race as it featured last year’s LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint winner and Sprinters Stakes’ defending champion Lord Kanaloa. The five-year-old did not jump quickly at the break and his jockey Yasunari Iwata had to urge him a bit to improve to midfield. But he is a champion racehorse and quickened well down the home stretch to defeat Hakusan Moon and claim the top prize. I think it was a good run given the circumstances early in the race and I was delighted with the news from his trainer, Takayuki Yasuda, after the race. Mr Yasuda said he personally would prefer to skip the Mile Championship at Kyoto in November so as to aim straight for Hong Kong and our International Raceday in December, with the LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint being his top preference over the Mile at the moment.
His victory was all the more pleasing because my colleagues told me that Lord Kanaloa’s connections had decided ahead of the Sprinters’ Stakes that they would retire their horse if he failed to win. Thanks to the ability of the horse and the composure of jockey Yasunari Iwata, our racing fans could well have the chance to watch this top sprinter to make his possibly farewell run in Hong Kong.
In another development for our international races, Newmarket in England staged a G1 fillies and mares’ event, the Sun Chariot Stakes, and it was won impressively by this year’s 1,000 Guineas winner Sky Lantern. Her trainer Richard Hannon said after the race that the horse’s Hong Kong-based owner wants to bring her here and participate in our showcase international event at Sha Tin. It just shows the importance of our international races that horses of such elite status are being aimed here well in advance.
We shall follow any news on Lord Kanaloa and Sky Lantern regarding their preparations for their planned trips to Hong Kong in the coming couple of months. Before that, some of the possible local opponents they might face in Hong Kong will have their first notable assignments of this season at Sha Tin today, when we will host the season’s first group races of our campaign, the Sha Tin Sprint Trophy and National Day Cup.
These two HKG3 events have attracted a host of classy horses. In the Sha Tin Sprint Trophy, Eagle Regiment has drawn plenty of attention as he is our top performer over 1000m. Meanwhile in the National Day Cup it will be interesting to see how Akeed Mofeed and Gold-Fun, two of our top four-year-olds from last season, have progressed through the summer as they return to the fray. These are two exciting contests and are certainly not to be missed.
Other than that, as always on this special day, we have arranged various on-course activities. Expect to see some entertaining cultural performances, including the delightful Bowl Topping performance by the Inner Mongolia Acrobatic Troupe. So if you can, please come along early to catch the performance at noon at the Parade Ring.
For the two group events, the Sha Tin Sprint Trophy is run as a HKG3 handicap over the straight 1000m and has attracted a small but top quality field. The pace is expected to be good. With Go Baby Go drawn in Gate 1, California Bounty in Gate 9 positioned on the favourable outside of the track, both horses will likely be the fast leaders in this race. Eagle Regiment in Gate 5, Straight Gold in Gate 3 and Vital Flyer in Gate 8 are strong on-pace-runners which should ensure a good pace.
Go Baby Go is working very well and has the benefit of a start at the beginning of the season. He’s one of the horses for a win or at least a place. And if he could draw closer to the outside fence, he would be my clear first choice. California Bounty has the ideal draw and is working very well. With his light weight he’s a win and place chance too. Eagle Regiment is working very well too. Despite his long injury break and carrying top weight, he’s an amazing 1000m specialist and should not be underestimated. Vital Flyer is an interesting outsider who can upset the favourites at least for a place.
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