I have just got back from Japan where Club Chairman Mr Stevenson and I witnessed a great international event. We were lucky enough to witness Gentildonna write the latest chapter of Japanese racing history as she became the first horse to win back-to-back editions of the Japan Cup. The popular filly had huge support from the Japanese crowd, but her fans endured some nervous moments approaching the wire as the Japanese Horse of the Year was challenged by the younger filly Denim and Ruby, ridden by Japanese jockey Suguru Hamanaka. But with the strong riding of Ryan Moore and her champion’s will to win, she was able to keep on and claim the top prize.
It’s great for racing fans around the world to learn that there is a good chance that this outstanding filly will stay in training next year, with another campaign in Dubai a possibility for her next spring. And those same fans also have the opportunity to watch in person the riding skills of the top two jockeys in the Japan Cup – Moore and Hamanaka – when they feature in our LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship at Happy Valley in a week’s time.
The Japan Cup has certainly whetted my appetite for our international showcase and I must say it’s always a great thrill to have so many of the world’s top racing figures participating in our flagship international racing event each year. For trainers’ point of view, it will be very special for us to have Richard Hannon’s last ever Group 1 runner in action. This reigning British champion trainer will be sending his ace filly Sky Lantern, owned by Hong Kong-based Ben Keswick, to contest the LONGINES Hong Kong Mile on Sunday week.
Some of you might have learnt recently that Mr Hannon is retiring and will hand over to his son Richard Jr in the New Year. Having saddled almost 4,200 winners since he started training in 1970, he has sent out over 100 winners each season bar one since 1991 and that includes a double century in each of the past four years! Hannon is famous for training juvenile horses to reach the top, but he has also brought on plenty of star runners in his long career and two that spring to mind from the recent past are Canford Cliffs and Paco Boy. However it must be noted that it is 40 years since he claimed his first classic success with Mon Fils in the 1973 2,000 Guineas, and he has won that important race three times in all.
This year he earned his fourth champion trainer title as he saddled more than 230 winners for the year, with the highlights being his top level successes with three outstanding three-year-olds – Sky Lantern, Olympic Glory and Toronado. It will be interesting to see if his final G1 runner Sky Lantern could bring him one more G1 win to cap his amazing career. It would be quite a story if this great horseman were to bow out on a high here in Hong Kong.
Sky Lantern is scheduled to arrive in Hong Kong this weekend. But a few other horses have already checked in at our quarantine stable at Sha Tin after jetting in from Australia, and they seem to have arrived in good shape.
Before we really get into the thick of the HKIR preparations, we will host a themed meeting at Happy Valley tonight as a prelude to our international races next week. Racegoers can join our QR code game relating to the LONGINES HKIR and they could have the chance to win a LONGINES Conquest Classic Collection watch. So make sure you are there so as not to miss such a chance.
And on the eight-race card, the Japan Racing Association Trophy is the race of the highest class this evening, being a Class 2 event over 1200m on the C+3 Course. The pace is expected to be good which ensures that every horse should have a fair chance. The C+3 Course normally favours horses positioning closer to the pace. I would recommend you all seeing how the track performs in earlier races of the evening.
Super Fresh steps up to 1200m this time, but he should probably lead with New Glory, Leading City and Sichuan Charm which is favourably drawn in Gate 1. Imperial Champion should be well positioned behind the leaders in midfield with New Deerfield, Golden Harvest and Imperial Rome further back. Tai Sing Yeh is likely to stay at the back as of his draw of 11. Sichuan Charm is working very well. He will be my first choice, with Golden Harvest who is working very well too as his main danger. New Deerfield who has improved in his work is at least a place chance, and the same applies to Imperial Champion.
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