The inaugural Asia Horse Week is on tap next week at Asia World Expo, with activities commencing from Thursday and three spectacular days of competition. I will offer some more thoughts next Wednesday, but suffice it to say I am really looking forward to a great week in horse sport.
I must express my thanks to our hearty racing fans who came out and joined us at Happy Valley on Wednesday, braving some chilly temperatures with great enthusiasm. Those on course were treated to a great night for our home-grown jockeys who won the first six races of the night. It was particularly fruitful for apprentice Jack Wong who earned two wins on the night, including one of the Class 2 features with Dinozzo. Jack was riding back at only his second meeting after missing nearly three months due to injury and I’m sure he was quite happy with the early success upon his return to the saddle.
Dinozzo is set to have a quick back up for the G3 Centenary Vase, this time with Joao Moreira on board, in the feature event at Sha Tin tomorrow. This 1800m handicap consists of a small field of seven but it’s of great quality, including G1 performers Eagle Way and Secret Weapon, and also two Derby aspirants in Rivet and Ruthven. It will be run as the third race on the card and the expected pace of this race is likely to be slow, which will help horses who are not too far off the pace and have the ability to quicken.
Horse Of Fortune has been ridden from off the pace in the past but he could be the most likely to adapt and could lead here. Ruthven led last time while setting strong fractions but that seems an unlikely course of action again and he could settle along with Rivet, who is drawn outside and carries a light weight. Secret Weapon and Dinozzo should track them with Gold Mount and Eagle Way near the rear.
Gold Mount is working very well and in his last start, in the Hong Kong Vase, he performed extremely well to finish fifth with a late run. He is my first choice for a win or place.
Eagle Way is a Group 1 Winner in Australia over 2400m as a 3-year-old and has won three races since coming to Hong Kong over distances from 1600m to 2400m. His last win came in Happy Valley over the 1800m distance off a slow pace. He is my second choice.
Dinozzo does a quick back-up after winning very convincingly at Happy Valley in a Class 2 over 1800m. He has won four races since coming to Hong Kong and has developed well, from being a winner of a 2-year-old maiden race in Ireland over 1600m. Eagle Way beat him when he finished third when they met in a Happy Valley race with The Golden Age having been second. I see him as a place chance with Moreira on board.
Rivet, as a 4-year-old colt was brought to Hong Kong as a potential Derby horse. So far, he has been a little bit disappointing having been a Group 1 winner as a 2-year-old in Great Britain over 1600m, and Group 1-placed in Deauville over the same distance. His last run was his best from his four starts in Hong Kong when running on well in the Classic Mile to finish fifth beaten 3 1/2 lengths to Nothingilikemore. I see him as a place chance too.
Ruthven is another highly rated 4-year-old, and a Group 1 Winner in Australia which was bought with the BMW Hong Kong Derby as a target. He is still a colt and seems to take more time but the extra distance should help him. In his last race, he over-raced and weakened in the last 150m. He will appreciate the extra distance and carries 113 pounds being five pounds out of the handicap, and would have to improve significantly to be in the finish.
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