The inaugural Champions Day is upon us. Last evening’s gala party was sensational fun for all and I think everyone is now primed and ready for the three Group 1 races tomorrow, headlined by a fascinating renewal of the HK$24 million Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup.
This is the 20th edition of the Queen Elizabeth II Cup sponsored by Audemars Piguet, who were our first strategic partner when joining in 1999. This race has developed tremendously over that period and I must offer my thanks to them for their two decades of support.
As has been the case on so many occasions before, the APQEII Cup brings together established stars and potential stars-in-the-making. Sunday’s headliner is no different. Our Hong Kong Cup and Hong Kong Gold Cup winner Time Warp, the course record holder over 2000m, seeks to lock-up Horse of the Year honours with another big-race win. Ping Hai Star, our Derby winner, steps out onto the big Group 1 stage for the first time and hopes to pull the Derby-QEII Cup double, a feat managed on four occasions, most recently by Werther in 2016.
We all wait with anticipation to see how Pakistan Star performs. A gallant second in this race a year ago, he is clearly a very talented horse and from an inside draw. Tony Cruz has suggested he could race a bit closer than he has in the past.
I saw the trackwork antics of Al Ain from Thursday morning and I must say it was quite surprising. I don’t recall seeing a top-class horse, a Group 1 winner, behave as such for an extended period of time. He was very calm when making a lap of the Sha Tin turf course on Monday and trained well on Wednesday morning over the all-weather track as well. His race day performances have been very strong, with a good third in the Osaka Hai last out, but does present some questions given his morning behaviour.
For the APQEII Cup, the pace is expected to be good-to-slow with the reliable Time Warp to go forward and Danburite chasing. Al Ain should also sit close with Pakistan Star behind them. Dinozzo should sit midpack. Near the back, I expect Ping Hai Star, Eagle Way and Gold Mount.
Time Warp and Ping Hai Star are both working very well and both are on form and the two favourites in the race. There is one question in relation to Time Warp which is his disappointing performance in his last start over 1600m. He is returning to his favourite distance over 2000m and I have him as a win chance, especially when being able to set the pace which suits him he will be difficult to pass in the finish.
Having said that, I have high hopes that Ping Hai Star will turn out at his best and show his amazing acceleration to win the race. Ryan Moore was very impressed with Ping Hai Star in the BMW Hong Kong Derby and with his ability to run amazing last 400m sectionals he is my first choice.
Pakistan Star is the fittest he has been since his tremendous second place in last year’s APQEII Cup, and at his best he has the raw ability to win this race but he is becoming more and more unpredictable. His draw in number one is not ideal in my view because I believe he needs to come to the outside in the straight to show his devastating acceleration. I see him still as a place chance.
One should not underestimate the Japanese horses, who both are from a very strong 3-year-old crop last year with Al Ain which is a son of super stallion Deep Impact winning the Classic G1 Satsuki Sho over 2000m last season. His form in the G1 Osaka Hai over 2000m finishing third was good and I see him as a place chance despite his behaviour issues last Thursday when he played up for an extended period of time during track work. Danburite has similar credentials, but is on form inferior to Al Ain and see him more as an outside place chance.
The Champions Mile goes as Race 6 and as the name of the race, and day imply, the results could very easily be key in determining our Champion Miler for the season. Beauty Generation has two Group 1 wins in the division this season while Seasons Bloom, freshened for this effort, could add a Champions Mile win to his Stewards’ Cup success from January.
Western Express has been consistent on the big stage while Beauty Only seeks to continue his resurgence following his Chairman’s Trophy win earlier this month. Blizzard is an interesting contender stretching out to the mile and could be forwardly placed tracking Beauty Generation. From our Four-Year-Old Classic Series is the South African import Singapore Sling, who drops back to the mile and has been stellar in his last four races.
Beauty Generation led in the Hong Kong Mile and drawn inside, there is every reason to think he will lead again. Southern Legend could track in a pace that is likely to be good-to-slow. Blizzard and Pingwu Spark are projected to track with Seasons Bloom probably rear of mid-division with Singapore Sling there too. Western Express and Beauty Only will likely be near the rear.
While the Champions Mile is a competition only among Hong Kong horses, it is still a real G1 looking at the quality of the race. Beauty Generation, Seasons Bloom and Western Express are working very well. My first choice is Seasons Bloom who ran a fantastic race in the Gold Cup over 2000m in February. He had a break and is in my view back to his best. Beauty Generation shows amazing consistency and his fast pace in the early stages last start was against him but he should find a more favourable pace scenario this time and is a win and place chance.
If Pingwu Spark is not permitted to lead he could face being wide again which could negatively impact his chance but is still a place chance. Western Express is back to his best but needs things going his way but is a chance for a place too.
Singapore Sling is a high class performer and has a place chance in my view too, but going back in distance to 1600m after the BMW Hong Kong Derby over 2000m is not ideal and in my view he will be better over a longer distance than 1600m.
This is only the third year in which the Chairman’s Sprint Prize is run as an international Group 1 race and the race has drawn two overseas runners, both from Godolphin – Fine Needle out of their blossoming Japanese operation and Blue Point from Charlie Appleby’s England and Dubai-based string. Fine Needle landed the Takamatsunomiya Kinen in his last start while Blue Point was withdrawn behind the stalls when a hot favourite for the Al Quoz Sprint. On his European form last season, Blue Point is a fascinating runner in this race and has been good in his trackwork throughout the week, and I might give him a slight edge amongst the two visitors.
Our nine-time Champion Trainer, and presumably 10-time by the end of this season, John Size has five runners in the Chairman’s Sprint Prize with Group 1 winners Mr Stunning and Beat The Clock leading the charge while the incredibly progressive Ivictory seeks to land the prize at top level in his first try. Lucky Bubbles trialed well last week in hopes of defending his title from a season ago and will race fresh, off a break since the Centenary Sprint Cup.
For the Chairman’s Sprint Prize, the pace should be good and while the speed map suggests Blue Point could lead, Ivictory seems a more likely leader with Peniaphobia to be close, as usual, and Lucky Bubbles should be prominent. Mr Stunning and Beat The Clock should settle midpack with Fine Needle. Thewizardofoz and Amazing Kids will hope to run on from the back.
It’s a fantastic race with some of the best sprinters in the world over the distance of 1200m. Beat The Clock, Mr Stunning, Ivictory and Lucky Bubbles are working very well and should be all in contention for the first three.
It is a difficult choice to make, but my first choice is still Beat The Clock, who is the choice of Moreira. The good pace should help him to unleash his devastating speed in the last 400m when he nearly broke the 21 second mark for the last 400m in his last start when clocking 21.03 seconds.
Mr Stunning should be very close and is my second choice, but can turn the tables on Beat The Clock, with him likely on the outside of his rivals when they come into the straight. Lucky Bubbles seems to have come back to his best after having a break. He can surprise both and is a win and place chance in my view.
Ivictory can be anything looking how he came back from an injury setback and is in great form but he still has to prove himself in the big stage of Sha Tin in absolute Group company but should not be underestimated.
Our two overseas contenders have come to Hong Kong in great shape. Fine Needle winning the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen in very convincing fashion and is seen as a sprint star in Japan and is a place chance in my view. Blue Point is a very smart sprinter in Europe and comes after being prepared in Dubai which should give him a better chance than coming at the end of the European season in December. He will race for the first time right handed which seems not be an issue in track work but in a race it may be for the first time, which is not ideal and I rate him as a place chance.
Amazing Kids was declared a roarer after his last start, which I see as an issue to perform in their level and Thewizardofoz in my view not fully fit and his best distance and performance was over 1400m.
Without a doubt, the results from Sunday’s races will be major factors in our season-ending Champion Awards. I hope to see you all at Sha Tin tomorrow for a great day of racing, the inaugural Champions Day at Sha Tin!
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