This is turning into a busy and significant week both on and off the racecourse.
I left the races on Wednesday to go to an IFHA EXCO Meeting in Dublin at which we discussed how we as Racing Authorities and organisers have to address the significant challenges that global racing faces worldwide in light of a changing society.
That important event was followed by a swift return journey for Saturday’s Student of the Year Awards today along with the first year anniversary celebration of Tai Kwun.
Meanwhile, the racing action continues to come thick and fast and we witnessed another very promising young horse at Happy Valley on Wednesday when Yee Cheong Baby beat a strong Class 2 field in great style.
He looks an exciting prospect for Jimmy Ting – who has made a fine start with 35 winners in his debut season – and Sunday’s card at Sha Tin has attracted more youngsters with star potential.
Aethero bids to confirm the promise of his runaway debut in the Liberator Plate for John Moore, while Ricky Yiu’s Voyage Warrior goes for the Werther Handicap after showing terrific speed to win his first two races.
Those two promise to make the first half of the card highly informative, but the Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup is the main event and our final G1 features six horses who have scored at the top level.
Much has changed since Pakistan Star sprinted clear of Exultant on this day in 2018.
Exultant has made great progress, winning three major prizes including the LONGINES Hong Kong Vase. He is trying to become the first horse ever to land both of Hong Kong’s G1 contests over 2400m in the same season and, if he succeeds, it will be a remarkable sixth Champions & Chater Cup in the last seven years for Tony Cruz.
Pakistan Star is no longer with Tony, of course, and the record reflects that he has failed to win in eight starts this season. However, he continues to show flashes of his old brilliance under the care of Paul O’Sullivan and it will be fascinating to see how this highly unusual horse reacts to racing without headgear for the first time in his career.
Add in the battling brothers Time Warp and Glorious Forever moving up in distance along with an interesting Japanese challenger in Happy Grin and it’s clear we have a high-class race in store.
Saturday night’s simulcast of the Singapore Group 1 Kranji Mile features Southern Legend and Singapore Sling, as our Hong Kong horses attempt to continue a great run of success in Singapore.
Last year, Southern Legend and Horse Of Fortune finished one-two in this race for Hong Kong and it may happen again this year.
When Southern Legend won last year, he jumped right to the front to contest the pace and then drew away to win by three lengths. Once again, he has drawn an inside gate and I expect he will be forwardly positioned, but this time just off the early leaders as he turns back in trip. He is in top form and is proven over the course and distance, which makes him a win and place chance.
Singapore Sling has drawn outside but should be able to secure a good midfield position. He ran second to Beauty Generation in the Champions Mile last month and is a strong place chance coming off that effort. For Singapore, the two logical place chances are Debt Collector and Countofmontecristo. Both horses are in career best form and are the best milers in Singapore.
On Sunday at Sha Tin, the Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup is one of only two international Group 1 races run at the staying distance of 2400 metres each season in Hong Kong.
Typically, these races are run at a slower tempo but the presence of Time Warp and Glorious Forever ensures a good pace and it will be a true test of speed and stamina.
Time Warp will lead and Glorious Forever will be in close pursuit to keep him honest. The two brothers are meeting for the fourth consecutive time this year along with another familiar rival named Exultant. Their 2019 campaigns have been identical.
Exultant has enjoyed a terrific season and is a win and place chance at his preferred distance and at equal weights. He closed well in his last start when second to Japan’s Win Bright course record in the 2000 metre FWD QE II Cup and this is a solid indication that he has maintained his brilliant form.
Glorious Forever also ran extremely well in the FWD QE II Cup. He led throughout when winning Hong Kong’s richest race, the LONGINES Hong Kong Cup, in December and must be considered a strong place chance in his current form.
Last year’s winner Pakistan Star will be ridden more patiently with blinkers off and has been showing signs of his old form in his last two runs. He is a place chance along with Happy Grin for Japan.
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