CALIFORNIA SPANGLE’s outstanding effort to win the G1 Al Quoz Sprint (1200m) at Meydan Racecourse on Saturday night (30 March) was a fantastic result and once more demonstrates the tremendous quality of Hong Kong’s sprinters.
In running a track record of 1m 07.50s under Brenton Avdulla after winning the G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) at his previous start, CALIFORNIA SPANGLE showed his incredible class and versatility, while SIGHT SUCCESS ran well to finish fifth without threatening.
It was a tremendous training performance by Tony Cruz and Brenton gave CALIFORNIA SPANGLE an absolutely smashing ride.
On a personal note, I was delighted to see the win of the colours of the late Howard Liang, who made a great contribution to horse racing in Hong Kong and for his family who are committed to continue the legacy of their father and grand-father.
Hong Kong has only 0.8% of the world’s racehorse population and yet our horses have again shown this season – especially with ROMANTIC WARRIOR winning the W.S. Cox Plate (2040m) – that they are among the very best in the world.
Hong Kong horses, trainers and jockeys are tremendously competitive on the international stage and it is remarkable to consider that from a pool of less than 1,200 horses, our equine stars this season alone have won Group 1s against international competition in Hong Kong, Australia and the United Arab Emirates.
In the G1 Dubai Turf (1800m), STRAIGHT ARRON finished off the race well and, at the 300m, looked like he might run into a place but peaked on his run to finish sixth, four and a half lengths behind FACTEUR CHEVAL, who is now likely to come to Hong Kong for FWD Champions Day at Sha Tin on 28 April.
VOYAGE BUBBLE was hampered late in the race before finishing 13th but was never travelling like he could be in the finish.
With a winner and two top-six results from our four runners, Hong Kong can feel proud of what unfolded in Dubai last night and I look forward to the safe return of the horses and their handlers to Hong Kong.
The focus turns to Sha Tin on Sunday when the Class 2 United Alumni Handicap (1600m) is carded as race 3 at 1.45pm with prizemoney of HK$3,120,000.
The pace in the race will be good to slow and will be set by ALL FOR ST PAUL’S with Matthew Poon bringing him across from gate six to take up the running. FLAMING RABBIT (Lyle Hewitson) has good gate speed and will go forward from the outside barrier to sit on the pace and SUPERB BOY, with Alexis Badel, should be able to find the rails from gate three and land behind the leader.
MUGEN was impressive beating SUPERB BOY at his first start at 1400m and on 12 February was narrowly beaten by RED LION in the Chinese New Year Cup over the same trip. In that race RED LION and MUGEN came right away from the rest of the field. Since that run, MUGEN has spent an extended period at Conghua, easily winning two trials there earlier this month.
Hugh Bowman takes the ride for the first time and trainer Pierre Ng is extending MUGEN to 1600m for the first time. MUGEN is an emerging talent and is a win and place chance.
SUPERB BOY was beaten by MUGEN on 21 January and at his only run since was also second to ATULLIBIGEAL over 1400m in the TVB Cup on 18 February. SUPERB BOY will have benefitted from time at Conghua since that run and meets MUGEN better at the weights than their last clash and he is a place chance.
Both wins for ALL FOR ST PAUL’S this season have been on the All Weather Track, but he has multiple wins on this surface and distance in the past. Matthew Poon should be able to get a soft lead and ALL FOR ST PAUL’S is a place chance.
Of the other runners, FLAMING RABBIT raced on the speed and wasn’t beaten far in the race won by YOUNG CHAMPION on 16 March. FLAMING RABBIT is a place chance. THE GOLDEN SCENERY was a winner over this course and distance earlier in the season and, despite giving weight to all his rivals, can run well for Brenton Avdulla.
The G1 Osaka Hai from Hanshin Racecourse is the last of the weekend’s simulcast races 7 and is carded as S4-1 at 2.40pm and brings together an outstanding field over 2000m again this year.
The pace in the race will be good and 2023 Japanese Derby winner TASTIERA will settle on the speed from gate three. TASTIERA was second in the St. Leger to DUREZZA after the Derby victory and at his latest start was sixth to DO DEUCE in the Arima Kinen over 2500m on 24 December, when he did not have a lot of room in the straight.
TASTIERA returns to racing here and has been working well in preparation for the race and is a win and place chance.
SOL ORIENS won the Japanese Guineas before finishing second in the Derby and third in the St Leger, behind TASTIERA in both runs. He resumed for 2024 with a good fourth to MATENRO SKY in the G2 Nakayama Kinen on 25 February and will take improvement from that run. SOL ORIENS is a place chance.
GEOGLYPH was the 2022 Japanese Guineas winner but had a disappointing campaign last year after running fourth in the Saudi Cup in February and was well beaten in two runs on dirt at the end of the year. GEOGLYPH showed a return to form when resuming with a good third to MATENRO SKY at Nakayama and is a place chance again from his good draw.
HARPER was runner-up to star filly LIBERTY ISLAND in last year’s Japanese Oaks and also finished third in the Shuka Sho and Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Group One level last year. HARPER is nominated for the FWD QE II Cup on 28 April at Sha Tin and is a place chance here at her first run since finishing eighth in the Arima Kinen in December.
The Osaka Hai is a top-class field and horses such as PRADARIA, STUNNING ROSE, BELLAGIO OPERA and ROUSHAM PARK, who ran in the Hong Kong Cup behind ROMANTIC WARRIOR in December, all have place chances.
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