With the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races (HKIR) in December now only five weeks away, Group 1 competition this weekend will not only provide tremendous entertainment to global racing purists, but will also provide formlines for the LONGINES HKIR showpiece on 8 December.
As preparations continue for LONGINES HKIR, I look forward to assessing the form of some of the horses engaged at the Melbourne Cup carnival over the next week and the Breeders’ Cup this Sunday (3 November) at Del Mar in the United States.
Our World Pool programme starts at 9.20am on Saturday (2 November) with the first of nine races at Flemington. The first of the three Group 1 features is the Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m), which is carded as S1-6 and will be run at 12.40pm.
The pace will be good early with YOSHINOBU is likely to lead early from his rails draw. ENRICHED is another with plenty of speed, while LADY OF CAMELOT will settle in the leading group with GROWING EMPIRE.
LADY OF CAMELOT won the Golden Slipper Stakes as a two-year-old in March before resuming with a solid third against older horses in the Moir Stakes and then ran bravely in The Everest when fourth to BELLA NIPOTINA. She is a place chance for Tim Clark.
GROWING EMPIRE finished third in The Everest and was narrowly beaten in the Manikato Stakes at his previous run. GROWING EMPIRE has already won down the straight and looks a win and place chance for Mark Zahra and trainer Ciaron Maher.
FIRST SETTLER won the Danehill Stakes (1100m) when he finished too strongly for RESERVE BANK and ENRICHED. At his previous start, he was runner-up to GROWING EMPIRE over 1100m at Flemington and with in-form rider Michael Dee aboard is a place chance.
BELLATRIX STAR beat older horses at weight-for-age in the Schillaci Stakes at Caulfield and is a place chance, along with TRAFFIC WARDEN and SWITZERLAND, who comes off an impressive victory in the Roman Consul Stakes at Rosehill three weeks ago where he beat COLEMAN.
Hugh Bowman rides BODYGUARD for Peter Snowden and has drawn the rails side and will look to close late off.
The G1 Victoria Derby (2500m) is carded as S1-7 and will be run at 1.20pm.
Anthony Cummings is looking to reprise his 2012 success with FIVEANDAHALFSTAR when he saddles EL CASTELLO, who will be ridden by Joshua Parr. They combined to win the Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) at Randwick last week. EL CASTELLO races on the speed but may find himself further back than usual from his outside draw and is a place chance.
RED ACES won at Flemington over 1800m as a two-year-old and gave a sample of his staying ability and will to win when taking the Moonee Valley Vase (2040m) last Saturday. RED ACES is drawn well in gate four, has one of Victoria’s most gifted riders aboard in Jamie Mott and is a genuine stayer who is my win and place selection.
KINGOFWALLSTREET (Michael Dee) won the traditional lead-up the Caulfield Classic two weeks ago and is a place chance, as is SAINT EMILION (Tim Clark), who won the Geelong Classic (2200m) on 23 October in dominant fashion.
Hugh Bowman rides KEENELAND who was a Listed winner over 1800m at Flemington before narrowly beaten when third to KINGOFWALLSTREET at Caulfield last start. He jumps from a middle draw and is a top five chance.
The G1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) is carded as S1-8 and run at 2pm.
GRINZINGER BELLE should set a solid tempo in front with Hugh Bowman’s mount KIMOCHI settling on the speed from her rails draw.
KIMOCHI is a consistent filly who good behind SOUTHPORT TYCOON in the Manikato Stakes when fourth and then close up when fourth again in the Silver Eagle at Randwick on 19 October. KIMOCHI has bypassed the Golden Eagle to run against her own sex and is a definite win and place chance for Hugh at good odds.
ATISHU runs in this race for the third time and was brave last start when third to DENY KNOWLEDGE and MR BRIGHTSIDE over 2000m at Caulfield three weeks ago. ATISHU has run well dropping back in distance previously and is a place chance for James McDonald and Chris Waller.
There are lots of other chances in the race including AMELIA’S JEWEL, who has drawn well for Jamie Kah, and ALSEPHINA (Blake Shinn) who ran well for third behind LONGINES Hong Kong Mile-bound ANTINO in the Toorak Handicap, even though the winner scored easily by a huge margin.
Early on Sunday morning, our focus turns to Del Mar Racecourse in California, where the G1 Breeders’ Cup Turf (2400m) is carded as S2-1 and will be run at 5.01am.
It is an important race from a Hong Kong perspective with the presence of LUXEMBOURG, JAYAREBE, FAR BRIDGE, WINGSPAN, REBEL’S ROMANCE and GOLD PHOENIX, who are all entered for LONGINES HKIR.
Aidan O’Brien has won this race seven times and is represented this year by LUXEMBOURG (Ryan Moore) and WINGSPAN (Wayne Lordan), with LUXEMBOURG who won the Coronation Cup at Epsom in June his best chance.
REBEL’S ROMANCE won this race in 2022 and has had a stellar campaign this year winning Group 1 contests in Dubai, Hong Kong and Germany as well as the Amir’s Trophy in Qatar. REBEL’S ROMANCE is my win and place selection for William Buick which will set him up to return to LONGINES Hong Kong Vase in December.
FAR BRIDGE looks the best of the local team having recently won the Sword Dancer Stakes at Saratoga and the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes. Joel Rosario takes the ride again for Christophe Clement and he is a place chance.
JAYAREBE steps to the 2400m for the first time for trainer Brian Meehan and comes off a fighting win in the Prix Dollar (1950m) at Longchamp. Brian has had success at Breeders’ Cup before and JAYAREBE is an exciting three-year-old, who has place claims for Sean Levey.
There are a number of other chances including GOLD PHOENIX (Kyle Frey), EMILY UPJOHN (Frankie Dettori) while the leading Japanese is SHAHRYAR (Cristian Demuro), who was third in the race last year.
The G1 Breeders’ Cup Classic (2000m) is carded as S2-2 at 5:41am.
CITY OF TROY has been the star three-year-old in Europe this year, winning the Epsom Derby followed by victories in the Eclipse Stakes and most recently the International Stakes at York. He is destined to be retired after this race.
Since 1990, only Andre Fabre with ARCANGUES in 1993 and John Gosden in 2008 with RAVEN’S PASS have been able to win this race for Europe. CITY OF TROY faces an enormous challenge in switching to dirt for the first time and giving Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore a maiden win in the race. They have shown great sportsmanship and ambition in attempting an historic win and I wish them well. CITY OF TROY is incredibly talented, has been well prepared for the challenge and is a place chance.
Similarly, Japan is in pursuit of a maiden win in the race and FOREVER YOUNG is a real chance to deliver that win for Yoshito Yahagi and Ryusei Sakai. FOREVER YOUNG holds an entry for the LONGINES Hong Kong Cup. He won the Saudi Derby and UAE Derby earlier in the year before being narrowly beaten into third place in the Kentucky Derby in May. That was the only defeat in his seven-start career. He won the Japan Dirt Classic at his only run since in October and is a win and place chance. Yoshita Yahagi is an incredible supporter of international racing, immensely popular with racing fans wherever he travels his horses and I wish him well with FOREVER YOUNG.
Japan’s other runners are DERMA SOTOGAKE, who ran bravely when second in the race last year to WHITE ABARRIO, for Christophe Lemaire and USHBA TESORO (Yuga Kawada), who was fifth last year and finished second to SENOR BUSCADOR in the Saudi Cup and second to LAUREL RIVER in the Dubai World Cup.
This is an open race with the local team headed by Saudi Cup winner SENOR BUSCADOR (Joel Rosario) and HIGHLAND FALLS (Luis Saez) who won the Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes last start, who is also a place chance.
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