International competition is the pinnacle of all sports and this weekend elite horseracing shines on the global stage with World Pool meetings in Dubai, Auckland and Cape Town with the appearance of some of the world’s best horses, including ROMANTIC WARRIOR and LAUREL RIVER.
ROMANTIC WARRIOR has created tremendous excitement in Dubai where he contests the G1 Jebel Hatta (1800m) in the early hours of Saturday morning (25 January) for Danny Shum and James McDonald and his debut performance in the Middle East against some extremely good, locally-trained opposition will be fascinating.
ROMANTIC WARRIOR already boasts world record prizemoney with earnings of HK$177.3 million and, if successful in Dubai, he would land a 10th Group 1 win to equal the Hong Kong record of Golden Sixty, which would be a truly remarkable achievement.
As the most successful graduate of the Hong Kong International Sale, ROMANTIC WARRIOR shares top billing at Meydan with LAUREL RIVER, who this week was ranked joint-top horse in the LONGINES WORLD’S BEST RACEHORSE RANKINGS with a mark of 128 – three points higher than ROMANTIC WARRIOR – after his spectacular G1 Dubai World Cup victory last March.
LAUREL RIVER runs in the G3 Firebreak Stakes (1600m, dirt) in preparation for a possible clash with ROMANTIC WARRIOR in the G1 Saudi Cup (1800m, dirt) in Riyadh next month and the build-up to an encounter between the pair would further intensify positive focus on international racing.
Zac Purton completed a relentless pursuit of Douglas Whyte’s record for the most wins by a jockey in Hong Kong with a double at Happy Valley on Wednesday night (22 January), taking his tally of wins in the city to 1,814 – one more than Douglas.
It was fantastic to watch these two champions warmly share an amazing moment after SPIRIT OF PEACE’S victory with both of them ringing the bell to mark an historic moment. It was a privilege to present Zac with a specially designed trophy and jockey silks embossed with the 1,814 figure after his win on VIEW OF THE WORLD gave him the outright record.
Douglas’ staggering effort to win 13 consecutive Hong Kong jockey championships ensures his place in Hong Kong racing history and many of the qualities he displayed throughout his career remain the benchmark for today’s riders, including Zac.
Douglas should regard Zac’s professionalism, discipline, skill and determination as the ultimate compliment because Zac has often mentioned Douglas’ standards as those he most wanted to emulate.
I congratulate Zac on his wonderful achievement and also acknowledge Douglas’ continuing legacy to Hong Kong racing.
The first of the World Pool features this weekend comes from Meydan with the running of the G1 Al Maktoum Challenge (1900m, dirt), which is carded as S1-1 and run at 12.25am on Saturday (25 January).
A change of riding tactics produced a stunning result last start for WALK OF STARS when he produced a dominant display to win over this course and distance by 11 lengths at Listed level on 20 December. Tadhg O’Shea set very quick sectionals and produced one of the quickest overall times in recent years. If he can reproduce that effort, WALK OF STARS is a win and place chance.
On ratings, FACTEUR CHEVAL is the best horse in the race but is having his first run on dirt ahead of possible runs in the Saudi Cup and Dubai World Cup. Last year, he won the Dubai Turf (1800m), defeating NAMUR and DANON BELUGA. Last start, he was runner-up to CHARYN in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes over a mile on 19 October. Mickael Barzalona takes the ride and he is a win and place chance if he handles the change in surface.
KABIRKHAN won this race with WALK OF STARS finishing fifth. This is his first run back and on his best form KABIRKHAN is a place chance for Cristian Demuro.
The G1 Jebel Hatta (1800m, turf) is carded as S1-2 and run at 1am.
The pace will be good with MEASURED TIME likely to go forward from gate six. James McDonald should have ROMANTIC WARRIOR prominent from his rails draw while ROYAL DUBAI (James Doyle) will also be in the forward group with HOLLOWAY BOY (Daniel Tudhope) and OTTOMAN FLEET (Mickael Barzalona).
Danny Shum and James McDonald have been happy with the way ROMANTIC WARRRIOR has prepared for this race since arriving in Dubai and while he might not be quite at peak fitness, he should win the race and is my win selection.
MEASURED TIME beat OTTOMAN FLEET and SAN DONATO to win this race easily last year and was impressive when resuming in Dubai on 20 December, leading throughout and setting a course record over 1800m to beat lesser opposition by seven lengths. William Buick has a great record on MEASURED TIME and MEASURED TIME will provide strong opposition to ROMANTIC WARRIOR and is my second selection.
POKER FACE is a multiple group winner in France and won a Listed race at Kempton in December before making a winning debut in Dubai on 3 January in the Zabeel Mile and is a place chance for Pat Dobbs. HOLLOWAY BOY and OTTOMAN FLEET will vie for the minor placings behind ROMANTIC WARRIOR and MEASURED TIME.
On Saturday afternoon, attention turns to Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland for the staging of the first World Pool meeting in New Zealand with Railway Stakes Day. The feature is the G1 Railway Stakes (1200m), which is carded as S2-3 and run at 2.43pm.
ALABAMA LASS has finished in the top two in all six stars and finished second to CAPTURED BY LOVE the New Zealand Thousand Guineas (1600m) last start. ALABAMA LASS resumes here and, back to 1200m, is a win and place chance for Sam Spratt.
CAPTURED BY LOVE is another three-year-old filly with an outstanding record and the engagement of Craig Williams is a positive. She is a place chance despite having an awkward draw.
BABYLON BERLIN is a place chance for Vinnie Coglan, while Michael McNab again takes the ride on SACRED SATONO, who is also a place chance.
World Pool coverage continues on Saturday night with the first of seven races from Kenilworth Racecourse in South Africa at 8.45pm. The first of the features is the G1 HKJC World Pool Cape Flying Championship (1000m), which is carded as S3-2 and run at 9.20pm.
DYCE won this race last year in impressive fashion and in the lead up to this year’s race won three races on the bounce before finishing second under a big weight to GOLDEN SICKLE at Turffontein on 16 December. DYCE has drawn well and with champion rider Pierre Strydom aboard is my win and place selection.
SURJAY won the Group 1 Mercury Sprint (1200m) at Greyville in July and resumed with a third when carrying a huge weight behind OUTLAW KING at Group 2 level here on 22 December. Luyolo Mxothwa goes back aboard here and SURJAY is a place chance. CAFE CULTURE is a place chance for Serino Moodley along with ASIYE PHAMBILI.
The G1 Cape Town Met (2000m) is carded as S3-3 and run at 10.05pm.
ORIENTAL CHARM finished last season with victory in the Durban July and resumed by winning the Green Point Stakes (1600m) on 7 December. ORIENTAL CHARM was disappointing second-up in the King’s Plate but, on his best form will be hard to beat, and is a win and place chance for J.P Van Der Merwe.
RASCALLION was runner-up in this race last year to DOUBLE SUPERLATIVE and his form since has been outstanding. He won the Cape Mile in November and then narrowly beat MAGIC VERSE and LITIGATION here over 1800m on 4 January. Sean Veale will have to ride for luck from his wide draw but RASCALLION is a win and place chance.
MONTIEN races on the pace and despite drawing wide on the track is a place chance, along with MAGIC VERSE, SEE IT AGAIN and EIGHT ON EIGHTEEN.
Comment
