FWD Champions Day is one of the most important and prestigious events on the Hong Kong horseracing calendar and, as we draw closer to the spring flagship meeting at Sha Tin this Sunday (26 April), anticipation and excitement continue to build ahead of three outstanding Group 1 races this weekend.
At trackwork yesterday morning (Tuesday, 21 April), the sight of the world’s highest-rated horse KA YING RISING, MASQUERADE BALL, SOSIE, JANTAR MANTAR and SATONO REVE served to elevate a palpable sense of occasion.
With an international rating of 128, MASQUERADE BALL is one of the highest-rated visitors ever to compete in Hong Kong and his clash with Hong Kong champion ROMANTIC WARRIOR, who has an international mark of 125, ROYAL CHAMPION (122) and SOSIE (121) in the HK$30 million FWD QEII Cup (2000m) shapes as a wonderful highlight.
In my view, ROMANTIC WARRIOR faces one of the stiffest tests of his magnificent career when he faces MASQUERADE BALL, who is not only a dual Group 1 winner in Japan, but also has form around CALANDAGAN in the G1 Japan Cup (2400m), losing by only a head in race record time, and was also runner-up to CROIX DU NORD in the G1 Japanese Derby (2400m).
Equally, the recent form of last-start Group 1 winners ROYAL CHAMPION and SOSIE in the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m) is imposing and there is no doubt ROMANTIC WARRIOR, the world’s greatest prizemoney winner and a global champion, will have to be at his best to secure a record fourth victory in the race.
History also awaits KA YING RISING in HK$24 million G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) as David Hayes’ phenomenal speedster attempts to close a second successive unbeaten season with a record-extending 20th victory in a row.
KA YING RISING currently holds the Sha Tin track record for both the 1200m and 1400m and his track gallop last week with a closing 400m sectional of 21.5s suggests that he has maintained peak form after a stellar campaign which has already delivered four Group 1 victories, including historic success in the AUD$20 million (approx. HK$112 million) G1 The Everest (1200m), the world’s richest sprint race at Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, Australia.
While he faces only seven rivals on Sunday, KA YING RISING will again face quality opposition headed by HELIOS EXPRESS and SATONO REVE, among others and, like ROMANTIC WARRIOR, will reproduce his top form to succeed.
The HK$24 million G1 FWD Champions Mile (1600m) shapes as a fascinating contest with five Group 1 winners engaged, led by JANTAR MANTAR, VOYAGE BUBBLE, DOCKLANDS, LUCKY SWEYNESSE and the defending champion RED LION.
JANTAR MANTAR has looked impressive so far at Sha Tin and, as a four-time Group 1 mile winner in Japan, he returns to Sha Tin in tremendous form after last-start victory in the G1 Mile Championship (1600m) at Kyoto on 23 November.
One of the interesting aspects of the FWD Champions Mile is the presence of this season’s Four-Year-Old Classic Series stars INVINCIBLE IBIS, who won the BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m), and Hong Kong Classic Mile winner LITTLE PARADISE.
Their performance this Sunday against seasoned opposition will be instructive as they rise to Group 1 level for the first time.
I look forward to monitoring trackwork over the remainder of the week, when I will have the opportunity to catch up with visiting international owners, trainers, jockeys and media as we approach one of the most exciting meetings of the season.
The build-up continues to Sha Tin on Sunday with the Prelude To FWD Champions Day tonight (22 April) when Happy Valley’s world-famous Beer Garden hosts international song and dance sensation Rechelle Mansour.
Attendees can enjoy nine world-class races from close quarters while soaking up the incredible live off-track entertainment in what is the perfect lead-up to Sunday’s three Group 1 races at Sha Tin as a scene-setter to the weekend’s outstanding competition.
The competitive highlight at Happy Valley tonight is the Class 3 Roselle Handicap, which is carded as Race 9 and will be run over 1200m at 10.50pm for prizemoney of HK$1.86 million.
The speed will be good with PACKING GLORY likely to lead from gate one. JUBILANT WINNER and SOVEREIGN FUND will settle close to the lead, with AURIO in the next pair back, along with newcomer WITHOUT RHYME, who will go forward from barrier 10.
AURIO finished powerfully to beat STRAIGHT TO GLORY over this course and trip on 18 March when he was held up for a run early in the straight and showed courage to burst through and win running away in fast time. He has been kept up to the mark in track work since and from a good draw, with Zac Purton aboard is my win and place selection.
MY DAY MY WAY has been a long-priced winner at his last two starts in this class and distance and is likely to be at good odds again as he searches for a winning hat-trick. Last start, he went back from a wide draw, settling in the back half of the field and coming widest in the home straight to win impressively. Jerry Chau retains the ride and despite drawing gate 11, MY DAY MY WAY is a place chance.
GREATER BAE was runner-up to MY DAY MY WAY on 25 March, when he started favourite and ran home strongly near the rails, but found the winner too strong at the end. Andrea Atzeni goes back aboard GREATER BAE here and he is a place chance again.
PACKING GLORY has been in consistent form at Sha Tin and comes to Happy Valley for the first time and Richard Kingscote should be able to have him in a good position from his inside draw and is a place chance.
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