Looking back at the Dubai World Cup race meeting last weekend, I remain thrilled and delighted with the success of our Hong Kong runners at Meydan last weekend. Derek Cruz’s Joy And Fun produced an epic performance to snatch the Group 3 Al Quoz Sprint and become the second Hong Kong racehorse – after Vengeance Of Rain’s victory in the Dubai Sheema Classic in 2007 – to win in Dubai. Another Hong Kong runner One World added more glory for Hong Kong an hour later, with his creditable third in the Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen. I believe many local racing fans who watched these races here in Hong Kong shared this excitement.
Given his decent form in last year’s Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Sprint, I expected before the race that Joy And Fun would have a good chance of getting a result in this turf sprint event. I was, however, surprised to see Joy And Fun jumping so quickly as the barrier opened and settling in a handy position. The American sprinter California Flag took up the running as usual, but Joy And Fun applied the pressure and then completed the business end of the job beautifully over the final 200 meters. I was very grateful to see another Hong Kong runner earning such a great success overseas, as it proves yet again that our top racehorses are very competent and can perform very well even when running on foreign turf.
His owner Johnny Wong was over the moon, and I offered my congratulations to him right away. I did the same to trainer Derek Cruz and jockey Brett Doyle as they prepared the horse to perfection. Plans of challenges for the KrisFlyer International Sprint in Singapore and the Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot now beckon for Joy And Fun. I hope he can strive for more good results and honour for Hong Kong in the future. I’ve learnt more encouraging news after the Meydan races, as the connections of some top globetrotters have already fixed their sights on our international meeting next month, and expressed their initial interest in taking part in the Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup and the Champions Mile at Sha Tin. One of those was Dubai Duty Free contender Presvis. Although Presvis got no run in the straight and performed below expectations in this US$5 million event, his trainer Luca Cumani said he still intended to send his ace runner for a third campaign in Hong Kong.
Mike de Kock, the South African trainer who prepared winners like Archipenko and Irridescence in the APQE II Cup, and Eagle Mountain in the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Cup, may also field two representatives in our springtime international event this year. Lizard’s Desire, who ran a close fought second in the Dubai World Cup, will possibly contest in the APQE II Cup, while Dubai Duty Free placegetter Imbongi may contest the Champions Mile. It’ll be great to see if de Kock can produce another sensational winner on our home turf.
I know our Executive Director of Racing Bill Nader has also chatted with the Owner and Trainer of California Flag, winner of the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, after the horse finished third in the Al Quoz Sprint. The Owner told Bill that they enjoyed the trip for the Hong Kong Sprint last December and would love to come to Hong Kong again as it was the best event anywhere in the world. However, given to the fact that the sprinter-milers in Hong Kong are very competitive, they would have to think carefully. Anyway, let’s see if some of these big names will be included in the selected runner list for the APQEII Cup and Champions Mile which we are going to unveiled next week.
Before then, we will again have some exciting racing action in our eight-race programme at Happy Valley tonight. In the Aquascutum Trophy Handicap, it will be interesting to see if Bondi Lad can achieve his third straight win in the Class 3 company. He picks up an additional eight pounds off his latest win, which was relatively easy and by a clear margin. I expect him to jump and lead again tonight, with Topping Light, Perfect Sprint and Invinciblekindness the ones to make things exciting in the final 100m.
In the Wyndham Handicap, it is a good test to see if trainer John Size can pick up a rare Happy Valley win with Always Something. Size enters the night with only three of his season-leading 47 wins at the Valley, but Always Something has always performed well here. He once again draws wide with Douglas Whyte and he will go back, but that style of running may suit him. Size may face a fight with defending champion Caspar Fownes’ runner Dumbarton Rock. He has won three of his six races over the course and distance and is well drawn to secure a good position in what figures to be a fast pace, I think he will also finish very close in this race.
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