I am on my way to Tokyo and am looking forward to another exciting renewal of the great mile race, the Yasuda Kinen, held here tomorrow and of course, simulcast to Hong Kong for many years.
This top Japanese event has been a keystone in the development of Hong Kong’s global racing ambitions and has brought many memorable moments to all Hong Kong racing fans. Believe it or not, there have been a total of 35 starters from Hong Kong in the Yasuda Kinen with Winning Partners the first to try in 1994. Oriental Express, our Derby and QEII Cup hero became the first Hong Kong horse to earn a Group 1 placing overseas when running second in the Yasuda Kinen in 1998. Two years later, Fairy King Prawn brought Hong Kong its first overseas win when landing the 2000 Yasuda Kinen by more than a length with Robbie Fradd in the saddle.
Tony Cruz trained Bullish Luck repeated that feat when completing a rare Asian mile double, winning the Champions Mile and Yasuda Kinen in 2006. While there have been some to run well in since that point, no Hong Kong horse has managed to win the big race since Bullish Luck’s triumph. Beauty Only and Contentment, the winner of our two biggest 1600m features of the season, the LONGINES Hong Kong Mile and Champions Mile, respectively, take their turn tomorrow at the sprawling Fuchu course.
The weather is an important factor for both horses, especially Beauty Only as he always relishes a firm track. The conditions here seem likely to produce that surface tomorrow and I’m certain you will join me in wishing our team the best of luck tomorrow.
Our Hong Kong feature on Sunday is the Group 3 Lion Rock Trophy, run over 1600m in handicap conditions. The pace is anticipated to be good-to-slow in this smaller field. Blocker Dee is a regular over shorter trips, with 17 of 19 Hong Kong starts coming at 1200m, so he should be the early pacemaker. Eastern Express and Romantic Touch like to race forward with Booming Delight given the chance to settle midpack. Circuit Land and Doyeni should come next with Harbour Master likely to settle last in the early stages.
Given the spread in the handicap, I am inclined to look towards those more favourably treated at the weights. Booming Delight is a major contender and has never been out of the quinella in four Hong Kong tries at this distance. He is my main win and place chance. Doyeni is definitely going in the right direction after missing most of the season. His two races back have been good and Douglas Whyte takes a very rare ride at 115 pounds. He is a win and place hope. Eastern Express may have been compromised with the wide draw last time, forcing him to run into a very strong pace. He still was not beaten far and with a low weight, should enjoy a better trip, making him another live contender. If the early speed is quicker than anticipated, Harbour Master could run on well from off the pace. Circuit Land has kept some very good company, but the spread in the weights could be too much for him in this race.
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