I have been in Conghua over the last two days for a series of meetings, including one with our Board of Stewards reviewing the ongoing work at the Conghua Training Centre. The development on site is incredibly exciting and I am most looking forward to its official launch in August 2018.
With each visit, I walk away with a greater appreciation of how magnificent this site will be for our horses. The uphill gallop and beautiful new tracks begin to paint the picture of what promises to be a game-changing experience but it is the facilities at the back of the house that really sets it apart. The stables and equine hospital are first class, the spelling yards are sensational and the equine swimming pool, walking machines, farrier forge and other facilities make it very special. Once we complete the finishing touches and add the landscaping, it will really be a must see for every owner in Hong Kong.
I am sure many of you have seen the local and overseas horses selected for the Audemars Piguet QEII Cup, Champions Mile and Chairman’s Sprint Prize at Sha Tin on 29 April. Most of our top local horses have been drawn in for these races. We are also delighted to have some world leading and renowned racing operations amongst the selections for our inaugural Champions Day.
We have three Japanese horses selected for the races this year. The Godolphin Japan-owned Fine Needle will feature in the Chairman’s Sprint Prize, while Al Ain and Danburite will be Sunday Racing’s representatives in the APQEII Cup.
Rulership pulled off an impressive win in the APQEII Cup six years ago, bringing Sunday Racing a first ever win in Hong Kong. Rulership’s son Danburite, having won a G2 event in January, will try to emulate his sire’s great feat at Sha Tin. This horse and last year’s Japanese 2000 Guineas winner Al Ain had both performed decently in their latest run in the G1 Osaka Hai. They will bring top middle-distance formlines in Japan to our race, while also bidding to land a fifth Japan win in this HK$24 million feature.
Having said that, I think the home team is very powerful in this race. With his double in the Hong Kong Cup and Hong Kong Gold Cup, Time Warp won both G1s over the distance so far this term. Ping Hai Star was also sensational in his Derby win last month, providing a strong case that he has the ability to achieve what Werther, Designs On Rome and Ambitious Dragon have done – completing a Derby-QEII Cup double in their four-year-old season. As the enigmatic but talented Pakistan Star, second in this race a year ago, is also in the frame, we all expect it to be a scintillating race in a fortnight’s time.
Back to our races at Sha Tin tomorrow, two other APQEII Cup selected runners Exultant and Ruthven will make another run before taking on the great challenge in the main feature. Both of them will contest in the Class 2 Kowloon Cricket Club Centenary Cup Handicap. In this 2200m race, the pace is projected to be slow with Packing Dragon the likely leader. Ruthven and Sergeant Titanium should track with Prawn Baba and Doyeni nearby. Grand Chancellor is projected to settle midpack while Exultant and Consort will be near the rear, along with Happilababy and Savvy Six.
There is little doubt that Packing Dragon would seem to have a tactical advantage on this field and he does have a win and second over this trip at Happy Valley. Our newest apprentice Victor Wong will attempt to lead this field all the way, but I think a horse likely to track the pace might be better suited. Ruthven ran a superb race in the Derby, staying on well for fourth despite being close to a strong early pace. He is a Group 1 winner over this trip in Australia and he is my top win and place chance.
Exultant was staying on in the Derby and should have no trouble over this extended trip, but I wonder if the pace of the race being slow will go against his chances. I see him as more likely to be closing late, but prefer Ruthven as a win hope. Consort and Grand Chancellor are both place hopes, with the latter carrying only 108 pounds under Matthew Poon. Savvy Six has been quite unsettled in some of his early Hong Kong race day appearances, but his only lifetime win came over 2200m in Germany and if he were to improve, could be a longshot placing chance at best.
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