This has been a busy week both at home and abroad, with the publication of the 2019 LONGINES HKIR entries followed by a trip to South Africa after racing at Happy Valley on Wednesday.
The purpose of the trip was to discuss the preparation for next year’s Asian Racing Conference and one important topic on the agenda in Cape Town was the importance of making movement around the globe as easy as possible for racehorses.
Equine health problems have made this a serious problem for South Africa for over a decade but significant efforts have been made.
We took another step forward thanks to a very successful International Horse Movement Summit with leading experts and scientists designed to support South Africa in their efforts to re-integrate their high-quality bloodstock back into global racing, which is crucial for their long-term sustainability.
Moving on to the HKIR entries, a lot can happen before the big day on 8 December and Beauty Generation’s shock defeat last week showed that racing is a sport where nothing can be taken for granted.
However, with 66 individual G1 winners from 12 countries and regions among 202 nominated horses there is every reason to look forward to another exceptional international festival of racing with Hong Kong centre stage at Sha Tin on December 8.
The total number of horses nominated is up on last year – when Hong Kong achieved a historic clean sweep of all four G1 contests – and includes a stars from all over the world.
Five-time G1 winner Almond Eye heads a very powerful Japanese contingent which also includes last year’s globetrotting Hong Kong Cup runner-up Deirdre and last week’s Caulfield Cup winner Mer de Glace.
Last week’s Champion Stakes winner Magical looms large among a host of Aidan O’Brien stars which also includes top-level winners such as Circus Maximus and Anthony Van Dyck, while Godolphin also have several powerful contenders headed by the Melbourne Cup hero Cross Counter and international G1 winners Benbatl and Old Persian.
As ever, the next few weeks will provide valuable further clues and Lys Gracieux – who had such a thrilling duel with Exultant in last year’s Hong Kong Vase – is clearly better than ever after her impressive success in Saturday’s Cox Plate at Moonee Valley.
And then on Sunday, Almond Eye bids to confirm her status as Japan’s best horse in a fascinating Tenno Sho Autumn which will be a simulcast race in the middle of our Sha Tin card.
Eight of 16 Tenno Sho runners are HKIR entered and Hong Kong fans should keep an eye on Cadenas and Wagnerian as possibles for December. They are two of six sired by the great Japanese champion Deep Impact and both are in good form.
Wagnerian, winner of last year’s G1 Japanese Derby, has been lightly raced this year and it should be noted that he lost both front shoes when fourth in the G2 Sapporo Kinen on his last start.
But despite all the talent on show, the key duel is the highly anticipated showdown between a son and daughter of dual Hong Kong Sprint champion Lord Kanaloa as Saturnalia and Almond Eye square off for the first time.
Both are extremely talented and there is very little between them. It should be noted that there is a very short run to the first turn so Saturnalia will most likely be taken back by Christophe Soumillon. Meanwhile, Win Bright, a sensational winner of the FWD QEII Cup in April, has drawn 15 and will need to come from far back.
Almond Eye lost her winning streak when a fast-finishing third in the Yasuda Kinen in June but she was left way back after being bumped over a mile that day and this return to 2000m is a big plus.
She is a world-class filly with win and place prospects but this is her first run after a break and Saturnalia is a high-class three-year-old who must also be considered closely with Soumillon aboard for the first time.
Prior to the Tenno Sho simulcast, the Class 2 Kwangtung Handicap Cup is Sha Tin’s fourth race with a strong field of nine over 1650m on the All-Weather track. The pace will be good with Morethanlucky, Turin Redstar, Circuit Glory and Buddies all pushing forward.
Buddies is eligible for a HK$1 million High Achievement Bonus as he makes his Class 2 debut after winning three of four on dirt. He won first-up this season on a track that was speed favouring and will find the opposition here much tougher. His good record over track and distance makes him a place chance.
Elusive State impressed on his reappearance, coming home strongly from the back to finish second over 1200m. He steps up to a more suitable distance and has drawn a good gate. He should make his run from midfield and is a win and place chance despite top weight.
Glorious Artist is one of three runners for trainer Frankie Lor, who has enjoyed good success on the All-Weather track. It was a difficult task for Glorious Artist to run first up in the 1800m Korea Cup in Seoul but he finished a creditable fourth. He will do his running from the back and is a place chance along with Enrichment, an outsider making his first start over the surface.
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