The big-race action is coming thick and fast from all over the world at present and much of it has implications for our own international showcase in December.
Today’s Blog was written as the Flemington stewards started looking into the closing stages of a thrilling Melbourne Cup in which Vow And Declare found just enough to pip Master Of Reality, Prince Of Arran and Il Paradiso.
Prince Of Arran and Master Of Reality (who was subsequently demoted from second to fourth for causing interference) are both entered for the LONGINES Hong Kong Vase next month, along with several others who ran well at Flemington.
Dunaden and Red Cadeaux have shown that a trip to Melbourne can be a good springboard to HKIR success in recent years and history also tells us that Japan’s best horses have a very strong record when they come to Sha Tin.
With that in mind, we remain cautiously optimistic that some of their biggest stars will join us on 8 December and Almond Eye would clearly be a huge attraction if she were to try and emulate Maurice and A Shin Hikari by winning the Hong Kong Cup.
A lot can change before the fields are announced on 20 November but we are making every effort to ensure that the international challenge is up to its usual high standard and capable of rising to the challenge set by last year’s historic clean sweep for Hong Kong horses.
Back on home ground, some of our best horses were in action for a highly informative Sa Sa Ladies’ Purse card at Sha Tin on Sunday, where a crowd of almost 57,000 and betting turnover of over HK$1.5 billion confirmed the resilience of Hong Kong racing at this challenging time.
Well done to proven G1 performers Southern Legend and Time Warp, who broke the track record in a terrific finish to the big race, but Exultant stayed on powerfully for third while giving the first two 6lb and 11lb.
Our champion stayer is clearly going to be a force to be reckoned with again as he builds toward defending his Vase crown in December and, with entries now published for the Jockey Club Sprint, Mile and Cup on 17 November, it’s clear that we are now entering one of the most exciting phases of the entire season.
There is a Japanese theme to our latest party night at Happy Valley this Wednesday and the Class 3 O’Brien Handicap over 1200m is the final race of the evening with Aaron Kwok’s Dancing Fighter expected to push forward from his wide draw to help make the running.
Dancing Fighter impressed in his first appearance at Happy Valley and his first try at the distance when he ran second three weeks ago despite a difficult trip. The pace should be moderate with My Darling, Namjong Sings, First Responder and Shanghai Master showing gate speed but at a modest tempo. This will benefit Dancing Fighter and I make him a win and place chance.
Ballistic King is a last start winner in this grade and comes into the race in top form. He is a place chance along with Buoyant Boy and First Responder, while Yoo Yoo King shaped well here on his latest start and is also a place chance.
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