Secrets are increasingly hard to keep in the modern era of social media and the news that Almond Eye’s connections want to bring her to Hong Kong for the LONGINES Hong Kong Cup next month broke on Wednesday afternoon.
Of course, it is not the Jockey Club’s policy to release news about HKIR running plans until final entries are confirmed, which this year is on 20 November.
However, the Almond Eye news has spread rapidly across the racing world and the fact that the team behind such a global star are committed to coming here provides a major boost for the event and pays tribute to a team who have worked so hard to build a strategic relationship with Japanese horsemen.
Japanese horses have already enjoyed a vintage year on the world stage, with Almond Eye’s Dubai Turf win in March followed by G1 wins for Win Bright in Hong Kong, Deirdre in the UK and Mer de Glace and Lys Gracieux in Australia.
Top-class males like Maurice and A Shin Hikari have taken the Hong Kong Cup back to Japan in recent years and the fact that Almond Eye is a filly – and a brilliant one – gives this week’s news an added layer of excitement.
As you know, fillies seldom figure in Hong Kong racing on a week to week basis but the achievements of Winx, Black Caviar, Treve and Enable in recent years have provided some of the biggest global stories in the sport.
And it’s also interesting to note the impressive record of star fillies and mares in HKIR contests down the years.
I had not been in Hong Kong for too long when the great Kiwi mare Sunline got the better of an epic duel with Fairy King Prawn in the Hong Kong Mile of 2000.
Ouija Board gave Britain a famous Vase win in 2005 and fellow Europeans Alexander Goldrun, Pride and the remarkable Snow Fairy have all shown how dangerous star females can be on the world stage by landing the LONGINES Hong Kong Cup during my time here.
We still have four weeks to go before our biggest day, so nothing can be taken for granted. However, this is terrific news for everyone who follows Hong Kong racing and we look forward to welcoming plenty more G1 performers for a must-see event on 8 December.
Saturday’s Class 1 Panasonic Cup Handicap over 1400m is an interesting race as it marks the return of the highly rated four-year-old Champion’s Way, a horse that came within a neck of perfection by winning six from seven last season. This is his first step on the BMW Hong Kong Derby trail and it will be fascinating to see how he progresses this season.
Encouraging will make the running under 10lb claimer Alfred Chan with Taking Aim applying pace pressure. Good Standing and Gunnison will be in close contention to ensure a good pace.
Fast Most Furious is making his third start of the new season and had a difficult run in his last start when he carried a big weight and travelled wide and without cover. He is well drawn here and will be slightly worse than midfield in the run. This is his best course and distance, and with the benefit of race fitness, I make him a win and place chance.
Champion’s Way must carry top weight and his impressive record is not to be taken lightly. He has trialled well for his return and is a win and place chance, too. Encouraging ran extremely well when first up three weeks ago over the course and distance, and is a place chance along with Time To Celebrate.
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