Slowly and surely, the latest pieces of this year’s LONGINES Hong Kong International Races are falling into place.
There is no question this has been one of the most complicated build-ups to our flagship event and the welfare of staff and supporters remains of high importance.
However, after Wednesday’s entry stage we can now begin to look forward with optimism to a week-long festival of racing that is world-class by any standards.
All told, we have 24 G1 winners entered for our four G1 contests – five of them rated 120 or higher in the World’s Best Racehorse Rankings – and they include some very significant names indeed.
Clearly, the Japanese superstar Almond Eye is the headline act from the international angle and, with a huge media presence assured, her story is one that will resonate with racing fans all over the world.
For me, this is one of the strongest Japanese teams we have ever seen at HKIR. Nine of their 11 entries are G1 winners and they also include Indy Champ, who will be a very interesting challenger to Beauty Generation and Waikuku after landing both the G1 contests won by Maurice before his victory in the Hong Kong Mile four years ago.
Aidan O’Brien will make history by running Anthony Van Dyck in the Vase. It seems this will be the first time a winner of the Derby at Epsom has ever contested a HKIR race and Aidan, of course, has already won the Vase twice with the globetrotting Highland Reel.
Add in further G1 winners from Ireland, Australia and the UK and it is clear we have a powerful global challenge, but our 2018 clean sweep showed how strong Hong Kong’s elite horses are and Aethero and Waikuku have added their names to an already-impressive list this week.
Clearly, the last few months have shown nothing that can be taken for granted and, for sure, we still have hurdles to cross. But this week has clearly represented a step in the right direction so let us hope that things keep moving in the same positive way.
Saturday’s Class 1 Chevalier Cup in Race 7 is always an interesting race and this year is no exception, with last season’s Champion Griffin, a G1 Victoria Derby winner and a new track record holder among a full field of 14 at the mile distance.
Encouraging became the first horse in Hong Kong history to run 1400 metres under 1m 20s when he beat Beauty Generation’s track record under a 10lb claim two weeks ago. He steps up in trip and must carry top weight to make the running in company with Good Standing and Mission Tycoon. He looks vulnerable.
Fast Most Furious will be a bit worse than midfield in the run and looks well positioned to handle the step up in distance. He has been unsuccessful in the past over this course and distance but lacked the good form that he has now. He is a win and place chance with Purton aboard.
Graceandmercy has yet to show the form that earned him two G2 victories over a mile in South Africa. This is his third start in Hong Kong and a good trial last week suggests he can improve with the step up in distance. Good Standing and Harmony Victory are both in good form, while Nothingilikemore showed signs of better last time and is also a place chance.
Champion’s Way, last season’s Champion Griffin, is second up after a disappointing run coming out of the same race in which Encouraging and Good Standing ran one-two. This is a concern because he is a very consistent horse and the only logical excuse is a 5-month break and a return into a lightning fast race. I will watch him with interest but he may require another run or two before finding his best form.
Green Luck is another interesting runner as he has been favoured in each of his three runs this season, all in Class 2. He appears to be a better horse at Happy Valley. Lastly, Extra Brut makes his Hong Kong debut and comes in on a lofty rating of 93. He won last season’s G1 Victoria Derby at Flemington and looks like a horse that wants more distance.
Japan’s loss is Hong Kong’s gain with Almond Eye coming to HKIR this year and the absence of last year’s Japan Cup winner for this year’s renewal gives the race a wide open look with no international challengers in the field.
The big race is due off at 2.40pm Hong Kong time as part of our simulcast show this Sunday and features several familiar names and faces. Cheval Grand and Rey de Oro finished first and second in this race two years ago, while Suave Richard and Cheval Grand finished third and fourth when Almond Eye broke the track record last year.
All three deserve respect as place chances but the younger Wagnerian is perhaps the most interesting runner. He got too far back when fifth in Almond Eye’s Tenno Sho Autumn but this return to 2400m is a plus for him.
His rider Yuga Kawada wil join us for the IJC next month and it would be highly appropriate to see Wagnerian shine this year as he is a son of the great racehorse and stallion Deep Impact, who won the Japan Cup in 2006 and is honoured in the race title this year after his unexpected death this summer at the age of 17.
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