After months of planning, the sense of anticipation around FWD Champions Day is rapidly intensifying with the arrival of four high-class Japanese horses over the past two days.
With only eight days now to the flagship meeting, where HK$63 million in prizemoney is spread across three G1 contests – the Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m), FWD Champions Mile (1600m) and FWD QEII Cup (2000m) – the sight of Danon Smash, Daring Tact, Kiseki and Loves Only You taking up residence at Sha Tin signals the start of an auspicious phase in Hong Kong.
The Japanese contingent is due to be completed on Saturday night with the scheduled arrival of Glory Vase, the 2019 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase winner, who is entered for the FWD QEII Cup as part of a formidable raiding party.
While there are no foreign entries in the FWD Champions Mile, where Golden Sixty bids to enhance an already phenomenal record on Sunday (25 April), the presence of Danon Smash in the Chairman’s Sprint – where he searches for a third successive G1 – will also deliver a gauge of how much improvement Hong Kong’s sprinters have made since Danon Smash claimed the LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint for Ryan Moore in December.
The partnership between Danon Smash and Joao Moreira shapes as one of the highlights of the meeting before Daring Tact squares off against older Japanese stars, as well as the best Hong Kong has to offer, in the FWD QEII Cup. For me, the contest between the visitors and local entrants over the 2000m course is fascinating.
Daring Tact has been beaten recently in a short but spectacular career, while Japanese Classic winner Loves Only You (Vincent Ho) ran well in Dubai and Glory Vase, who will be ridden by Karis Teetan, is proven in Hong Kong. Kiseki, to be partnered by Chad Schofield, has undoubted ability, too.
Exultant, chasing a sixth G1 and second successive FWD QEII Cup, will lead the local brigade under Zac Purton with the improving Glorious Dragon, Furore and Time Warp in what promises to be a wonderful contest on one of the most exciting race days of the entire season.
With the arrival of the Japanese horses, Hong Kong’s racing bubble quarantine operation for visiting staff has again sprung in action to protect the health and safety of all concerned, in the same way it was successfully implemented during December’s LONGINES HKIR week.
On Saturday at Sha Tin, the Class 2 Alnwick Handicap is the featured ninth race over 1200 metres on the All Weather track. Igniting is a late withdrawal, leaving a field of 11.
Team Spirit (Keith Yeung) and Kurpany (Joao Moreira) will use their speed from wide gates to set a good pace. Golden Dash (Zac Purton), Red Desert (Antoine Hamelin), Sunny Boy (Victor Wong) and Highland Fortune (Vincent Ho) will all be in close attendance.
Amazing Chocolate (Karis Teetan) has been freshened up with a two-month break between races and has had a pair of easy trials as part of his preparation. He won in this grade over the track and distance in December and will get a good run from midfield. He is a win and place chance.
Will Power (Jerry Chau) is a five-time winner from 10 starts over the track and distance and comes into the race in good form. He will be closing ground and is a place chance.
Red Desert is better around one turn and should improve at the sprint distance. He has finished in the top three in six of seven starts on this surface and is a place chance along with Kurpany, which trialed well earlier this month over the track and is in good form for his first try on the dirt.
Highland Fortune, ridden by Vincent Ho, is also a place chance.
Sunday is a simulcast day with the Grade 1 Satsuki Sho for three-year-olds over 2000 metres the main event of the eight-race presentation from Nakayama Racecourse. This race dates back to 1939 and is also known as the Japanese 2000 Guineas, the first leg of Japan’s Triple Crown.
Danon The Kid (Yuga Kawada), owned by the same connections as Danon Smash, is the likely favorite after a perfect record from three starts as a two-year-old, including the Grade I Hopeful over the course and distance. He finished third in his seasonal debut last month when he rallied into a slow pace and should benefit from that performance. He is a win and place chance.
Efforia (Takeshi Yokoyama), is a colt that continues to show improvement and steps up off a Grade 3 win in February to elite competition. He has a perfect record from three starts, though his last two have been racing left-handed, but he does look like a quality colt and is a place chance.
Gratias (Mirco Demuro) is a lightly-raced colt with tactical speed coming off an impressive win in Grade 3 company in January. He is a place chance, along with the late running Yoho Lake, which will be closing the race off strongly under Mirai Iwata.
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