By Alan Carasso
One of the more remarkable characteristics of Hong Kong racing is that for a jurisdiction that is home to roughly 1,200 Thoroughbreds, invariably the torch gets passed and the town is never wanting for world-class athletes.
Going back to the turn of the century, gallopers to have captured the imagination of not only those in and around Hong Kong, but also of an increasingly sophisticated worldwide audience have included the likes of Fairy King Prawn (Aus), the legendary Silent Witness (Aus), Good Ba Ba, Vengeance of Rain (NZ), Ambitious Dragon (NZ), California Memory and Able Friend (Aus). Seamlessly taking up the mantle since are the likes of Beauty Generation (NZ), California Spangle (Ire) and last, but in no way least, the only recently retired Golden Sixty (Aus).
So it really is an embarrassment of riches for devotees of the Hong Kong racing product, and at this Sunday's Longines Hong Kong International Races meeting at Sha Tin Racecourse, the jurisdiction's current leading light has a chance to make history on a few levels, while another has the opportunity to announce his arrival onto the world stage in Silent Witness-esque fashion.
The former is Peter Lau's Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), who took Australasia by storm last season with an unprecedented stretch that saw him win a G1 Cox Plate in Melbourne before ending the season with a score in the G1 Yasuda Kinen in Tokyo. With a victory in Sunday's HK$40-million G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup, the 300,000gns Tattersalls October graduate can surpass Golden Sixty and become the world's richest horse in history, and he would have accomplished the feat in 22 starts, compared to Golden Sixty's thirty-one. He would also become the first three-time winner of the 2000-metre contest. James McDonald gets the leg up from trainer Danny Shum, and no one knows him better.
“He's just a perfect racehorse,” the jockey said. “Gate speed, sustained speed, doesn't matter whether it's wet, dry, fast tempo, slow tempo, he's pretty much unflappable over a mile and a quarter. I just really enjoy riding him, he's very self-explanatory. Hopefully he can make it three Hong Kong Cups. It would be really fitting if he could go down as one of the, probably the best, Hong Kong horse to grace this Sha Tin turf. He just keeps racking them up.”
Japanese runners have won the Cup four times since 2016 and the country's two Cup runners are not without their claims. Triple Tiara heroine Liberty Island (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) is capable on her best, but must improve on her latest down-the-field finish behind subsequent G1 Japan Cup hero Do Deuce (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) in the G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) Oct. 27. Tastiera (Jpn) (Satono Crown {Jpn}), whose sire won the 2016 G1 Longines Hong Kong Vase, is the 2023 G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) hero and belied longshot odds to be second first off a six-month absence in the Tenno Sho. Spirit Dancer (GB) (Frankel {GB}), fresh off a defence of his G2 Bahrain International Trophy title, leads the European contingent, while Aidan O'Brien saddles the 3-year-old fillies Content (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Wingspan (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), each exiting unplaced runs at the Breeders' Cup on Nov. 2.
Time Is Now For Ka Ying Rising
Famed conditioner David Hayes has but one winner from 41 starters at the HKIR, having sent out All Thrills Too (Aus) to win the G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint back in 2002. In the form of Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}), he will saddle the horse that many consider the program's likeliest winner in the same event, albeit over 1200 metres this time.
The 4-year-old has never been worse than second in his 10 trips to the post to date, and he enters Sunday's contest on a seven-race winning streak, including a track record-setting defeat of the re-opposing Howdeepisyourlove (Aus) (Deep Field {Aus}) in the local course-and-distance lead-up three weeks ago. To do so, he'll need to overcome gate 11–a barrier which has never tossed up a Sprint winner–but if connections are worried, they sure aren't revealing it.
“He doesn't need to be any better than he has been at his last two starts this weekend,” said jockey Zac Purton, a three-time winner of the Sprint and of 11 HKIR races in total. “He has just got to come out reproduce that same performance and hopefully it is a fast-run race where every horse gets their chance. The track is in great order, it's riding very well and the weather this week is perfect, so we are looking forward to it.”
Ka Ying Rising | HKJC
For his part, Hayes invoked the names of a couple of pretty good horses when thinking about his charge.
“He has got a wonderful temperament and he is easy to train and is very sound, a massive stride length and I call it an extra action,” he explained. “When you watch a lot of gallops and race horses, you see very few horses with what I see as the extra action and the extra action I have seen in my career just recently is of course Winx (Aus) and Black Caviar (Aus),” he added, stopping short of suggesting Ka Ying Rising is as good as those legends–at least for the time being.
Foreigners in general and Europeans specifically have struggled down the years to land a blow in the Sprint, but the supplemented Starlust (GB) (Zoustar {Aus}) has the inherent quality to be in the mix. After running with credit in Dubai last winter, he was a listed winner at York in July and ran a blinder to be third behind Bradsell (GB) (Tasleet {GB}) in the G1 Nunthorpe Stakes at York in August. He may have struggled with the ground when ninth in the G1 Prix de l'Abbaye Oct. 6, but closed fast off a furious gallop to defy odds of 33-1 in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint Nov. 2.
Each-way players might have a look at Japan's Toshin Macau (Jpn) (Big Arthur {Jpn}), narrow winner of the G2 Centaur Stakes Sept. 8 and a strong-finishing runner-up behind Lugal (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) when last seen in the G1 Sprinters' Stakes at Nakayama three weeks later.
Evenly Matched Group For the Mile
A year after Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) defied all conventional wisdom to win the G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile for the third time, this year's renewal shapes as a more wide-open affair in the absence of the multiple horse of the year.
Galaxy Patch (Aus) (Wandjina {Aus}) had a sensational 4-year-old season, with a runner-up effort in the BMW Hong Kong Derby when ambitiously tried over the 2000 metres before winning twice at group level, including a defeat of Voyage Bubble (Aus) (Deep Field {Aus}) when in receipt of six pounds in the G2 Sha Tin Trophy Handicap Oct. 13. He failed to repeat the dose in the G2 Jockey Club Mile, sitting a no-cover trip en route to a third-place effort to Voyage Bubble and Chancheng Glory (Mor Spirit), but that effort is perhaps best forgiven and if willing to put a pen through it, he rates a live chance. The Golden Sixty draw from last year does no favours, though Vincent Ho has been there and done that.
Galaxy Patch | HKJC
“This time I think we just have to ride him very quiet and go for a strong finish to try and catch them,” trainer Pierre Ng said. “It's how you preserve him towards the straight. Try to switch him off and he'll give you a very good [final] sectional. His last racing style didn't suit him. We've learnt from that and I've told Vincent from now on we know what we have got to do in the future.”
Japan last won the Mile with 3-year-old Admire Mars (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}) in 2019, and Jantar Mantar (Jpn) (Palace Malice) will attempt to follow suit. The Shadai homebred, to be ridden by Yuga Kawada, was named champion 2-year-old colt in Japan last term after taking out the G1 Asahi HaiFuturity going a mile, and ran well to place in his first two runs this year, including a close third in the G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas). He relished the cutback to a mile to easily capture the G1 NKH Mile Cup May 5 and has been away since. Soul Rush (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}), fourth in last year's race, comes here in arguably better form off a decisive victory in the G1 Mile Championship last month.
Lazzat (Fr) (Territories {Ire}) was the on-pace winner of the G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville in August and was nabbed close home in the valuable Golden Eagle at Rosehill Nov. 2, while Ramadan (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}), last-out winner of the G2 Prix Daniel Wildenstein Oct. 5 and since purchased for €1.5 million at the Arqana Arc Sale, has his first run for Yueshehg Zheng's Yulong Investments. Following the Mile, Ramadan will be trained locally by Mark Newnham with an eye on the 4-year-old Classics. Docklands (GB) (Massaat {Ire}) charged home into second behind Charyn (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in Royal Ascot's G1 Queen Anne Stakes in June and was unplaced behind Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) in the Cox Plate and G1 VRC Champions Stakes over further.
Representing Australia is Antino (NZ) (Redwood {NZ}), sensational in taking the G1 Toorak Handicap at Caulfield in October.
Luxembourg Bows Out In the Vase
An elite-level scorer each season from two years of age to five, Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) makes the final start of his career in Sunday's G1 Longines Hong Kong Vase, the first of the afternoon's main events.
Twelve months removed from putting a real scare into Romantic Warrior in the Cup, Luxembourg made all in the G1 Coronation Cup on Derby weekend, but has been sixth and not a real factor in his last three races–the G1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes in July, the G1 Irish Champion Stakes in September and in last month's GI Breeders' Cup Turf.
“We thought he ran a great race last year,” trainer Aidan O'Brien said. “He's a very high-class horse. Last year he was coming home very well and he was just beaten on the line, it looked as if we'd had run him over a mile and a half it would have suited him. He's been a great horse, big strong and consistent. Obviously, he wasn't always first string but we're looking forward to it, see what happens.”
Luxembourg leads Continuous at trackwork | HKJC
O'Brien also saddles 2023 G1 St Leger hero Continuous (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}), whose long victory since that Classic came in the G3 Royal Whip Stakes at the Curragh in August.
“Continuous is probably more forward than he's been all year,” the trainer added. “Things haven't really worked for him yet this year, but he is in good form, very happy with his work. A mile and a half and nice ground should be fine for him.”
Without A Fight (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), whose sire accounted for 2018 Vase winner Exultant (Ire), was a brilliant winner of the 2023 G1 Melbourne Cup and most recently returned from 367 days away from the races with a useful third in the Champions Stakes. He gets the shortest way around from gate one with Mark Zahra up.
“He's certainly tightened up and improved for it as you would expect,” said co-trainer Sam Freedman. “He had a nice trial at home before he got on the flight. He's a well-travelled horse and he's handled the trip very well.”
Dubai Honour (Ire) (Pride of Dubai {Aus}) pays a fourth visit to Hong Kong, but tries the 2400 metres for the first time here, having endured a checkered passage when runner-up to Cup entrant The Foxes (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) in the Listed Churchill Stakes at Newcastle Nov. 16. Prior to that, he defeated Iresine (Fr) (Manduro {Ger}) into fourth in the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, and the latter gave a good account of himself when running home to fill the same spot in the G1 British Champion Stakes Oct. 19 at Ascot.
Each of trainer Andre Fabre's three wins at the HKIR have come in the Vase, including Junko (GB) (Intello {Ger}) just last year. The yard is represented here by the lightly raced Marquisat (Ire) (Zarak {Fr}), a nose second to Junko in the G2 Grand Prix de Chantilly in June and a good third to King George winner Goliath (Ire) (Adlerflug {Ger}) in the G2 Prix du Conseil de Paris in terrible ground in October. Like Junko, he prepped in the G1 Grosser Preis von Bayern, though he failed to handle the very heavy ground, whereas Junko emerged victorious.
Stellenbosch (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) won this year's G1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas), was second in the G1 Yushun Himba in May and third in October's G1 Shuka Sho. Joao Moreira has won the Vase three times on Japanese entrants and has the call from Almond Eye trainer Sakae Kunieda.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
