DUBAI Duty Free winner Presvis will have to emulate an illustrious stable predecessor Falbrav when he comes back in distance in his bid to win a second international Gr 1 in Hong Kong in tomorrow's BMW Champions Mile.

The Luca Cumani-trained 13 time winner Falbrav dropped back from the 2400m of the Breeders’ Cup Turf in 2003 to win the Hong Kong Cup over 2000m, that year, at Sha Tin.

In fact five of Falbrav's final six wins came when he was switched back in trip and he even won the Gr 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot dropping back to a mile (1600m).

"People may be querying Presvis back to the mile but how can you question the boss (Cumani),” said his assistant trainer Charlie Henson, “he did it here with Falbrav and he does have an uncanny knack when it comes to these major races.”

Presvis has twice dropped back from 2000m to win at 1800m in Dubai but Henson concedes that a 1600m race is another matter again. “The most crucial thing will be the pace but that's out of our hands. It is 1600m and a big race...it's hard to imagine there'll be no early pressure at all,” he said.

Beauty Flash will have a large bearing on the tempo of the race. Trainer Tony Cruz this morning informed the media that Beauty Flash has had an health issue in the days leading up to the race.

“He's had some mucus problem which he's never had before. I've got some horses affected at the moment, maybe it's been the change in the weather. He's okay to start at the moment but I'll have another look at him again in tomorrow morning."

Mike de Kock's Australian bred four-year-old Musir looms as a legitimate hope after his midfield finish in one of the strongest ever Dubai World Cups. Like Presvis he too switches back in distance.

“We had to come out quite late to the track this morning which is not ideal but I'm very happy with him,” said assistant trainer Steven Jell.

The third international runner Royal Bench has looked more at peace each morning in his new surroundings and pulled up well from light exercise this morning. “So far so good,” said trainer Robert Collet.

Former world champion miler Good Ba Ba may now as a nine-year-old be in the twilight of his great career, but he is pleasing his trainer Michael Chang and providing hope that he may be able to compete against the very best a few times more before taking well-earned retirement.

"I’m very happy with him,” says Chang. “He’s certainly as good as I’m able to get him and Jeff Lloyd (his BMW Champions Mile jockey) who’s been riding him in all his work says he’s been going really well. He’s an old man now and you don’t give a man of 50 the same training regime as a man of 20. So it’s really just a matter of keeping him fresh and happy. But his last two runs have been definite improvements as he’s been beaten only just over two lengths. I’d be thrilled if he could finish in the first four.”

 

HONG KONG JOCKEY CLUB MEDIA RELEASE