SYDNEY trainer Grahame Begg is no stranger to Hong Kong. Nor is his leading Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Sprint contender, All Silent, whose withering late sprint could well carry him to victory on 13 December.
Begg came to Hong Kong in 1995 and 1996 with Monopolize to win the Hong Kong International Bowl, the forerunner to the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Mile.
“I can't wait to get back,” Begg said at the weekend, “obviously I have great memories of Hong Kong. Monopolize is the only horse I've campaigned overseas until now, so hopefully All Silent can maintain the unbeaten record.”All Silent is also returning to Hong Kong where he was shipped, from Australia, to begin his racing career but failed to cope with stable life at Sha Tin in Size’s stable.
He went back to Begg in Australia and has won eight of his 19 starts - seven of 13 on his preferred good to dead ground - to amass over Aus$1.47m (HK$10.33m) in stakes.
Following successive Flemington 1200m wins in this campaign - most recently in the Group 1 Patinack Farm Classic when he ran his last 600m in 32.6 - most would rate him the best sprinter in Australia.
Begg is not concerned about the horse coping with the environment when he returns to Sha Tin.
“He's a more mature horse now and we can take heart from Dao Dao who ran third in the Champions Mile this year.” he observed.
All Silent tuned up for Hong Kong with a barrier trial in Sydney on Friday 27 November.
He finished second last in the trial, but Begg was unconcerned.
“I just wanted him to have a very soft trial. He didn't wear his blinkers and he was just there for his fitness. There's no prizemoney in barrier trials. I was happy with him,” he concluded.
And, just for good measure, All Silent's jockey Nick Hall, son of Greg Hall, one of the more successful jockeys of his generation, is also heading back to his one-time home.
“I lived there for a while when I was very young. To be honest, I can't really remember much about it but I can tell you that I am really looking forward to being there on the big day. I know it's a great field this year but this horse is something special,” Hall Jr. said.
HONG KONG JOCKEY CLUB MEDIA RELEASE