LEADING contenders for the big Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Day on Sunday have been going through the final paces on the track at Sha Tin.
Here are some of the comments from those connected with the stars that will perform at one of the most important meetings in world racing.
Sacred Kingdom (Sprint) Ridden by big race jockey Brett Prebble, the 2007 Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Sprint winner worked on the dirt upsides galloping companion King Acrylic.
Trainer Ricky Yiu said: "It was his last serious piece of work before Sunday and I was very happy with it. So was Brett. We both think he's where he was just before he won the KrisFlyer Sprint in Singapore back in May. He pulled up well, his feet are in good shape and, to be honest, the only danger to the horse is himself! I know it's a very strong race this year, but he has a really good chance with the improvement we are expecting of him from the Sprint Trial."
Scenic Blast (Sprint)
Trainer Danny Morton: "All good, I'm happy with him,' said Morton who was restricted in his conversation this morning as he was aboard the horse in his easy work on the dirt track.
All Silent (Sprint)
Trainer Grahame Begg: "He lost about 12 kilos on the flight over but regained all that very quickly on arriving. He's back to the weight he was when he left Sydney and has really thrived in the last three or four days.
"I watched him closely this morning and there's a real bounce in his step and his coat's glowing. He's been cleaning out the feed bin. In fact, we're giving him extra feed and he's demolishing that. He's a happy horse.
"He'll have a gallop Wednesday but he is the laziest trackworker you've ever seen so don't worry about that too much. He won't work in the blinkers. He's a different horse on raceday when the 'Batman cape' [the blinkers] goes on,' Begg said.
Apache Cat (Sprint)
Trainer Greg Eurell: "He looks great. We didn't do much with him this morning. He's settled in well, in fact I think he's settled in better than he did last year.'
Total Gallery (Sprint)
Sarah Moore, wife of Total Gallery's trainer, Stan, was aboard the three-year-old as they limbered up for the first time on the all-weather. This year's Prix de l'Abbaye winner at Longchamp in October looked on good terms with himself after his long flight from England.
"We are very happy with him," said groom, Nicola Studart of Britain's most improved sprinter. "He came out of his box surprisingly fresh this morning."
Good Ba Ba (Mile)
Trainer Derek Cruz: "He worked last Thursday on the turf under Olivier [Doleuze - jockey] and it was really good. He was supposed to work with a companion but the other horse couldn't keep up with him! But he didn't do too much, it was just what we wanted and I have been on him every other morning and I know that he is very fresh and well. His run in the Mile Trial showed significant improvement from his first-up run and that time he was a bit wide turning for home and even though Olivier didn't knock him about he was still able to run third. He has come on again since then so that puts him right in the mix for Sunday."
Pressing (Mile)
Back at Sha Tin for another attempt at the CXHK Mile in which he was a somewhat disappointing 10th last year; travelling head lass Joanne Banks is expecting a better show one year on.
"He 's only just arrived, but he has travelled very well, he's licked up his manger, and is in really good form. He's in the form he was in at Istanbul (when winning the US$1million Topkapi Trophy), and last time in Italy it was only the ground that beat him. I think you'll see a different horse this time around," she advised. "He'll have a day off tomorrow and be out on the track on Wednesday. Neil Callan [jockey] will sit on him later in the week."
Presvis (Cup)
The Audemars Piguet QEII Cup winner last April, the Luca Cumani-trained Presvis, was out on the all-weather track on Monday morning familiarising himself with the Sha Tin, and then going to the paddock for a routine school. Assistant trainer Charlie Henson reported his charge to be in fine shape as he watched him circle the paddock.
"Everything is fine with him. He worked nicely last Thursday back at home in Newmarket, he's travelled well, and he's such a relaxed horse. Nothing seems to bother him," he remarked.
Buccellati (Vase)
Buccellati, sixth to Doctor Dino in last year's Vase, looked in good shape as he looked to have taken his trip in this stride. Andrew Balding's was delighted with the performance from his globetrotter at Sha Tin last year but said, "It would be nice to get a decent draw this year. If I can sort that out for him I can see him running an even bigger race this time."
The French Collection
The French brigade of eight horses made it to Sha Tin on Sunday with no problems, after travelling from either Brussels or Amsterdam via Dubai.
Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Cup fancy Vision D’Etat and Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Vase Cirrus Des Aigles elected to stay in the quarantine barn for a walk on Monday morning but the six other Gallic contenders were out on the all-weather track for a first stroll over the Sha Tin oval.
Being the eldest and the most seasoned of the four Alain de Royer Dupre-trained participants, five-year-old Gris De Gris (Mile) led the 3yo fillies Ashalanda (Cup), Sweet Hearth (Mile) and Daryakana (Vase) for a couple of easy laps and the whole bunch settled in nicely.
“They all travelled very well and we’ve been happy with them so far,” said Alain de Royer Dupre’s travelling head lad Jean-Michel Roux.
"We don’t want them to do too much for their first show on the track. It is more an occasion to stretch their legs a bit and let them find their bearings. They will come back tomorrow morning for a canter but shouldn’t really work until Wednesday or Thursday. We also brought over Darjina when she was third to Good Ba Ba in 2007 for the Mile. She was an extremely easy filly to deal with and delivered on the day. Their inexperience is not a cause for concern.”
Kasbah Bliss (Vase) wore the 'Jim And Tonic gear' of a full set of bright orange bandages the French globetrotter used to wear, for his first show on track.
The Francois Doumen-trained 7yo gelding cantered slowly.
"He has travelled well and that's half the battle," said Francois Doumen's assistant, Jonathan Fogarty. "I know the Hong Kong people have not seen too many former National Hunt horses turn up for this meeting but you'd have to respect the trainer's record here," he added, referring to Jim And Tonic's international hat-trick of wins at Sha Tin some ten years ago.
Starlish (Cup)
“We travelled straight from Amsterdam and it went pretty smoothly,” said Bruno Kogue,
Elie Lellouche's travelling head lad. “He needed a bit of a stroll today to settle down. His regular morning rider Yohann Bourgois knows him well. Starlish is usually pretty laid back. He’d never do more than we ask him to do.”
Trainer John Moore on his Cathay Pacific feature race runners"Happy Zero's an exciting horse, Collection's on song and Inspiration's come to hand at the right time so I'm looking forward to maybe winning one or two of the international races on Sunday. Happy Zero and Collection look the pick of my runners and hopefully they will be flying the flag for Hong Kong."
One World (Sprint): "One World's been a bit unlucky of late getting home in great style in his races. The other day he sizzled home the last 400m in 21.54sec and we believe he's the one Darren (Beadman) should be riding in the Sprint."
Inspiration (Sprint): - "Inspiration over-raced in the Sprint Trial and we found blood down the trachea but that's been cleaned up. He passed his veterinary examination this morning and I'm thinking James Winks will ride him. He's coming good."
Happy Zero (Mile): - "His win other day was exemplary, beating a world champion Sacred Kingdom who had the first crack with the gap opening earlier for him than my horse. Happy Zero had to make up a length or so and did that with a bit in hand. Sometimes in racing the old guard gives way to the new boys and hopefully Happy Zero's the new horse emerging. "
"Darren (Beadman) said to me after the Sprint Trial that this horse 'is a miler not a sprinter you know mate'. He might have been flat out keeping up in the Sprint and with owners blessing we've decided the Mile is the better option. I have no qualms about him getting the mile. He's a lovely lengthy horses with one of the best strides a horse could have and that comment comes from a great jockey like Darren. His stride is huge. For raw talent he's definitely the best horse I've had and he's a much stronger, better and wiser horse this time in."
Able One (Mile): - "Able One... I call him Mister Balsa Wood because getting close to a big race, the son of a gun, he'll end up with a stress fracture somewhere. He's 1200lbs and sometimes the firm tracks here are just not to his liking. But right now, he's sound and everything's just fantastic with him at the moment. Brett Prebble's on board and if from a good gate, I'd give him some chance."
Collection (Cup): - "Collection's run the other day again was also exemplary, True, he got a good run through that race but when he was asked to lengthen he did just that and put two lengths on some very smart horses. Collection is going better than last season. He's put on bodyweight through the break and muscled up. Like Happy Zero, he's a wiser horse now. He has a devastating turn of foot...as good as Presvis in my book. If he gets first crack than Presvis is going to have one hell of a job running him down. "
Viva Pataca (Vase): - "He was a victim of circumstances last time out. He just got too far out of his ground and the race panned out to be a bit on the tough side for him. He's trained very well since and will have a further gallop on Thursday. I believe he's cherry ripe for the weekend. He's eight in January but there's still bit of spunk left in him!"
The Japanese Team
Queen Spumante (Cup), the only one amongst the three Japanese horses who is a first time visitor to Hong Kong, had a leisurely workout on the all-weather track under the regular exercise rider Ryusuke Saitoh. Her racing manager Keita Tanaka, who has had many experiences accompanying Japanese horses abroad for international race meetings, watched the mare and said, “She had a smooth and stress-free trip. She is getting used to the new surroundings having flown into Hong Kong midnight last Thursday.”
Jaguar Mail (Vase), who fought on well to finish third in last year’s race, put in a slow lap on the all weather track. His strapper Masanori Watanabe, who is the only person with the horse at the moment said: “This is his second time over here in Hong Kong, but he needs a bit of time to get familiarised with the Hong Kong atmosphereoHong Kon. I am sure he will handle it shortly.”
Dual Gr.1 winner Laurel Guerreiro (Sprint) jetted into Hong Kong with Queen Spumante and put in a routine canter of just one lap on all-weather track under his regular rider Mitsuo Uegomori.