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Campanologist works well for Hong Kong Vase Campanologist, who will attempt to give Godolphin back-to-back wins in the Group 1 Hong Kong Vase following the success of Mastery last year, turned in a serious piece of work Tuesday ahead of Sunday's 2400-meter test. The six-year-old entire breezed about a half-mile on the Sha Tin all-weather surface, covering the final 400 meters in :25.40. "Today was his last piece of work and I was very pleased with what I saw," commented trainer Saeed bin Suroor, already on hand to oversee activity. "Campanologist is a stronger horse than before, and this is his time of year. He is very healthy and sound and this is his best trip. You need a very good horse to win this race last year. Last year Mastery showed that he had the class to win it for us last year and this one is very good also." No stranger to travel, Campanologist was down the field in the 2010 Group 1 Melbourne Cup, but nearly succeeded when sent to Turkey this past September, missing by a neck in the Group 2 Bosphorus Cup. He enters the Vase on the heels of back-to-back Group 1 wins on foreign soil in the Preis von Europa in Cologne on September 25 and in the Gran Premio del Jockey Club at the San Siro on October 15, both over the metric mile and a half. Frankie Dettori has the call Sunday afternoon. Singporean sensation Rocket Man arrived in Hong Kong over the weekend looking to avenge his narrow runner-up effort to South Africa's J J the Jet Plane in last year's Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint, and looked well during Tuesday morning trackwork over the Sha Tin all-weather. "He'd have done more if we'd let him, but he'll do a piece of work on the grass tomorrow over about 800 meters," trainer Patrick Shaw explained. The six-year-old brings top credentials into the 1200-meter event, having won the Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen over the Meydan Tapeta in March and the Group 1 International Sprint on the turf at Kranji Racecourse in May. However, in a recent race and in a subsequent barrier trial prior to departing for Hong Kong, Rocket Man has taken to jumping shadows on the track, which is rumored to be responsible for a condylar fracture he suffered back in 2009. Meanwhile, Super Pistachio, runner-up in the Hong Kong Derby in 2010, and King Dancer have been withdrawn from the Vase and Group 1 Hong Kong Cup, respectively, by their trainers. Super Pistachio has a blood abnormality and is running a fever, his trainer Tony Cruz reports, while King Dancer has been forced to the sidelines by an injury to his left fore tendon.
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