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International contingent braves the Hong Kong rain
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| Red Cadeaux will meet familiar foe Dunaden in the Hong Kong Vase
(Hong Kong Jockey Club) |
Leaden skies and rain greeted the international contenders as they headed out
on to Sha Tin Racecourse shortly after 8:30 a.m. local time on Monday, seven
days ahead of their Group 1 engagements in Sunday's Hong Kong International
Races.
Red Cadeaux (Vase) and Gordon Lord Byron (Mile) broke ranks to work on the
turf course, while the remainder did light exercise on the wet all-weather
surface. Of the 27 overseas raiders, all bar Cirrus Des Aigles (Cup), Sea
Moon (Vase), Meandre (Vase), Dandino (Vase) and Master of Hounds (Mile) ventured
out of the quarantine stables.
Red Cadeaux, who missed by a whisker in last year's Group 1 Melbourne Cup,
exits a rallying eighth in the November 6 renewal. The Ed Dunlop trainee
reportedly covered his final half-mile of his turf gallop in 1:02.9, and looks
to improve on his dead-heat third to Dunaden in the 2011 Hong Kong Vase.
"He's had a nice canter today with Sunday's jockey Gerald (Mosse) looking
on," traveling head lad Robin Trevor-Jones said. "That will have done him the
world of good. He's in great order and as fit as a fiddle."
Defending Vase champion Dunaden cantered two laps in the slop. Last year's
Melbourne Cup hero made a triumphant return to Australia to take the Group 1
Caulfield Cup on October 20, but was out of luck when 14th at Melbourne. |
"You must be very careful with him," said Mathieu Brasme, assistant trainer
to Mikel Delzangles. "He looks nice, but he is known to buck and jump without
warning, and a few of his riders have ended on the ground!"
Vase rival Joshua Tree, who regained his crown in the Grade 1 Canadian
International last out, cantered a lap on the all-weather track.
"As you can see he is full of beans," exercise rider Wayne Goldsborough said.
"He's almost too well!"
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| Gordon Lord Byron will need to improve again to threaten in the Hong Kong Mile
(Hong Kong Jockey Club) |
Hong Kong Mile contender Gordon Lord Byron tuned up on the turf course, where
he toured his final half-mile in :50. The winner of the Group 1 Prix de la Foret
in his latest, the progressive four-year-old now ventures outside of Europe for
the first time.
"He did a nice piece of work this morning," said Andrew Hogan, trainer Tom
Hogan's son and assistant. "He traveled well and it was just what we wanted.
We're happy with his preparation."
Japan's Mile duo, Sadamu Patek and Grand Prix Boss, each cantered one lap on
the all-weather. Sadamu Patek just denied Grand Prix Boss by a neck in the Grade
1 Mile Championship on November 18.
Yuichiro Shiomitsu, groom for trainer Masato Nishizono, commented on Sadamu
Patek.
"The travel was very smooth, and I heard it was the easiest trip for some
years," Shiomitsu said. "We will breeze him under jockey Yutaka Take on
Wednesday, and depending on the condition of both horse and track we will decide
which surface to gallop on."
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Grand Prix Boss is showing signs of coping better, according to Koji Kubo,
strapper for trainer Yoshito Yahagi.
"He was a little tense in the different surroundings when he was in
quarantine at home, but the good thing is he is with many other horses here, so
he is getting relaxed and his appetite is back now," Kubo revealed. "If he gets
back to his normal weight, it will be a good sign."
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| Lord Kanaloa gives Japan a better than usual shot at the Hong Kong Sprint
(Hong Kong Jockey Club) |
Japan's contenders for the Hong Kong Sprint, stablemates Lord Kanaloa and
Curren Chan, likewise cantered a lap on the all-weather.
Lord Kanaloa, who dethroned Curren Chan in the Grade 1 Sprinters Stakes on
September 30, will be making his first start outside Japan.
"Since winning the Sprinters Stakes, he has not raced," said Shogo Yasuda,
assistant trainer to Takayuki Yasuda. "He does not like heat in the summer and,
after running his preparation race for the Sprinters Stakes in September, the
weather became cooler which made his condition improve and he was almost in
perfect condition for the Sprinters Stakes.
"He is a sensitive horse when he travels to different surroundings, but he is
with Curren Chan this time, and he is very settled. Sha Tin racecourse is not
much different from Japanese tracks, so he will be suited by the track here. The
field in the Hong Kong Sprint is very tough but he is getting back to a very
good condition, so he must have a big chance."
Curren Chan is familiar with Sha Tin, having finished a solid fifth in last
year's Sprint.
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"Last year the Japan team had some accidents on the way to Hong Kong with the
flight delayed, and we were on stand-by for many hours," Yasuda said. "Due to
that, she was not in a perfect condition last year though she still finished
fifth in the Hong Kong Sprint and that gives us a good feeling for this year.
The travel was very smooth this year, and she is in very good form, so I think
we have had a good preparation for the big event."
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| Singapore's Super Easy looks to rebound off a sixth in the Sprint prep
(Hong Kong Jockey Club) |
Singapore star Super Easy had a rough introduction to Hong Kong when sixth in
the Grade 2 Jockey Club Sprint on November 18. Considering that he bled and also
threw a shoe, his effort was creditable, and trainer Michael Freedman projects
improvement.
"I'd say he's come on a bit from the run in the Jockey Club Sprint," Freedman
said. "I'm pleased we ran him in that lead-up race just so he had some
experience of the pressure and the tempo of racing here.
"He tracked on the right leg and he has no problem going right-handed but the
experience has still done him the world of good. He pulled up a bit 'short'
after that race after losing a shoe in the run. Olivier (Doleuze) said he
thought he'd lost his action but I think that was a consequence of the shoe.
"He was only 3 1/2 lengths off (the winner) Lucky Nine and his run wasn't too
bad. I think we'll probably go with a tongue tie on Sunday. He's been working
with the tongue tie on over the past couple of mornings and it just might give
us a little edge. He won't disgrace himself."
Super Easy cantered a lap on the all-weather track Monday morning.
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France will be represented by three contenders in the Hong Kong Cup. The
venerable gelding Cirrus des Aigles exercised in the quarantine area trotting
ring, while Giofra and Saonois braved the mud during training hours.
"Cirrus did not do much today," said Jean-Jacques Poincelet, assistant
trainer to Corine Barande-Barbe. "With such weather, the track condition is not
right for a real piece of work.
"The old man is all right, as usual. I could say that he traveled better than
last year, but as you might have noticed, I say that every year! We have not
been lucky here the last few years but everything seems to have fallen in the
right place for us this time."
Cirrus des Aigles has had excuses of one sort or another in his three
previous visits to Hong Kong, but a reproduction of his stellar European form
would see him finally break through. The multiple Group 1 star was last seen
finishing an honorable runner-up to Frankel in the Group 1 Champion Stakes at
Ascot October 20.
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| French Derby upsetter Saonois joins compatriots Cirrus des Aigles and Giofra in the Hong Kong Cup
(Hong Kong Jockey Club) |
Giofra cantered two circuits of the all-weather track. The filly scored her
signature win in the Group 1 Falmouth at Newmarket in July and most recently
checked in third in the Group 1 Prix de l'Opera.
"We cannot do much on such ground," exercise rider Majorie Conte said, "and I
need to find another pair of jeans for tomorrow now!"
Trainer Jean-Pierre Gauvin is hoping the prevailing unseasonal rainfall will
end sooner rather than later after his Hong Kong Cup candidate Saonois completed
a lap of the sloppy dirt track on Monday morning.
"That was fast enough on that sort of ground," Gauvin quipped, watching
through binoculars from the trainers' stand as the Group 1 French Derby winner
finished on a very easy canter.
"Saonois traveled very well and never left anything in his feed box -- he's a
pony, really," his trainer added. "Yet I wouldn't like him to be too stiff
tomorrow. I would rather favor the turf in the next few days. He should gallop
on grass tomorrow and on Friday."
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Gauvin arrived at Sha Tin last Friday and is staying along with his staff and
the colt's owner Pascal Treyve at the Royal Park hotel near the racecourse.
Coming from a harness racing background, Gauvin is used to covering all angles
of his business, including riding the horses himself, which trainers seldom do.
Much has been said and done since the claimer-turned-classic-winner took the
Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby) by storm in June. Yet the horse himself has
not changed much.
"He could have become a bit stronger," Gauvin said, "but he has not grown. I
took his measure the other day and only got him 3 millimeters higher than in the
Spring. To be honest, I think his shoes made the difference!
"I would like the rain to stop to give us a better track (for Sunday). I
worry a bit about that -- it is my job to be worried."
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| Carlton House has shipped to the former British colony in search of a Group 1 title
(Hong Kong Jockey Club) |
The Queen's Carlton House cantered one circuit of the all-weather track.
Trained by Sir Michael Stoute, last year's beaten Group 1 Derby favorite warmed
up with a fourth in the Ascot race named for his owner, the Group 1 Queen
Elizabeth II, on October 20.
"He's nice and fresh today and we're really pleased with him," travelling
head lass Sarah Denniff said. "Although he lost 20 pounds on the journey here he
has already put most of that back on. We'll probably breeze him on Thursday, and
the trainer will be here by then."
Australian veteran Alcopop, who garnered the Group 1 Mackinnon at Flemington
November 3, also cantered a lap on the all-weather track.
"He's in good shape," trainer Jake Stephens said. "I know there were reports
he lost a lot of weight on the flight, but it was more in the couple of days
after he arrived. He had weight on him which he could afford to lose. He's only
lost what he needed to.
"He's eating up well and he's now close to his ideal racing weight, which is
perfect. He was kicking and squealing this morning which is a good sign.
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"This is a strange environment for him but he's 'palled up' with Sea Siren
(Australia's runner in the Sprint) and now he's doing well. He needs the
companion, and I doubt we would have come had he been on his own."
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