Warrsan continues tough campaign in Vase

WARRSAN (Caerleon) sat the garden trip in last year's Hong Kong Vase (HK-G1),

racing just in behind the speed before being outkicked to the wire. That came

after a tough summer campaign and the bay enters this year's edition of the

2,400 meter test off a similar schedule.

Campaigned nearly exclusively at the highest level this season, the veteran

defeated Doyen (Sadler's Wells) and VALLEE ENCHANTEE (Peintre Celebre) in the

Coronation Cup (Eng-G1) and just missed by a head to Refuse to Bend (Ire)

(Sadler's Wells) in the Eclipse S. (Eng-G3). He came in ninth in the King George

and Queen Elizabeth II Diamond S. (Eng-G1), bounced back to take the Grosser

Preis von Baden (Ger-G1) by a neck and was a midpack ninth in the Prix de l'Arc

de Triomphe (Fr-G1) before a dismal next-to-last effort in the Japan Cup (Jpn-G1).

Lightly-raced SIMONAS (Ire) (Sternkoenig) has attracted his fair share of

attention this week. Fourth to Warrsan at Baden-Baden, the five-year-old posted

an outstanding second to Sulamani (Ire) (Hernando [Fr]) in the Canadian

International (Can-G1) in his latest effort.

"He's in good form, his jockey (Kieren Fallon) has a lot of confidence in him

and I hope he's right," trainer Andreas Wohler said. "I think that if he can

reproduce the form that he showed in Canada, he'll have a chance."

The connections of Vallee Enchantee hope that history repeats itself as their

colorbearer goes postward in defense of her title in the Vase. A

three-quarter-of-a-length winner from POLISH SUMMER (Polish Precedent) and

Warrsan a year ago, the pint-sized filly has yet to win in four tries this term,

but comes off a respectable sixth in the Arc, going down by just four lengths to

Bago (Nashwan).

"I'm very happy with her, no problems, thankfully," trainer Elie Lellouche

said. "This has been her end-of-year target all along. We know she likes the

track and the ground here, so I'm hopeful she'll go well again."

Vallee Enchantee will make a fashion statement in the Vase. Lellouche has

been granted special permission by the Hong Kong Jockey Club to equip the

four-year-old miss with a noseband with leather tassels. The equipment

reportedly helps to keep her from throwing her head while racing.