Vengeance of Rain, Pride in Hong Kong Cup rematch

Although Ouija Board (GB) (Cape Cross [Ire]) won't have the opportunity

to defend her title at Sha Tin on Sunday, another superstar from last

year will be back to retain his crown. In the Hong Kong Cup (HK-G1),

VENGEANCE OF RAIN (Zabeel) will try to become the first horse to win

consecutive runnings of the 1 1/4-mile contest.

Vengeance of Rain was on top of the world a year ago, having landed

the Queen Elizabeth II Cup (HK-G1), Hong Kong Derby (HK-G1) and

Champions and Chater Cup (HK-G1) prior to his Hong Kong Cup score. Not

long after he reached those heights, however, the six-year-old gelding

was struck down with an irregular heartbeat that sidelined him for most

of this year. Trainer David Ferraris prescribed a lengthy term of rest

and recreation in New Zealand for his charge, and that vacation appears

to have worked wonders.

Returning to action with two prep runs this autumn, Vengeance of Rain

has been steadily rounding into form, and his most recent workouts

suggest that he's peaking in advance of the Cup. Regular rider Anthony

Delpech will guide the bay from post 2.

"It's a fantastic barrier -- I'm delighted with it," Ferraris said of

the post. "The horse is in great shape, and it's been well reported how

well his work has gone leading up to now. His coat is shining, and

though I know that no horse has ever won back-to-back Cups before, I'm

as confident now as I was last year when he won."

2004 Hong Kong Cup queen ALEXANDER GOLDRUN (Gold Away [Ire]), a

five-time Group 1 winner, is another European invader with strong

claims. The Jim Bolger mare has performed admirably all season, posting

her second straight tally in the Pretty Polly S. (Ire-G1), just missing

in the Nassau S. (Eng-G1) after a titanic struggle with Ouija Board, and

placing in the Tattersalls Gold Cup (Ire-G1), Irish Champion S. (Ire-G1)

and Sun Chariot S. (Eng-G1).

Hong Kong's home defense doesn't rest entirely on the broad shoulders

of Vengeance of Rain, as locally based VIVA PATACA (Marju) and HELLO

PRETTY (Distorted Humor) both hold strong credentials.

Viva Pataca ran out a convincing winner of this year's Hong Kong

Derby as well as the Champions and Chater Cup, but he must rebound from

a subpar third in the International Cup Trial S. (HK-G2). Trainer John

Moore reports that his charge "has come on in leaps and bounds since his

last run."

International Cup Trial hero Hello Pretty blew out two furlongs on

the dirt in :21.3 on Thursday. That sizzling move prompted horseman Tony

Cruz to pronounce him "spot-on" and "raring to go."

Hong Kong Group 3 winner HIGH INTELLIGENT (Anabaa) will break from

the inside with rider Douglas Whyte. Next will come Vengeance of Rain;

French Group 3 victress MUSICAL WAY (Gold Away [Ire]), Ronan Thomas;

multiple Japanese Grade 2 hero ADMIRE MOON (End Sweep), Yutaka Take;

French Group 2 winner SATWA QUEEN (Fr) (Muhtathir [GB]), Frankie Dettori;

Hello Pretty, Brett Pebble; Australian Group 2 king GROWL (Montjeu

[Ire]), Craig Williams; Viva Pataca, Christophe Soumillon; Pride,

Christophe Lemaire; Alexander Goldrun, Kevin Manning; Japanese Grade 2

heroine DIA DE LA NOVIA (Sunday Silence), Yuichi Fukunaga; and Hong Kong

Group 2 victor ART TRADER (Arch), Eric Saint-Martin.