Works continue for participants in Hong Kong international races

Works continue for participants in Hong Kong international

races

EAGLE MOUNTAIN (GB) (Rock of Gibraltar [Ire]), a leading challenger for the

Hong Kong Cup (HK-G1) on Sunday, impressed observers with a spectacular gallop

on the grass at Sha Tin on Tuesday morning.

Ridden by Kevin Shea, his big race pilot, Eagle Mountain had little trouble

clocking an excellent 21.8 seconds for the last 400 meters of a 1,200-meter

(about six furlongs) workout to leave trainer Mike de Kock in a buoyant mood.

"He has traveled nicely to Hong Kong and that was a good blowout there," de

Kock said. "I don't think we have seen the best of Eagle Mountain yet. He is

lightly raced and comes here with fresh legs, which is a great advantage. He is

peaking now and I am confident of a good run on Sunday.

"I think this trip will really suit him. He had the speed to set a track

record for the mile at Newmarket on his first run back and then was close to a

breakneck gallop in the Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) and was only found wanting in

the last 150 meters or so.

"I think he has the ability to be equally as good as Archipenko (Kingmambo)

and maybe even be better," De Kock concluded in reference to his winner of the

Queen Elizabeth II Cup (HK-G1) at this course and distance in April.

Christophe Soumillon teamed up for the first time with GOOD BA BA (Lear Fan),

the defending Hong Kong Mile (HK-G1) champion, in a turf hit-out over 1,400

meters (about seven furlongs) that wound up in a time of :22 for the final 400 meters.

Trainer Andreas Schutz was pleased with the work and declared the Honk Kong

Horse of the Year in the same form as when a short-head winner of this race last

year.

"He wasn't at his best when the season started. He was coughing and it only

cleared up about three days before his first run," Schutz said. "It's being a

different preparation this time around with different results, but he's still as

good as last year, no question.

"He has come on as I would have hoped since the Mile Trial and now back to

level weights I'm confident of him running to his best form."

Schutz added that he hoped Good Ba Ba would find a post-position "somewhere

in the middle" at Thursday's barrier draw. "I wouldn't want him to draw along

the rails or on the outside," he said.

Paul Rutter, traveling head lad of PRESSING (Ire) (Soviet Star), one of the

British hopes for the Mile, was delighted with the way the Michael

Jarvis-trained horse has adapted to his trip to Sha Tin.

"He has done everything we have asked of him. He is eating and drinking

well," Rutter said. "He will do light exercise until Michael arrives and I

should think he will have a nice blow on Friday. This horse is improving, and we

think he will run very well."

Pressing has won his last two races very easily having captured the Topkapi

Trophy in Turkey before impressively winning the Premio Ribot (Ity-G2) in Rome

by 4 1/2 lengths in November.

Japanese horses have twice won the Mile since 2001, and this year's challenger

is SUPER HORNET (Rodrigo de Triano). The five-year-old horse performed light

work on the dirt under the gaze of Keita Tanaka, the racing manager to trainer

Yoshito Yahagi.

"Actually he was not settled when he was on his own at the quarantine stable

in Japan, however his condition is improving," Tanaka said. "This is the first

time for the horse to travel abroad so it is a real challenge."

Muhannak, seen here en route to Breeders' Cup Marathon glory, faces a stiffer challenge in the Hong Kong Vase (Ed Van Meter/Horsephotos.com) Michael Kinane will take the ride on JAGUAR MAIL (Jungle Pocket), the Japanese contender for the Hong Kong Vase (HK-G1), but Shu Ishibashi, the horse's regular partner, was on hand for a canter on the dirt track. "He is in a very good form since he arrived in Hong Kong. To be honest, his condition is much better than I have expected. His work this morning was very good," Ishibashi noted. Ralph Beckett, trainer of MUHANNAK (Ire) (Chester House), is performing a fine balancing act to keep his Vase hope happy. The Breeders' Cup Marathon victor had his first sighting of Sha Tin on Tuesday and was restricted to just a gentle canter around the all-weather. The trick with Muhannak, Beckett said, is to keep him stimulated and occupied because "he loves to do new things but he is difficult in that I always have to keep on top of him, but at the same time keep him fresh." "He will like the track here, and, although he loves synthetic surfaces, I am very hopeful the surface at Sha Tin will be to his liking," Beckett added. "He has the action for it and I am confident of another good run. He owes us nothing after his win in California but, believe me, that was no fluke." Caspar Fownes deliberated long and hard over which race GREEN BIRDIE (Catbird) should contest and has opted for another shot at the Hong Kong Sprint (HK-G1) for a horse he has said time and again is "really a miler."

"But he just has so much speed. The way he won first up (in the Premier Bowl,

clocking :21.79 for the final 400 meters) said everything about his turn of

foot," the former Hong Kong champion trainer observed. "In the Sprint Trial he copped a check at the 800 meters and probably hit the

front a fraction too soon, but was still only beaten a neck by two horses that

will thereabouts again (ENTHUSED [Centaine] and SUNNY POWER [Honour and Glory]).

If he can get a good gate and truck up nicely behind the speed, he will let down

very hard and it will take a good one to beat him."

The Sprint contenders from Japan, TOSHO COURAGE (Last Tycoon [Ire]) and

LAUREL GUERREIRO (King Halo), put in no more than routine canters on the dirt

course.

"His form is improving by the day. He is in good shape and has settled well,"

Masakazu Sakai said regarding Tosho Courage while exercise rider Mitsuo Uegomori

offered similar sentiments as regards his mount, Laurel Guerreiro.

Singapore's champion trainer Laurie Laxon was again on hand as his Sprint

hope WAIKATO (Pins) had a routine canter on the all weather track this morning.

"He was a bit starry-eyed yesterday on his first visit to the track and a

little bit 'on the jig' this morning but I'm sure he'll settle down as the week

goes on," Laxon said. "I think he's come on a bit since his run in the international sprint at

Kranji in May (when fourth, beaten less than two lengths by Takeover Target) so

we'll see how he goes. It's just good to be here in Hong Kong for a race like

this."