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Pride, Alexander Goldrun work toward Hong Kong Cup showdown
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Pride taking a stroll around Sha Tin
(Photo courtesy of Hong Kong Jockey Club) |
At Sha Tin on Wednesday, multiple Group 1 heroines PRIDE (Peintre Celebre)
and ALEXANDER GOLDRUN (Gold Away [Ire]) stretched their legs in advance of their
clash in Sunday's Hong Kong Cup (HK-G1).
French flagbearer Pride, runner-up in the 2005 Hong Kong Cup, worked at
half-speed on the turf course, getting her final quarter-mile in :27. Ireland's
Alexander Goldrun, winner of the 2004 Cup, finished her sharp drill on the main
track in :25.7 beneath jockey Kevin Manning. Both veteran mares pleased their
handlers.
"(Pride's) like red wine, a Bordeaux -- she keeps getting better," trainer
Alain de Royer Dupre said of his charge. "I am very happy, and although she is
better on softer ground, we can't complain. This is the track of the future --
not too firm and not too deep.
After just missing by a neck in last year's Cup, the six-year-old has been
better than ever this season. In addition to capturing the Grand Prix de
Saint-Cloud (Fr-G1) and Champion S. (Eng-G1) last time out, Pride finished a terrific second
in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-G1).
"She is more mature this year and settled in very well," de Royer Dupre
added. "She arrived here two days earlier this time, and that has also helped."
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Alexander Goldrun's conditioner, Jim Bolger, likewise believes that his mare
is entering Sunday's Cup in better form than a year ago, when she wound up
eighth after a troubled trip in the 1 1/4-mile event.
"She seems keen and sharp and fresher after a longer break this year," Bolger
said, "and I'm confident that she is as well as ever in herself. She is very
sound, has a great constitution and a great temperament, and that's why she's
still at the top of her game."
Alexander Goldrun has won or placed in five of six starts this year while
competing exclusively in Group 1 company. Her 2006 highlights include her second
straight score in the Pretty Polly S. (Ire-G1) as well as a heartbreaking
runner-up effort in the Nassau S. (Eng-G1), ending up on the wrong side of the
photo-finish after an epic duel with defending Hong Kong Vase (HK-G1) champion
OUIJA BOARD (GB) (Cape Cross [Ire]).
Ouija Board continues to flourish in Hong Kong as she prepares for her last
hurrah in the 1 1/2-mile Vase. The two-time European Horse of the Year and
seven-time Group/Grade 1 queen cantered steadily on the main track with exercise
rider Jason Tate in the saddle.
"She's thriving out here," raved Robin Trevor-Jones, traveling head lad for
trainer Ed Dunlop. "If anything, she's doing a little too well in this climate.
She's putting on weight and is around 472 kilos, which is about six more than
her racing weight in Japan and at Churchill Downs for the Breeders' Cup. But
that's not a problem. She's as fit as a fiddle."
Also tuning up for the Vase was Gran Premio di Milano (Ity-G1) victress
SHAMDALA (Grand Lodge). Exercising in company with her stablemate Pride,
Shamdala quickened to finish up her final two furlongs on the turf in :25.5.
Prepping for Sunday's Hong Kong Sprint (HK-G1), reigning Global Sprint
Challenge champion TAKEOVER TARGET (Celtic Swing) sped a half-mile in :47.5
beneath jockey Jay Ford. The seven-year-old gelding came home his final quarter
in a blistering :21.4. The winner of three legs of the Global Sprint Challenge
-- the Lightning S. (Aus-G1), King's Stand S. (Eng-G2) and Sprinters S. (Jpn-G1)
most recently -- Takeover Target would cash a $1 million bonus if he takes the
six-furlong Sprint.
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Fast Parade (red shadow roll) and Rebel Rebel schooled Wednesday
(Photo courtesy of Hong Kong Jockey Club) |
"The horse is in good shape," Ford said. "He's put on a little bit of
condition here, but his work has been good. My one slight concern is that it
will have been over two months since his last run in Japan, and it would have
been ideal to get a race into him just to sharpen him up. But that hasn't been
possible, and I hope he'll be sharp enough anyway. We'll find out on Sunday."American shippers FAST PARADE (Delineator), who's lining up in the Sprint,
and REBEL REBEL (Ire) (Revoque), who will represent Richard Dutrow in the Hong
Kong Mile (HK-G1), both schooled in the paddock. Fast Parade is coming off wins
in the Green Flash H. and Nearctic S. (Can-G2), while Rebel Rebel will try to
rebound in the wake of an eighth-place finish in the Morvich H. (G3) over the
downhill turf course at Santa Anita. Rebel Rebel's last two starts at a mile,
however, have been excellent, with a 2 1/4-length tally in the Poker H. (G3) and
a hard charging second in the Woodbine Mile S. (Can-G1) to his credit.
Top Mile candidate DANCE IN THE MOOD (Jpn) (Sunday Silence) also took a turn
in the paddock after her light exercise on the main track.
"She was settled in the paddock ring, but tense a bit on the way back from
the paddock," traveling head lad Tsukasa Uemizu said. "I thought she wanted to
run!"
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The Japanese star garnered the Victoria Mile (Jpn-G1), then successfully
shipped to Hollywood Park to land the CashCall Mile Invitational S. (G3).
In her latest effort, Dance in the Mood finished a strong runner-up to the
classy Daiwa Major (Sunday Silence) in the Mile Championship (Jpn-G1).
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