Vengeance of Rain, Pride in Hong Kong Cup rematch

Vengeance of Rain is sending all the right signals in advance of his tilt at history in the Cup (Photo courtesy of Hong Kong Jockey Club)

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.”

Pride is seeking to avenge her narrow loss to Vengeance of Rain in last year’s Cup (Photo courtesy of Hong Kong Jockey Club)

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.