Little Mike takes on Cirrus des Aigles, Military Attack in HK Cup

Little Mike seeks to emulate Val’s Prince, the race’s only American-based winner (Hong Kong Jockey Club)

Multiple Grade 1 winner Little Mike has a penchant for springing upsets, and
that quality will be sternly tested when the American shipper takes on a
world-class field in Sunday’s Group 1, $2.8 million Hong Kong Cup at Sha Tin.
The road to glory in the about 1 1/4-mile prize runs through European champion
Cirrus des Aigles and Hong Kong Horse of the Year Military Attack.

Only one American-based horse has ever won the Hong Kong Cup — Val’s Prince,
who scored back in 1997 when it was held at about 1 1/8 miles. A Florida-bred
like Little Mike, Val’s Prince was exiting similar performances in the same two
races. Val’s Prince captured the Turf Classic Invitational at Belmont before
winding up eighth in that year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf, and rebounding at Sha Tin.

Little Mike, a photo-finish winner of the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic two starts
back, was only seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Turf in his latest. The Dale Romans
charge hopes that he can emulate Val’s Prince, on a trajectory that culminates
in Hong Kong triumph.

Cirrus des Aigles is overdue for Hong Kong success (Hong Kong Jockey Club)

On the other hand, Little Mike toppled a world-class field at an unheralded
17-1 in the 2012 Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita. When defeating the likes of
Point of Entry, St Nicholas Abbey and Shareta, he established a new
stakes-record time of 2:22 4/5 for 1 1/2 miles. His victory capped a productive
season that included wins in the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic and Arlington
Million.

Little Mike took a while to round into form this year after his fruitless
trip to Dubai. Fourth in the United Nations and sixth in his title defense in
the Arlington Million, he clicked with new rider Mike Smith in the Joe Hirsch.
Little Mike was beaten a grand total of 3 1/2 lengths in the Turf, and stands to
benefit from shortening up in trip. The post position draw was kind to him, and
Smith will guide the scrappy gelding from post 6.

The venerable French gelding Cirrus des Aigles sets the standard on form, as
evidenced just by his performances in the past three runnings of the Champion
Stakes at Ascot. A course record-setting winner over dual hemisphere star So You
Think in 2011, he was a gallant second to Frankel in the 2012 Champion, and
exits a near-miss to Godolphin’s top-class Farhh in the October 19 renewal.

Despite his lengthy resume, which also features a victory over St Nicholas
Abbey in the 2012 Dubai Sheema Classic, Cirrus des Aigles has been out of luck
in his four prior visits to Hong Kong. His first attempt came as a sophomore in
the 2009 Vase, where he was a creditable fifth. He next focused on the Cup,
finishing seventh in 2010 and a hard-luck fifth in 2011. Back for another tilt
in 2012, Cirrus des Aigles was scratched because of an injury that cost him the
first half of 2013.

Military Attack was a stunning winner of the QE II Cup, one of the victories that clinched HK Horse of the Year (Hong Kong Jockey Club)

Military Attack has improved beyond recognition since his fifth in the 2012
Cup. The John Moore charge compiled a four-race winning streak earlier this
year, propelling him to Hong Kong Horse of the Year honors for the 2012-13
season. In addition to comprehensive victories in the Hong Kong Gold Cup and
Queen Elizabeth II Cup at this course and distance, the Irish-bred slammed a
quality field in the Singapore Airlines International Cup.

Since the new Hong Kong season opened this fall, Military Attack has been
stealthily rounding into form. He was a closing sixth in the Sha Tin Trophy at a
metric mile, while lugging the top impost of 133 pounds, and reported home a
fine third despite a weight disadvantage and a poor draw in the local prep, the
November 17 Jockey Club Cup. Military Attack isn’t drawn much better in post 9
Sunday, but he should be fitter in the third start of his form cycle, and he’s
now back at level weights.

The respective top two from the Jockey Club Cup, Endowing and Akeed Mofeed,
will try to confirm the form with Military Attack. Both were the main
protagonists in the Hong Kong Derby in March, with Akeed Mofeed beating Endowing
by a half-length. Since then, they’ve gone in different directions. Endowing has
been on an upward curve, exploiting weight concessions and perfect trips to take
the Ladies’ Purse and Jockey Club Cup in his last pair.

Endowing and Akeed Mofeed (right) advertised their claims in the course-and-distance prep (Hong Kong Jockey Club)

British globetrotters Grandeur and Side Glance could also make their presence
felt. Both had contested the August 17 Arlington Million, Side Glance checking
in third and Grandeur a wide-trip seventh, one spot behind Little Mike.

Grandeur, winner of last fall’s Hollywood Turf Cup and Twilight Derby,
traveled to Southern California once more for the Breeders’ Cup Turf.
Unfortunately, the Jeremy Noseda trainee wasn’t entered after spiking a fever.
Grandeur was last seen landing the September 25 Foundation Stakes at Goodwood,
and keeps Ryan Moore in the saddle.

The Andrew Balding-trained Side Glance comes off his first Group 1 coup in
the November 2 Mackinnon at Flemington, assisted by a heady tactical ride by
Jamie Spencer. The veteran gelding had hitherto appeared as a fringe player at
that level, his best Group 1 result being a remote third to Frankel in the 2012
Queen Anne at Royal Ascot, prior to his garnering another credit at Arlington.

Germany relies on Neatico, who has enjoyed a career-best year at the age of
six. He has won four of his last five for Peter Schiergen, highlighted by a
Group 1 victory in the Bayerisches Zuchtrennen, and a bloodless, five-length
romp in the Preis der Deutschen Einheit.