Stars out in force during training hours at Sha Tin
There was plenty of action on the grass Thursday morning with nine horses
striding across the Sha Tin turf. Among them was The Fugue, who appeared in
public for the first time since her arrival on Monday and looked content as she
cantered a circuit at a steady tempo. Just nailed in the Breeders’ Cup Turf last
out, the John Gosden mare is the class of the field in Sunday’s Group 1 Hong
Kong Vase.
Several of her Vase rivals turned in works.
Mount Athos, most recently third in the Melbourne Cup, worked about six
grassy furlongs under Craig Williams. The Luca Cumani charge clocked 1:22.8,
posting splits of :29.4, :28.1 and :25.3.
“He feels great, and he looks better to my eye than he did in Melbourne,”
Williams said. “I’m not saying that barrier 22 beat him in the Melbourne Cup,
but we might have pressed the first two a bit further with a better draw and a
softer run. I really like the fact that this horse has shown some versatility
now and we’re not committed to riding him back.”
Triple classic-placed Galileo Rock breezed about a quarter-mile on the turf
in :29.
On the all-weather, 2011 Melbourne Cup and Vase hero Dunaden went about a
half-mile in :56.3 (splits of :30.9 and :25.4).
“You can tell that he knows the place from his behavior on his first day
out,” exercise rider Mathieu Brasme said. “It is like recollecting memories. He
was bucking around this morning and acting like a colt.
“Considering his last race is still pretty close (a fifth in the November 24
Japan Cup), we wanted to leave him a chance to fully recover even though he had
not had a hard race in Japan. The way he behaves now seems to show that we are
right where we want him to be before Sunday’s assignment.”
Melbourne Cup fifth Dandino covered about six furlongs in 1:27.8 (splits of
:30.5, :30.6 and :26.7).
Germany’s Feuerblitz, coming off his first Group 1 score in the Premio Roma,
negotiated about six furlongs in 1:20 (splits of :26.6, :27.3 and :26.1).
French stand-out Cirrus des Aigles, one of the leading lights in Sunday’s
Group 1 Hong Kong Cup, stretched out on turf under Christophe Soumillon. The
European champion, who just missed in the Champion Stakes, was caught in splits
of :26.8, :28.3 and :25.7, resulting in a final time of 1:20.8.
“He really loves it here,” trainer Corine Barande-Barbe said. “According to
his exercise rider Zoe Gargoulaud, he always acts exactly the same way at
exactly the same points around the track, as if it was his playground. Look at
him staring at the mountains!
“It is a real shame that he has never really succeeded at Sha Tin but it has
been only a matter of bad luck. The ground here is much faster than, say,
Longchamp in the autumn, but it is not really an issue because it bounces.
Cirrus can act on it.”
Soumillon said: “I was just about to get him ready to go when he simply
pulled off. There was nothing I could do about it so off we went. He’s really
raring to go and it is a very good omen.”
British globetrotter Side Glance, successful in the Mackinnon at Flemington,
toured the same distance on turf in 1:20.5 (splits of :30.7, :27.1 and :22.7).
“I’m very happy with him,” trainer Andrew Balding said of his Cup entrant.
“He looks well, nothing’s bothering him and we look forward to Sunday. I’m not
totally sure he can win but he might be underestimated.”
Balding, an avid fan of Southampton football club, added: “It was a bad start
to the day when I heard we had lost last night, but I was cheered up by the way
Side Glance worked this morning! He seems very well, and I am hopeful that he
will be in the shake-up on Sunday.”
Little Mike, who hoists the American flag in the Cup, cantered on the
all-weather. The multiple Grade 1 hero was seventh when seeking a repeat in the
Breeders’ Cup Turf.
“He looked good out there today, I thought, as good as he’s looked all week,”
owner Carlo Vaccarezza said. “He’s a versatile horse so far as distance is
concerned and in how he runs his races. I hope there is a good pace in the race
on Sunday as that would suit him best.”
The Jeremy Noseda-trained Grandeur went out on the all-weather watched by the
trainer and his owner Yvonne Jacques. Grandeur did no more than a routine
canter, and the Cup contender will probably put in a short piece of work on the
turf Friday according to connections.
“The horse is in great order and feels very bright this morning,” his work
rider.
Jockey Club Cup victor Endowing worked about a half-mile on the all-weather
under a work rider in :58.3 (splits of :32.3 and :26.0).
“To an extent he’s flying under the radar,” jockey Tye Angland said, “but
he’s really proven himself with his past two wins. He’s probably got to bring
his A-game to win but he’s kept stepping up to the mark lately and he can really
let down when it counts.”
Blazing Speed, another locally-based Cup runner, worked about six all-weather
furlongs in 1:27.7s (splits of :32.2, :29.5 and :26.0).
“He pulled up with a minor problem after his last run (a seventh in the
Jockey Club Mile),” trainer Tony Cruz said. “I was very disappointed with that
race and we’ve decided to go a bit further with him. He’s won over the trip in
England so that’s not a worry. He hasn’t got the early speed for the mile and I
believe the 2,000 meters (about 1 1/4 miles) will be more to his liking. He has
a turn of foot and we can run a bit quiet in the race. He galloped this morning
and I’m vey happy with him. His work’s been perfect. He should be a different
horse again on the day.”
European invaders Moonlight Cloud and Sky Lantern, the ones to beat in
Sunday’s Group 1 Hong Kong Mile, both took to the all-weather Thursday.
Moonlight Cloud, who earned her sixth Group 1 win in the Prix de la Foret,
strode about six furlongs in 1:27.2 (splits of :34, :28 and :25.2).
“There is no need to push her when she’s on the track,” trainer Freddie Head
said. “She went just fine there, too happy to let the steam go. It was just a
canter but she looked good. As I said, I don’t think she will need to go over
the turf but she could have a short speed burst on Saturday morning.”
Sky Lantern, a four-time Group 1 queen after taking the Sun Chariot, just
stretched her legs.
“She’s very fit and is much perkier now than when she arrived,” the trainer’s
son and assistant Richard Hannon Jr. said. “We’ve decided to go for the Mile
rather the Cup because there’s plenty of time for her to step up to 2000 meters
next season.”
Pure Champion, last of nine in the Jockey Club Mile, worked about six
furlongs on the all-weather in 1:31.2 (splits of :33.3, :30.4 and :27.5).
“He pulled up a bit sore in his joints after his last run,” Cruz said. “I
think he’ll run like a different horse this time. If he gets the inside draw
he’ll be very close — in the first three or four. He’s a good worker; his track
work has been good.”
Pure Champion drew the rail.
Three international Mile contestants took spins on the turf.
Gordon Lord Byron, runner-up to Moonlight Cloud in the Foret two back, loped
about a half-mile in :59.3 (splits :32.5 and :26.8).
“It’s a good race this year,” trainer Tom Hogan said, “but we’ve got a
stronger horse this time. He’ll love the ground despite what some of the press
say just because he once won a Group 1 on heavy conditions (in the 2012 Foret).
He’s traveled well to Hong Kong and did some nice work on the turf today. I hope
he can grab some money on Sunday.”
Australian Group 1 winner Linton scampered about a half-mile in :55.4 (splits
of :31.8 and 23.6).
“He was prancing on the track this morning,” said Troy Corstens, stable
manager at Malua Racing. “To my eye he looks ready to explode and we’re really
happy with him. I can’t speak highly enough of the facilities here and the help
we’ve had from the Club and that’s reflected in the horse just getting better
each day.”
Shamalgan, victorious in the Premio Vittorio di Capua two starts ago,
exercised about six furlongs in 1:30.3 (splits of :32.7, :31.1 and :26.5).
Trainer John Moore has three engaged in Sunday’s Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint,
and all recorded moves on Thursday.
Jockey Club Sprint winner Charles the Great strode about a half-mile on the
turf under Douglas Whyte in :51.7s (splits of :28.8 and :22.9), while Jockey
Club Sprint runner-up Sterling City covered the same ground in :54.6 under Tommy
Berry (splits of :30.7 and :23.9).
Moore sent Frederick Engels out for an all-weather work in company with
Captain Sweet. Under Zac Purton, the Group 2 veteran finished about a half-mile
in :49.6 (splits of :27.9, 21.7).
“He’s been flying on the track and his work was excellent this morning,”
Purton said. “He’s been a victim of bad barriers and if he draws well he’s
right amongst them as I think there’s very little between the Hong Kong horses.”
Purton got his wish, for Frederick Engels drew post 4.
Three other local Sprint hopes likewise tuned up on the all-weather.
Sha Tin Sprint Trophy hero Go Baby Go exercised about a half-mile under
Angland in :53.3 (splits of :28.6 and 24.7).
“He’s a little ripper this horse, and he’s feeling great,” Angland said. “He
hasn’t done much wrong since I’ve been associated with him and he’s going in
with fresh legs after only two well-spaced recent runs. I’m pretty happy with
him but the draw is going to be critical. I think he’s one of the best Hong Kong
chances.”
Go Baby Go was handed an unfavorable post 13.
Rich Tapestry clocked 51.1 (splits of :27.4 and :23.7) for his about
half-mile breeze under Olivier Doleuze.
Time After Time, under Gerald Mosse, clocked :53.5 (splits of :28.4 and
:25.1).
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