Sky Lantern set to shine for HK-based owner; Lord Kanaloa
makes swan song
Sky Lantern is the star performer of Britain’s champion stable in 2013, so it
is only appropriate that she now finds herself competing for glory in Hong Kong
at the Turf World Championships. What is more there is a live chance —
according to many close observers — that her stunning acceleration will lead to
victory in Sunday’s Group 1 Hong Kong Mile.
And anyone who dismisses this Hong Kong challenge as some afterthought after
a campaign that began in April, and catapulted her into the headlines when she
came fast and late to snatch the One Thousand Guineas from under the noses of
her rivals at Newmarket in May, could not be more wrong.
“It was always a dream to come to Hong Kong with her and after that cwin at
Newmarket it became the plan,” owner Ben Keswick said as he proudly watched his
three-year-old gray filly enjoy her first encounter with the Sha Tin track under
cloudless skies early on Wednesday morning.
Although it is fair to say that the filly, who went on to strike more Group 1
gold in 2013 at both Royal Ascot and Newmarket, did take a few days to adapt to
her new environment after coming off the plane last weekend, it is now all
systems go.
“She was a bit quiet to begin with but she’s picked up and she knows why
she’s here,” observed Keswick, who being based in Hong Kong has an added sense
of anticipation leading up to Sunday’s spectacular.
Ben’s wife Martha added: “The filly really looks on fire. In fact she was so
lively we couldn’t get up close to her!”
Sky Lantern is trained by Richard Hannon, who hands over the reins to his son
Richard Jr. on January 1 after a spectacular career that has yield almost 4,200
winners. Hannon has struck up a hugely successful partnership with Sky Lantern’s
rider Richard Hughes, fresh from overseas success in Jockeys’ Championships in
both South Africa and Japan since being crowned Britain’s champion rider for the
second consecutive season last month.
Recalling the post-race comments of Hannon Sr.,, Hannon Jr. and Hughes over
the course of this year, one will constantly find references to Sky Lantern’s
preference for good, fast ground conditions, yet another reason why Sha Tin is
the destination for this super talented filly and why Ascot back in October —
soft ground always being likely for that possible Group 1 target — was not.
Purchased for just €75,000, Sky Lantern
took little time to shout herself out as a bargain, becoming one of Europe’s top
two-year-olds when blitzing her rivals in the Moyglare Stud Stakes at the
Curragh in September 2012. That was over seven furlongs, but her three fantastic
victories this year have all come over an identical distance to Sunday’s
challenge, and, though current plans suggest that she will be competing at about
1 1/4 miles next year, the decision was made — after some lengthy discussions
— to target the Hong Kong Mile rather than the Cup this time.
Tactics-wise, Hannon Jr. commented: “She can stay back or sit handy. We’ll
leave it to Hughesie.”
Speaking from Happy Valley on Wednesday evening, Hughes said: “You can’t
bully this filly, and a decent gate would be a big help.”
The rider will surely have preferred a number a shade lower than the eight
allocated at Thursday’s barrier draw ceremony, but let’s not forget that this
jockey is a master tactician and, in Sky Lantern, he has on his side a gray
filly who has shown her brilliance on a regular basis.
Meanwhile, Japan’s sprint sensation Lord Kanaloa is bound for retirement
after his title defense in Sunday’s Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint. He once again
takes on Hong Kong’s speed ace Lucky Nine in a showdown at Sha Tin, which looms
as one of the major highlights of the Turf World Championships.
Despite Lord Kanaloa’s holding a 2-0 advantage over Lucky Nine (even if there
were excuses for Hong Kong’s hero on both occasions), the King Kamehameha entire
is considered no more than his rival’s equal according to the official measure,
the World’s Best Racehorse Rankings. Both are rated at 120.
The matter could well be decided in the Hong Kong Sprint. Victory for the
stud-bound Lord Kanaloa would do no harm in enhancing his value in that arena;
might well prompt a hike in his official rating and would certainly have him in
contention for JRA Horse of the Year honors. Not to mention that it would be
well-deserved for a horse who, in terms of top level wins, has arguably been
only outshone by Frankel and Black Caviar since mid-2012.
Lord Kanaloa has been beaten only once in seven starts, five of them at Group
1 level, since September 2012 when his hot streak began with a powerful
finishing burst to claim the Sprinters Stakes at Nakayama.
The winning run, for the horse who can stalk the speed or close from behind,
continued next start with his comprehensive win in last year’s edition of the
Hong Kong Sprint. He further underlined his prowess on his return home by
stretching his speed to a major Grade 1 win over a metric mile in the Yasuda
Kinen, and this time has journeyed back to Hong Kong with the Sprinters Stakes
title again under his belt.
Whatever rating number sits beside his name, few would argue with the fact
that he has been one of the very best contemporary racehorses.
But that wasn’t necessarily the expectation from the start of his career
according to Shogo Yasuda, who has been looking after the horse in Hong Kong.
Shogo is trainer Takayuki Yasuda’s son and training assistant and sometimes
track rider.
“When he came to our stable preparing for his debut at three he had a few
physical issues, mainly as a result of muscle strain. He wasn’t flexible and he
didn’t give you a great feel even when he was just trotting or hacking,” he
said.
“So we decided to change things with him and canter him on the uphill course
to stretch his muscles. I remember the first day we did that very well. It was
amazing the change in his gait. Suddenly his stride was powerful and flexible
which he’d never shown us before. And then he just continued to make impressive
progress, handling every task we gave him.”
That improvement was obvious for all to see when he progressed to better
class races in 2012 and Yasuda says he will always be considered “very special”
by his family and the stable.
“We have always tried to do the right thing by him and he has repaid us. I’ve
been riding him for three years and that’s been a great pleasure. I appreciate
what he has done and what he has given us,” he said.
Yasuda is looking forward to Sunday’s race but is mindful that a win is not
always certain in horse racing especially after the five-year-old drew barrier
12.
“I understand the quality of the sprint race and the sprinters here in Hong
Kong, and it is not easy to win a race like this. But the owner told us, after
the Sprinters Stakes, that he would like to target Hong Kong as Lord Kanaloa’s
final run and he is here in good shape,” he said.
As to Horse of the Year honors in his homeland, Shogo added: “If he is
awarded the JRA Horse of the Year title, we will be greatly honored and will
take our hats off to him. Obviously we don’t know about that yet. Right now we
just have to concentrate on having the horse at his best. We do hope that, on
Sunday, he can produce his best race.”
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