Snow Fairy, Paco Boy hope for Hong Kong glory

Snow Fairy is seeking her fourth Group 1 trophy (Hong Kong Jockey Club) SNOW FAIRY (Intikhab), Britain’s leading fancy for the Hong Kong Cup (HK-G1) on December 12, was reported to be in great shape after she arrived at Sha Tin from Japan for the second leg of her Far East tour. The brilliant Epsom Oaks (Eng-G1) and Irish Oaks (Ire-G1) heroine, who on the first leg trounced her 16 rivals in the November 14 Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup (Jpn-G1) for fillies and mares at Kyoto, is really enjoying her role as “The Queen of the Orient.” “Snow Fairy has loved being center of attention since her exciting victory in Japan,” said her trainer Ed Dunlop, who was responsible for preparing the mighty Ouija Board (GB) to win the Hong Kong Vase (HK-G1) in 2005. “She never saw another horse in the QEII and everyone wanted to know her afterwards.” The decision to run in the 1 1/4-mile Cup rather than the 1 1/2-mile Vase was not a difficult one for Dunlop. Although top French jockey Christophe Lemaire was standing by to ride in the Vase if necessary, Dunlop was keen to keep Ryan Moore aboard. Moore was bound to ride Crystal Capella (Cape Cross [Ire]) in the Vase as stable rider for Sir Michael Stoute, but he has no such conflict in the Cup.

“Ryan gets on really well with the filly,” Dunlop said, “and while 2,000
meters is slightly short of her optimum trip, she has speed and can quicken. She
won over six furlongs as a two-year-old.”

Although Snow Fairy hardly had to fight too hard to win in Japan, Dunlop felt
bypassing last Sunday’s Japan Cup (Jpn-G1) gave his filly an extra couple of
weeks to freshen up for the Hong Kong challenge, which he considers formidable.

“We are under no illusions that the Cup is going be a very tough race, what
with last year’s winner VISION D’ETAT (Chichicastenango), STACELITA (Monsun),
PLANTEUR (Danehill Dancer) and Hong Kong’s own COLLECTION (Peintre Celebre) in
the line-up.

“But we were encouraged to see Meisho Beluga (French Deputy), the filly we
beat by four lengths in Kyoto, run an honorable sixth, beaten 3 1/4 lengths in
the Japan Cup last weekend.”

Mathematicians can claim Snow Fairy would have won the Japan Cup using that
formline.

Dunlop is loathe to compare this filly with the great Ouija Board, who won
her trainer his first Oaks in 2004. Snow Fairy is only three and still
improving. Apart from finding the extended 1 3/4 miles of the St Leger (Eng-G1)
too far, she has answered all the questions that have been asked of her this
year.

“She is a remarkable filly,” Dunlop said. “She has thrived all summer and
never flinched, especially in the Oaks in June where she came from an impossible
position to poke her head in front close to the line. She has come a long way
from the yearling that arrived at my stables two years ago having been bought
back by her breeder for only €1,800 at
Tattersalls Sales in Ireland!”

Paco Boy will try to go out on a high note (Courtesy of Hong Kong Jockey Club) Another British-based horse expected to make a splash at Sha Tin is top-class miler PACO BOY (Ire) (Desert Style), who will make his swan song in the Hong Kong Mile (HK-G1) on International raceday. The multiple Group 1 victor has been chasing Goldikova (Ire) (Anabaa) without any luck this season, most recently rallying for fourth to the superstar in the November 6 Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) at Churchill Downs. That was thought to be his final career start before commencing stud duty at Highclere Stud, but plans were revised to give him one more race, without Goldikova standing in his way. According to trainer Richard Hannon’s website, Paco Boy was scheduled to depart England Friday evening. “I am not surprised that the bookies have Paco Boy heading the market, and we will be disappointed if he does not go very close,” assistant trainer Richard Hannon Jr. told the website. “Sha Tin should suit him so much better than Churchill Downs as the straight is that much longer.

“Things did not work in the Breeders Cup Mile, but he was all at sea around
the tight turns and, but for that, he would have finished second rather than
fourth behind Goldikova.

“They flew home in the last two furlongs, and, if anything, he leaves in even
better form than he was before Kentucky. His Indian lad, Elvis, who rides him
out every morning, certainly takes that view, and he says that he is moving
great and has never been better all season, while it has to be a bonus that, for
once, we don’t have to worry about Goldikova.

“You could set your watch by Paco Boy — he is so reliable and always runs
his race, and with a pot of £820,000 on the table for the winner, we have got to
have a go, and, though Richard Hughes is unavailable through suspension, we
are lucky to have Ryan Moore, who knows the horse equally well, having won a
Hungerford (Eng-G2) on him amongst other races.

“It would be wonderful if Paco Boy could end on a high, as he is booked in to
start his stallion career at Highclere Stud when he returns, and we all think
that he has an outstanding choice of doing just that.”