Hong Kong runners work Wednesday

Multiple stakes winner BATTLE WON (Honour and Glory) galloped an easy

half-mile in preparation for Sunday's Hong Kong Sprint (HK-G1) beneath jockey

Kieren Fallon, who has been engaged to ride the colt for trainer Chuck Simon.

"He felt great," Fallon said. "I never moved on him. I just let him breeze

along and he really stretched out well."

The four-year-old colt did no more than two-minute lick, but was given an

official clocking of :59.5 for the half-mile. His final 400 meters were covered

in :26.4.

VAR (Forest Wildcat), who won the October 3 Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp

(Fr-G1) in his most recent effort, has settled in nicely before his run in the

Sprint, trainer Clive Brittain reported.

"I am thrilled with Var," Brittain said. "He is very settled, which is a

relief, as I was worried before we came how he would cope coming back to

training. His win in the Abbaye was very impressive. The time he clocked was :55

from a bad draw."

Frankie Dettori rides Var on Sunday.

Multiple Group 1 hero YELL (Anabaa) caught the eye in the final stages of his

800-meter move Wednesday morning over the turf, zipping the final two furlongs

in a snappy :21.3.

"He just needed that to clean him up," trainer John Hawkes said. "He was

lovely and balanced in his work, head down, fluent and focused. He looks

terrific and everything seems to be in order."

Prior to his success in the International Jockeys' Championship, Christophe

Soumillon was on hand to put Prix de Diane Hermes (Fr-G1) winner LATICE

(Inchinor [GB]) through her paces as she worked over the Sha Tin turf course in

company with fellow Hong Kong Cup (HK-G1) hopeful TOUCH OF LAND (Fr) (Lando

[Ger]) and defending Hong Kong Vase (HK-G1) champion VALLEE ENCHANTEE (Peintre

Celebre) on Wednesday. Since running her record to four-for-four in the French

Oaks, Latice was eighth, beaten less than two lengths, in the September 12 Prix

Vermeille (Fr-G1) and was most recently a respectable seventh in the Prix de

l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-G1) on October 3.

"She feels good," Soumillon said. "She was unlucky in the Arc, had no run and

should have been a lot closer. I think she will be on Sunday."

FIELDS OF OMAGH (Rubiton) upset the Cox Plate (Aus-G1) at odds of 17-1 in

2003, but went off form thereafter, turning in a last-of-18 finish in a boggy

renewal of the Japan Cup (Jpn-G1) prior to an 11th-place effort in the

2400-meter Hong Kong Vase. But judging by the way the seven-year-old has trained

in his lead-up to this year's Hong Kong Cup, the results could be much different

this time around. Runner-up while defending his title in the Cox Plate on

October 23, the gelding had an easy Wednesday morning after breezing 800 meters

over the all-weather surface Tuesday in :48.1, with a final quarter mile in

:22.7.

"I couldn't believe he went as quick as the official times showed," trainer

Tony McEvoy said. "If he runs up to that work on Sunday, he's going to be right

in the thick of it."

Danny Nikolic, who rode Fields of Omagh in this year's Cox Plate, has a

return call.

ALEXANDER GOLDRUN (Gold Away [Ire]), unraced since her one-length victory in

the Prix de l'Opera (Fr-G1) on the Arc undercard, received her final preparation

for Sunday when clocking :22.1 for her final

400 meters. Trainer Jim Bolger was every pleased.

"That went perfectly, just what I wanted," he explained. "She's in good form

and it's possible she's improved since her last run."

The three fastest works among Hong Kong Mile (HK-G1) hopefuls were

posted by Hong Kong-based horses, who have won the last two runnings of the

Mile.

GRAND ZULU (Grand Lodge), who defeated subsequent Melbourne Cup (Aus-G1)

winner Makybe Diva (Desert King) in the Tancred S. (Aus-G1) last April, breezed

his final two furlongs over the all-weather in :24.5 for trainer John Size, who

sent out Electronic Unicorn (Housebuster) to consecutive runner-up finishes in

the Mile in 2001 and 2002. Also drilling over the artificial surface were recent

import ORIENTAL MAGIC (Desert Prince [Ire]), formerly known as Kalaman, who went

his final 400 meters in :22.4; and International Mile Trial (HK-G2) hero THE

DUKE (Danehill), who worked in :23.2.

Third as the lukewarm 3-1 favorite in last year's Hong Kong Vase, Saeed

Manana's WARRSAN (Caerleon) enters Sunday's event on the heels of a next-to-last

place finish in the November 28 Japan Cup (Jpn-G1), but "has done exceptionally

well" since arriving in Hong Kong, according to Brittain.

"His weight is pretty good and he has eaten well," said the 70-year-old

conditioner, who won the Vase when it was a Group 2 in 1996 and 1997 with

Warrsan's half-brother Luso (GB).

As for the disappointing run in Tokyo, Brittain said, "I am putting it down

to a very unfavorable wide draw. He was never able to settle into a nice

position or get into a rhythm in the race."

Warrsan will be ridden on Sunday by Seb Sanders.