California Memory makes history with back to back Cup wins
California Memory (No. 2) under Matthew Chadwick defends the title of the LONGINES Hong Kong Cup, a Group 1 over 2000 metres with stakes money that has increased to HK$22 million.
Matthew Chadwick drove California Memory into the history books of Hong Kong racing when becoming the first horse ever to win back to back runnings of the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup.
No horse had ever won the 2000m contest twice but breaking alertly from Gate 1, Chadwick was able to settle the little grey in the ideal position on the rail, and let the race unfold around him. The jockey never appeared to have an anxious moment at any stage, and when he asked California Memory to reel in the pace-making Dan Excel in the home straight the race was as good as over. He coasted to the line for a comfortable win from the late running Giofra and Australian challenger Alcopop, who both made late progress from the rear without ever threatening to reel in the winner. Dan Excel held on well for fourth.
Afterwards a delighted Chadwick said ‘I’m over the moon right now. It’s incredible. He’s a great little horse. It’s all about him, I’m just lucky to be part of it all.
Following his win in last year’s race California Memory was campaigned internationally in Dubai and Singapore earlier in the year, but things did not go to plan. Back on his familiar home turf, however, he has been a revelation, resuming his winning in the G2 LONGINES Jockey Club Cup in November, before his clear cut win today.
His trainer Tony Cruz said: “He showed great acceleration, and showed his authority today. When he quickened Matthew said he put everyone to bed. And then he started to idle in front, and the horse started thinking ‘where is everybody?’. But when they started to come back to him he thought I’d better go a bit faster again.”
Jockey Matthew Chadwick, trainer Tony Cruz and owner Howard Liang of California Memory celebrate their back to back victory in the LONGINES Hong Kong Cup.
“We have to give credit to the vet Ben Mason, because the horse has had his niggles and been lame many times, but he fixed the problem.”
In the end California Memory’s winning margin was a length in a time of 2m 3.09s, in a race run with each fraction being quicker than the previous one. For his rivals there were no real excuses or hard luck stories. Today there was only one winner, the diminutive grey Hong Kong hero
Happy connections share their happiness with media for the success of California Memory in the LONGINES Hong Kong Cup.
Red Cadeaux boxes to thrilling LONGINES Hong Kong Vase triumph
Red Cadeaux (No.6) with Gerald Mosse in the saddle edges Jaguar Mail (No.8) to grab the LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (Group 1-2400M).
Red Cadeaux and Jaguar Mail are two of world horseracing’s battle hardened Group 1 pugilists and the pair ensured a great start to the 2012 LONGINES Hong Kong International Races as they traded blows stride for stride down the Sha Tin straight in a pulsating climax to the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m).
Red Cadeaux’s previous claim to fame had been his gallant nose second to Dunaden in the 2011 G1 Melbourne Cup, and it was he who edged ahead at the wire to claim the spoils by a short-head in a time of 2m 28.73s.
”He deserved this win – three pixels in the Melbourne Cup last year, no pace in the Melbourne Cup this year and he got struck into in the Japan Cup and we should have finished sixth; he was the leading European horse there. It’s a fantastic day for everyone,” said the six-year-old’s trainer Ed Dunlop.
”At the 200m mark I thought we were going to get beaten by Jaguar Mail but Gerald (Mosse) gave him a great ride and he was in the right place. The horse battled very hard today.”
Red Cadeaux’s victory will go down as a British triumph, but his owner is none other than Ronald Arculli, former Chairman of The Hong Kong Jockey Club.
”Ronald Arculli deserves huge praise, and I’m so chuffed for him – to have a winner here is a huge deal,” continued Dunlop.
”This is our third victory here and winning races like this is what it’s all about for me. We’ve been lucky to have great owners and great horses to come here. To win three races, Ouija Board (Vase 2005), Snow Fairy (Cup 2010) and now Red Cadeaux – I’m pinching myself to think he’s now won a Group 1 over a mile and half. He’s come through the handicap system and he gets better and better – he’s a really tough horse.
Gerald Mosse celebrates the success after taking the LONGINES Hong Kong Vase.
”I hope the Melbourne Cup handicapper isn’t listening to this! We may consider Dubai next as an option, there’s the staying race but we’ll probably look at the Sheema Classic now.”
The victory took jockey Gerald Mosse to a record eight wins at the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races stretching back to River Verdon’s success in the 1991 Invitational Cup. He is now one clear of Olivier Peslier after Red Cadeaux’s win.
”Even if we went for one more lap no-one would pass me!” said the Frenchman post race.
”Jaguar Mail made me make my move because I feared at the 500m that someone was coming up so I decided right away to pick up. From there he really fought to the line and showed fighting spirit all the way.”
Aaron Kwok, LONGINES Ambassador of Elegance, presents a souvenir to Ronald Arculli, owner of Red Cadeaux.
Mr Arculli was delighted with the win, especially after the horse dead-heated for third in this contest last year following his 2011 Melbourne Cup defeat.
”It’s a very big deal and all credit must go to the Dunlop Racing team, Ed, Becky and his Travelling Head Lad Robin. And credit too to Gerald Mosse, he’s a very experienced rider here in Hong Kong and it helped that he rode the horse in Japan. A year in racing’s a long time but we might try Melbourne again next year.”
Jaguar Mail was having his fourth start in the Vase after finishing third (2008), and fourth (2009 and 2010) for trainer Noriyuki Hori. The Andre Fabre-trained Meandre overcame a troubled passage in the stretch to claim third, a further half-length back.
Japan claims first Sprint win
Yasunari Iwata rides Lord Kanaloa (No. 4) to land the LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (Group 1-1200M) in a stylish manner.
Japan claimed its first Hong Kong International Sprint win at Sha Tin today and did so in emphatic fashion with the four-year-old Lord Kanaloa blitzing his rivals in the LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint.
Lord Kanaloa, ridden by Yasunari Iwata and trained by Takayuki Yasuda, won by an impressive two-and-a-half lengths from local duo Cerise Cherry and Captain Sweet.
The winner, who’d claimed the Sprinters Stakes in Japan at his previous start, ran very true to his high class form, which now reads eight wins and four seconds from 13 starts.
Japanese horses had previously won six races on International day and they’d come across the board of all races bar the Sprint.
Lord Kanaloa enjoyed a good trail behind the speed which was set by Cerise Cherry and Leading City and was able to kick strongly after turning for home. The first four home were drawn no wide than gate six.
Lord Kanaloa’s happy jockey Yasunari Iwata celebrates the success after taking the LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint.
Winning jockey Iwata said: “I was very happy to win the race. I believe he’s the best sprinter in the world and was very pleased to see him prove that here in Hong Kong.”
Last year’s winner Lucky Nine settled back from the outside gate and worked home late to finish fifth but was never a winning chance according to jockey Brett Prebble. “He was gone at the 600m. He was off the bridle then which is not him. Wasn’t quite himself today,” Prebble said.
Happy connections share their happiness with media for the success of Lord Kanaloa in the LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint.
Time After Time failed to beat a runner home. “He didn’t have the run of the race but he just didn’t have the zip when the question was asked,” said jockey Douglas Whyte.
Australian challenger Sea Siren finished ninth. “She was a bit keen early and wanted to lay in. I have to say she was disappointing,” said jockey Jim Cassidy.
Ambitious Dragon swoops for sensational Mile victory
Ambitious Dragon (No.1) with Zac Purton in the saddle defeats Glorious Days to claim the LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (Group 1-1600M).
Ambitious Dragon surged up the Sha Tin straight to gain a sensational victory in the LONGINES Hong Kong Mile. The six-year-old has already been Hong Kong Horse of the Year twice and it is going to take an awful lot to knock him off his pedestal after Zac Purton delivered a perfect challenge from way off the pace to beat his old rival Glorious Days in a pulsating finish.
Despite strong overseas competition the victory also stretched the dominance of Hong Kong-trained horses in the Mile – that was the seventh straight victory – not only that but with Packing OK running third, it was a famous first three finish for the locals.
Trainer Tony Millard had expressed no worries about Ambitious Dragon’s wide gate, and Purton had him perfectly settled out the back whilst up front Olivier Peslier pushed some swift fractions aboard Don Bosco. Around 200m from the wire the roar intensified from the packed stands when Glorious Days and Douglas Whyte charged into the lead and for a moment it looked as though the horse, who started favourite, would again better Ambitious Dragon as he had done in last month’s G2 Jockey Club Mile.
Jockey Zac Purton celebrates after winning the LONGINES Hong Kong Mile.
But Ambitious Dragon and Purton would have none of that and his irresistible finishing kick, that has made the gelding so popular in Hong Kong, resulted in a 3/4 length margin. Packing OK ran an absolute stormer 1 1/2 lengths further back with Gordon Lord Byron doing best of the overseas raiders in fourth.
The winning jockey reflected on the race: “The last thing Tony said was just worry about what you’re doing and not everyone else so I did that and I had the horse underneath me. I thought the pace was nice enough that I was able to wait a little bit and I just tried to wait until I got into the straight and then let him down. I let him roll into his gear and let him down and in the end I never had to touch him with the whip. It was a pretty soft win and a good effort.”
(From left) Trainer Anthony Millard, owners Anderson Lam and Johnson Lam together with jockey Zac Purton share their joyfulness for the success of Ambitious Dragon in the LONGINES Hong Kong Mile when they meet the media after the race.
With Ambitious Dragon lame yesterday it had been a worrying day for Millard: “I definitely know what Kiefer Sutherland felt like in ‘24’, because the last 24 hours were trying and I really must thank my staff. Up to 11pm last night they were still walking the horse and we brought him out this morning and he seemed to improve every hour. It is a great reflection on the horse that he is. He’s just a super champion and he can win over any distance. When I saw him picking them up I thought I hope he does not flatten out but they had gone a good lick so they were stopping.”
fonte: HKIR
Red Cadeaux boxes to thrilling LONGINES Hong Kong Vase triumph
Red Cadeaux (No.6) with Gerald Mosse in the saddle edges Jaguar Mail (No.8) to grab the LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (Group 1-2400M).
Red Cadeaux and Jaguar Mail are two of world horseracing’s battle hardened Group 1 pugilists and the pair ensured a great start to the 2012 LONGINES Hong Kong International Races as they traded blows stride for stride down the Sha Tin straight in a pulsating climax to the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m).
Red Cadeaux’s previous claim to fame had been his gallant nose second to Dunaden in the 2011 G1 Melbourne Cup, and it was he who edged ahead at the wire to claim the spoils by a short-head in a time of 2m 28.73s.
”He deserved this win – three pixels in the Melbourne Cup last year, no pace in the Melbourne Cup this year and he got struck into in the Japan Cup and we should have finished sixth; he was the leading European horse there. It’s a fantastic day for everyone,” said the six-year-old’s trainer Ed Dunlop.
”At the 200m mark I thought we were going to get beaten by Jaguar Mail but Gerald (Mosse) gave him a great ride and he was in the right place. The horse battled very hard today.”
Red Cadeaux’s victory will go down as a British triumph, but his owner is none other than Ronald Arculli, former Chairman of The Hong Kong Jockey Club.
”Ronald Arculli deserves huge praise, and I’m so chuffed for him – to have a winner here is a huge deal,” continued Dunlop.
”This is our third victory here and winning races like this is what it’s all about for me. We’ve been lucky to have great owners and great horses to come here. To win three races, Ouija Board (Vase 2005), Snow Fairy (Cup 2010) and now Red Cadeaux – I’m pinching myself to think he’s now won a Group 1 over a mile and half. He’s come through the handicap system and he gets better and better – he’s a really tough horse.
Gerald Mosse celebrates the success after taking the LONGINES Hong Kong Vase.
”I hope the Melbourne Cup handicapper isn’t listening to this! We may consider Dubai next as an option, there’s the staying race but we’ll probably look at the Sheema Classic now.”
The victory took jockey Gerald Mosse to a record eight wins at the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races stretching back to River Verdon’s success in the 1991 Invitational Cup. He is now one clear of Olivier Peslier after Red Cadeaux’s win.
”Even if we went for one more lap no-one would pass me!” said the Frenchman post race.
”Jaguar Mail made me make my move because I feared at the 500m that someone was coming up so I decided right away to pick up. From there he really fought to the line and showed fighting spirit all the way.”
Aaron Kwok, LONGINES Ambassador of Elegance, presents a souvenir to Ronald Arculli, owner of Red Cadeaux.
Mr Arculli was delighted with the win, especially after the horse dead-heated for third in this contest last year following his 2011 Melbourne Cup defeat.
”It’s a very big deal and all credit must go to the Dunlop Racing team, Ed, Becky and his Travelling Head Lad Robin. And credit too to Gerald Mosse, he’s a very experienced rider here in Hong Kong and it helped that he rode the horse in Japan. A year in racing’s a long time but we might try Melbourne again next year.”
Jaguar Mail was having his fourth start in the Vase after finishing third (2008), and fourth (2009 and 2010) for trainer Noriyuki Hori. The Andre Fabre-trained Meandre overcame a troubled passage in the stretch to claim third, a further half-length back.
Japan claims first Sprint win
Yasunari Iwata rides Lord Kanaloa (No. 4) to land the LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (Group 1-1200M) in a stylish manner.
Japan claimed its first Hong Kong International Sprint win at Sha Tin today and did so in emphatic fashion with the four-year-old Lord Kanaloa blitzing his rivals in the LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint.
Lord Kanaloa, ridden by Yasunari Iwata and trained by Takayuki Yasuda, won by an impressive two-and-a-half lengths from local duo Cerise Cherry and Captain Sweet.
The winner, who’d claimed the Sprinters Stakes in Japan at his previous start, ran very true to his high class form, which now reads eight wins and four seconds from 13 starts.
Japanese horses had previously won six races on International day and they’d come across the board of all races bar the Sprint.
Lord Kanaloa enjoyed a good trail behind the speed which was set by Cerise Cherry and Leading City and was able to kick strongly after turning for home. The first four home were drawn no wide than gate six.
Lord Kanaloa’s happy jockey Yasunari Iwata celebrates the success after taking the LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint.
Winning jockey Iwata said: “I was very happy to win the race. I believe he’s the best sprinter in the world and was very pleased to see him prove that here in Hong Kong.”
Last year’s winner Lucky Nine settled back from the outside gate and worked home late to finish fifth but was never a winning chance according to jockey Brett Prebble. “He was gone at the 600m. He was off the bridle then which is not him. Wasn’t quite himself today,” Prebble said.
Happy connections share their happiness with media for the success of Lord Kanaloa in the LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint.
Time After Time failed to beat a runner home. “He didn’t have the run of the race but he just didn’t have the zip when the question was asked,” said jockey Douglas Whyte.
Australian challenger Sea Siren finished ninth. “She was a bit keen early and wanted to lay in. I have to say she was disappointing,” said jockey Jim Cassidy.
Ambitious Dragon swoops for sensational Mile victory
Ambitious Dragon (No.1) with Zac Purton in the saddle defeats Glorious Days to claim the LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (Group 1-1600M).
Ambitious Dragon surged up the Sha Tin straight to gain a sensational victory in the LONGINES Hong Kong Mile. The six-year-old has already been Hong Kong Horse of the Year twice and it is going to take an awful lot to knock him off his pedestal after Zac Purton delivered a perfect challenge from way off the pace to beat his old rival Glorious Days in a pulsating finish.
Despite strong overseas competition the victory also stretched the dominance of Hong Kong-trained horses in the Mile – that was the seventh straight victory – not only that but with Packing OK running third, it was a famous first three finish for the locals.
Trainer Tony Millard had expressed no worries about Ambitious Dragon’s wide gate, and Purton had him perfectly settled out the back whilst up front Olivier Peslier pushed some swift fractions aboard Don Bosco. Around 200m from the wire the roar intensified from the packed stands when Glorious Days and Douglas Whyte charged into the lead and for a moment it looked as though the horse, who started favourite, would again better Ambitious Dragon as he had done in last month’s G2 Jockey Club Mile.
Jockey Zac Purton celebrates after winning the LONGINES Hong Kong Mile.
But Ambitious Dragon and Purton would have none of that and his irresistible finishing kick, that has made the gelding so popular in Hong Kong, resulted in a 3/4 length margin. Packing OK ran an absolute stormer 1 1/2 lengths further back with Gordon Lord Byron doing best of the overseas raiders in fourth.
The winning jockey reflected on the race: “The last thing Tony said was just worry about what you’re doing and not everyone else so I did that and I had the horse underneath me. I thought the pace was nice enough that I was able to wait a little bit and I just tried to wait until I got into the straight and then let him down. I let him roll into his gear and let him down and in the end I never had to touch him with the whip. It was a pretty soft win and a good effort.”
(From left) Trainer Anthony Millard, owners Anderson Lam and Johnson Lam together with jockey Zac Purton share their joyfulness for the success of Ambitious Dragon in the LONGINES Hong Kong Mile when they meet the media after the race.
With Ambitious Dragon lame yesterday it had been a worrying day for Millard: “I definitely know what Kiefer Sutherland felt like in ‘24’, because the last 24 hours were trying and I really must thank my staff. Up to 11pm last night they were still walking the horse and we brought him out this morning and he seemed to improve every hour. It is a great reflection on the horse that he is. He’s just a super champion and he can win over any distance. When I saw him picking them up I thought I hope he does not flatten out but they had gone a good lick so they were stopping.”
fonte: HKIR