Thrilling line up of top-rated entertainers and world class racing action at LONGINES Hong Kong International Races this Sunday

Many of the finest racehorses from around the world have gathered at Sha Tin Racecourse this week to compete for honours in the world-famous LONGINES Hong Kong International Races on Sunday 14 December.  Renowned movie star Eddie Peng and singer Miriam Yeung will also be there to join the big raceday.

Free LHKIR Souvenir Cap 
Everyone entering Sha Tin Racecourse on 14 December will receive a complimentary LHKIR Souvenir Cap as a free gift (before Race 5 or while stocks last).

Spectacular opening extravaganza
Getting the International Races off to a fantastic start will be an opening variety show in the Parade Ring at 11:25 am, featuring Miriam Yeung singing some of her all-time favourites.  Ban’s Gig Drums Troupe and the renowned Fuyong Acrobatic Troupe will also bring their renowned performances to the show to entertain racing fans.

After Race 2, participating jockeys in the LHKIR will join senior HKJC and LONGINES officials in the Parade Ring to greet racing fans and raise the curtain of combat for this year’s International Races.

ExCo Convenor to present LONGINES Hong Kong Cup   
The Hon Lam Woon-kwong, GBS, JP, Convenor of the Executive Council, will attend Sunday’s meeting and present the trophy for the most prestigious of the four International Group One races, the LONGINES Hong Kong Cup. 

LONGINES Ambassador of Elegance Eddie Peng will present souvenirs to the winning connections of LONGINES Hong Kong Mile.

 

The LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (Group One) – Change of Racing Colours – SNOW SKY

The Racing Colours for SNOW SKY have been changed from green cap to pink cap. 

Racing colours for SNOW SKY: JPG / EPS

 

Wide gates no barrier for locals at LONGINES HKIR draw

Hong Kong trainer John Moore was unfazed today despite his much vaunted G1 LONGINES Hong Kong mile favourite ABLE FRIEND drawing gate 11 of 11 – the only one of his seven International day runners to draw a double figure barrier.

 

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  LONGINES Hong Kong International Races 2014 barrier draw

 

“It’s a not an issue,” Moore said, “Joao (Moreira) will still be looking for some cover and you’d rather draw a touch further in but he’s such a versatile horse it shouldn’t be a problem. Hopefully there’s some speed up front and he can slot in. If not, so be it. I can assure you we will still be going in with very high hopes.”

Moore and fans of ABLE FRIEND can take heart from the fact that three of the past four Hong Kong Mile winners – GLORIOUS DAYS (13), AMBITIOUS DRAGON (11) and BEAUTY FLASH (14) – have come from outside gates.

GOLD-FUN , last year’s runner-up and the runner-up to ABLE FRIEND in the lead-up G2 BOCHK Wealth Management Jockey Club Mile at Sha Tin, is widely held as the main rival to Moore’s charge on Sunday and his trainer Richard Gibson was delighted to draw gate six. “Very happy with six and very happy with the horse. He’s in really good shape. Now it’s fingers crossed time for a trouble-free run,” Gibson said.

Ironically, Japanese trainer Hideaki Fujiwara, was less than enamoured with drawing the usually coveted gate one for FIERO. “Middle to outside is what I hoped most but I suppose now he will be able to travel on the rail, saving for a late run. We will find the right tactics and he is very versatile,” he said.

Moore’s emerging star DESIGNS ON ROME (gate three) and the evergreen CIRRUS DES AIGLES (four) fared best of the ‘big names’ in the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m).

CIRRUS DES AIGLES’ trainer Corine Barande-Barbe was very pleased with the draw. “Draw 4 is perfect for us. We should get away nicely from there and find a good spot. We’re very happy with that,” she said.

Her assistant trainer Jean-Jacques Poincelet was even more exuberant. With a smile, he quipped: “It’s as if they gave away a place on the podium!”

Moore said that he was happy with the draw for top class middle-distance horse DESIGNS ON ROME as well as his lead-in to the race. “He’ll be at his peak on the weekend and he’s already shown that he’s right up there among the best horses in the world. I’m pleased with all of my horses leading into Sunday,” Moore said.

Hong Kong legend Tony Cruz could have been excused for any dismay to draw the widest gates in the Cup with CALIFORNIA MEMORY (11) and BLAZING SPEED (12) but, like Moore with ABLE FRIEND, he wasn’t unduly concerned.  “I believe CALIFORNIA MEMORY still has a great chance and I’m very happy with him. He likes to come from behind so we’ll be patient with him from this draw,” he said.

As to BLAZING SPEED, Cruz said: “He’s 100% fit and even though he’s got that challenging draw we can be waiting on the outside, handy even, and I don’t believe he needs to be covered up. He’s a horse that can wait even if he doesn’t have any cover.”

Other barrier draw quotes:

LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint

BUFFERING(Gate 8)  – trainer Robert Heathcote: “I was asked before the draw what I would like and I said four to seven, so I can compromise and take eight. On Tuesday morning I was about to get on the plane and go home. He couldn’t walk that morning and here we are Thursday morning and he worked lovely this morning. On ratings and form, if he was to reproduce any of his last three runs, he’s going to be right in the mix. We know the way he runs, he’s not the fastest horse out of the gates but his first 50m, once he musters, he gets going at a very high cruising speed. There’s some speed inside of us but BUFFERING has the speed to cross.  I expect to see us up there in the first couple whatever happens.”

AEROVELOCITY(Gate 7)  – trainer Paul O’Sullivan: “I’m happy with that gate. He should be able to get a nice run from there. I’d rather have drawn seven than one – BUFFERING will go forward and he’s a good one to follow.”

PENIAPHOBIA (Gate 6) – trainer Tony Cruz: “Today we’ve got alley number six and I think that’s a perfect position to be in. If he can sit just off the pace, fourth or fifth, I’ll be happy. He’s got a great chance. He’s the youngest horse in the race but he’s up to it. He hasn’t got the early speed any more so I’ll be happy if there’s pace on. As he’s matured he’s lost the early speed and now he comes home with a stronger finish than ever.”

SOLE POWER (Gate 5) – trainer Eddie Lynam: “Happy with that draw. I can’t use the draw as an excuse. I’ll have to think of another one now!”

GORDON LORD BYRON (Gate 2) – trainer Tom Hogan: “ I am happy enough with Gate 2 – that turned out well.”

STERLING CITY (Gate 3) – trainer John Moore: “He’s a fit, clean winded horse drawn a good gate. Happy.”

FLAGSHIP SHINE (Gate 9) – trainer John Moore: “He’s fit and well. Drawn out a bit but doesn’t really matter with him.”

SNOW DRAGON (Gate 10) – trainer Noboru Takagi: “Any draw would be fine for us. It is not an issue. 10 will be fine.”

LITTLE GERDA (Gate 1) – trainer Ippo Sameshima: “This is the best draw.  Number 1 is our winning draw.”

STRAIGHT GIRL (Gate 13) – trainer Hideaki Fujiwara: “She needs to travel nicely without any pressure from outside, so from middle to outside was our hope.  13 will be a good draw.”

LONGINES Hong Kong Mile

TRADE STORM (Gate 5) – trainer David Simcock: “No complaints at all with 5, that’s an ideal draw I would think.”

ABLE FRIEND (Gate 11) – jockey Joao Moreira: “It’s not the best, I guess,” he said as he shrugged his shoulders.

GRAND PRIX BOSS (Gate 10) – trainer Yoshito Yahagi: “Hold up for the late run is his racing style, so the inner draw would be much better.  But he is a type of horse who has some elements of surprise, so he will do something with this draw (10).”

WORLD ACE (Gate 4) – trainer Yasutoshi Ikee: “Number 4 best draw. Very good.”

LONGINES Hong Kong Cup

CRITERION (Gate 9) – trainer David Hayes: “Lost the toss there. Only two to go, three or nine and we were left with nine. Still, I guess he can stay out of trouble from there.”

ARCHIMEDES (Gate 2) – trainer Hideaki Fujiwara: “Best draw (2) I could have hoped for. Happy with that.”

FARRAAJ (Gate 6) - trainer Roger Varian said: “I’m pleased. We can go forward into that first bend to take up a good spot and hopefully then be in a striking position turning for home.”

LONGNES Hong Kong Vase

CURREN MIROTIC (Gate 7) – trainer Osamu Hirata: “There was only 1, 4 and 7 left.  It was a lucky 7.  Perfect draw for him.”

EMPOLI (Gate 12) – trainer Peter Schiergen said: “It’s not so good, the draw, but the main thing for him is that we get a decent pace.”

WILLIE CAZALS (Gate 3) – trainer Tony Cruz: “I believe the mile and a half will be perfect for him, he’s in good form and now he has a good draw. He’s spot on for this race.”

Related photo album

 

Moreira confident after ABLE FRIEND gallop

Joao Moreira has an enviable book of rides in the four Group 1 LONGINES Hong Kong International Races and the Brazilian is itching for Sunday to come, such is his conviction in each of his quartet’s chances of success.

 

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  ABLE FRIEND – Trackwork with Joao Moreira on board on December 8

 

“I’m very confident about them all,” said Moreira this morning, shortly after partnering ABLE FRIEND and STERLING CITY in their final turf gallops. “I’ll be doing the last gallops on DOMINANT and DESIGNS ON ROME tomorrow, but overall I’m very happy with my horses.”

Moreira, currently 12 clear in the Hong Kong jockeys’ championship, missed last year’s showcase occasion due to suspension and is aiming to make up for that lost opportunity.

His G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile candidate ABLE FRIEND, so impressive when winning the G2 BOCHK Wealth Management Jockey Club Mile at the course and distance last start, is considered by many judges to be the rider’s best of four good chances. Moreira was delighted with the big gelding’s work this morning, in which he jumped from the 1800m start and breezed 800m down the back stretch in 51.7s (25.6, 26.1).

“He felt good – he just galloped on the back straight and he worked very well. I’m really happy with him. I really wish the race was today or tomorrow! I just want to get on him and race,” he said.

Not long after, Moreira got the leg up on his G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint partner STERLING CITY. The G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen victor mirrored his stable mate and then took the scenic route back to the yard. The gelding appeared fresh and lively after clocking 49.7s (25.7, 24.0).

“He also went 800m down the back straight and then we went around and walked back on the track in front of the stands,” said Moreira. “He pulled up very well and I think he can run a very good race again. He’s full of himself and we know he likes to run fresh.”

With Moreira’s G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase hope DOMINANT, last year’s winner, so impressive in a turf gallop on Tuesday and his LONGINES Hong Kong Cup ride DESIGNS ON ROME – Hong Kong’s Horse of the Year, no less – doing nothing wrong in a turf spin that same morning, the Brazilian’s confidence might yet prove to be well-founded come Sunday.

 

Japanese bid to end Hong Kong’s Mile dominance

Japan this year boasts strength of numbers, at least, in its quest to end the eight-year winning run of Hong Kong trained ‘milers’ in Sunday’s G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile.

Hong Kong’s winning streak is unbroken since 2005 when HAT TRICK claimed the Mile prize for the Japanese who have four runners in this year’s edition, just one shy of the number representing Hong Kong.

 

HAT TRICK won in Hong Kong after taking the G1 Mile Championship – the race from which emerges this year’s contenders FIERO (2nd), GRAND PRIX BOSS (6th) and WORLD ACE (8th). The fourth Japanese runner HANA’S GOAL comes via a lead-up in the G2 BOCHK Wealth Management Jockey Club Mile at Sha Tin last month.

Since Hat Trick’s win for the visitors, Hong Kong’s milers have trifecta-ed the feature race four times and just six overseas trained horses have managed to finish in the places.

But this year’s Japanese challenge, headed by FIERO, who was beaten just a nose in the Mile Championship, and by the evergreen GRAND PRIX BOSS – who is bound for a stud career – is strong enough to suggest they can take a hand in the finish despite the presence of Hong Kong’s 1600m superstar ABLE FRIEND.

The Japanese quartet have taken the eye on the track most mornings this week, as the Japanese horses so often do, and there is measured confidence among the team from the neighbouring country, whose spirits were lifted after Yuichi Fukunaga won last night’s (Wednesday) LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship.

Fukunaga, twice Japan’s champion jockey, rides FIERO and is optimistic about the five-year-old’s prospects. “He is a very good horse and his run in the Mile Championship was very good. This is his best distance and I think he will be hard to beat,” he said.

FIERO is one of three International day runners for trainer Hideaki Fujiwara who says he is “honoured” to have his horses selected for Sunday’s feature races.

“For STRAIGHT GIRL (G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint) and FIERO it was always my aim to end the year here,” Fujiwara revealed. “The Mile has been the big target for FIERO this year and I’m very happy with his condition. There was only a short break between his Mile Championship run and the flight to Hong Kong, which was a concern, but I am not worried now. He has coped with it very well.

“I understand it is always very difficult to beat the locals in the Hong Kong Mile but we come here this year to break the drought,” Fujiwara said.

Yoshito Yahagi, who prepares GRAND PRIX BOSS, is confident his charge will perform much better than when he failed in the 2012 Hong Kong Mile. “I am sure he’s in much better condition now than when we came here two years ago. This will be his final career start but I think he’s in good form. I got in last night and was very pleased when I inspected him this morning,” he said.

WORLD ACE, the third of the horses progressing from the Mile Championship, will have the services of Hong Kong’s reigning champion jockey Zac Purton and his trainer Yasutoshi Ikee says he will improve on his last run: “He missed the start in the Mile Championship and that was very costly. Had he begun well I think he might have won that race,” Ikee said.

Jockey Nash Rawiller is also expecting better from HANA’S GOAL who failed in the G2 BOCHK Wealth Management Jockey Club Mile. “She might surprise,” Rawiller said, “I think she just hadn’t settled in at all before the Jockey Club Mile. She’s had the time now to get used to Hong Kong and she galloped strongly yesterday. The ideal situation for her is a strong pace and a bit of give in the ground. She took a run to hit her straps in Australia and was very good winning the All Aged Stakes when I rode her for the first time.”

fonte : HKJC