Peniaphobia continues rich form in Kent & Curwen Centenary Sprint Cup
25/01/2015 18:26
Peniaphobia maintained an upward trajectory with victory in the HK$6.6 million HKG1 Kent & Curwen Centenary Sprint Cup, the first leg of the Hong Kong Speed Series, at Sha Tin racecourse today, Sunday, 25 January.
Trained by Tony Cruz and ridden by Douglas Whyte, PENIAPHOBIA (No 1, in yellow) wins the Kent & Curwen Centenary Sprint Cup (HKG1, 1000m) – the first leg of the Hong Kong Speed Series – at Sha Tin Racecourse on 25 January.
The Tony Cruz-trained four-year-old was sent off a warm favourite for the 1000m straight dash, despite the distance being short of his optimum, and obliged with a battling short-head verdict over Bundle Of Joy.
Peniaphobia, successful in the G2 Jockey Club Sprint and runner-up in December’s G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint, both over 1200m, at his last two starts, could head to Dubai in March.
“I’ve entered him in the Dubai Golden Shaheen, it’s a 1200m race and he’s more of a 1200m horse than a 1000m horse,” said Cruz, who is not perturbed by the G1 race being held on Meydan’s new dirt surface. “The race is the opposite direction (left-handed), that’s the only worry. I’m not afraid of the dirt track there. I prefer to go for that than the 1000m.”
Peniaphobia’s preference for the longer distance was evident in this afternoon’s test. Douglas Whyte enjoyed a smooth and swift exit from gate one, the berth furthest from the favoured stands’ side fence, but was soon nudging his mount to keep tabs on the front pair.
Amber Sky, last year’s winner and subsequent G1 Al Quoz Sprint victor, just edged the battle for the lead, with the Joao Moreira-ridden Bundle Of Joy half a stride away in 2nd down the stand’s side fence. The former was a surprise entry for this race after missing two weeks of work around Christmas and the five-year-old fizzled out at halfway to trail home last.
That left Bundle Of Joy cruising in front as Whyte began to pump 450m from home. Peniaphobia responded to every thrust of the South African’s arms as he closed from two lengths back and fought past his rival in the final strides to seal success.
“It always was going to be awkward from gate one but this horse is good enough to always help you out with problems,” said Whyte. “He came out of the gate and within 150m I was tracking Amber Sky, and I couldn’t believe it myself. But Joao was really cantering outside Amber Sky and I had to get off Amber Sky’s back pretty quickly after the junction, he wasn’t helping me anymore.
“I had to get hold of my guy a lot earlier than Joao did, but my horse has shown tenacity and fight and the pure 1200m runner was coming out in the end. He was gaining, whereas Bundle Of Joy was folding up.”
Peniaphobia clocked 55.49s for the 1000m. The British import, winner of the Weatherbys Super Sprint (1031m) at Newbury, UK, in July 2013, has now won six of 12 Hong Kong starts.
The Francis Lui-trained Smart Volatility ran on to claim third, a further length and three quarters behind the runner-up.
Able Friend imperious in Stewards’ Cup
25/01/2015 19:12
Able Friend is fast making a habit of turning Group 1 races into a procession. Hong Kong’s formidable miler this afternoon (Sunday, 25 January) trounced a top-class field for the second time in as many starts as he strode to an easy win in the HK$10 million Stewards’ Cup at Sha Tin racecourse.
The John Moore-trained ABLE FRIEND (No 1) wins this year’s Stewards’ Cup (Group 1, 1600M) – the first leg of the 2014/2015 Triple Crown. BEAUTY FLAME (No 7) and REWARDING HERO (No 6) finish second and third respectively.
John Moore’s stable star was named the co-third best horse in the world at last week’s LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse ceremony thanks to a brilliant wide-margin triumph in December’s G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile. And the big chestnut emphasised his new found status with an easy length and a half win in the first international Group 1 edition of this 1600m contest.
Joao Moreira settled the short-priced favourite toward the back of the nine-strong field as Gerald Mosse dictated steady fractions up front astride outsider Beauty Flame. Mosse kicked for home at the top of the stretch and the move found almost all of his more esteemed opponents caught for toe, all except Able Friend. As elite bracket stalwarts like Gold-Fun, Glorious Days and Ambitious Dragon struggled to quicken, Able Friend lengthened his raking stride and rapidly made ground.
With Moreira no more than nudging the Shamardal five-year-old in pursuit, Able Friend’s effort was almost imperceptible, yet his progress was emphatic. The horse his trainer calls “Big Red” and the stable staff “Elephant” cruised to the lead to win as he liked. Moore was quick to praise the horse he hopes will get the chance to add to his tally on the international stage, sooner rather than later.
“I’d have to rate him number one, in front of Viva Pataca,” he said, in reference to Able Friend’s position among the many good horses to have come out of the Moore stable. “The way he won today showed everyone around the world and in Hong Kong that he’s the best miler, but he’s got to go overseas to prove himself. On the local scene, people will always have their doubts.
“I do think we’ve seen today that we have another Silent Witness here in Hong Kong,” continued Moore. “Silent Witness went to Japan and proved himself, but for what Able Friend’s done so far, I think the world will stand up and take note of this horse and look forward to seeing him in an overseas campaign. We’re lucky to have him here.”
As to where in the world Able Friend might make his first overseas foray, Moore and Moreira were in agreement, although owner Dr. Cornel Li expressed reluctance to go offshore, at least until later in the year when he would be open to the Yasuda Kinen in Japan or Royal Ascot.
“My personal opinion would be to go to Dubai,” said the trainer. “It’s a 10-day turnaround and it’s just easy there and easy back. I will be recommending that to Dr Li. We’ll have lunch in the next 10 days and we’ll sit down and toss up the pros and cons of US$6 million.”
Moreira agreed: “Dubai would be the best place to go, in my opinion, but that’s the owners’ call. Wherever they go with the horse, I will be very pleased to stay sitting on top of him.”
The Brazilian was impressed with the way the horse quickened so easily off a slow pace to draw past runner-up Beauty Flame and win in a time of 1m 33.50s. Able Friend ran the final 400m in a swift 21.71s, the next quickest sectional being third-placed Rewarding Hero, who ran home in 22.22s, followed by Ambitious Dragon, who started his run alongside Able Friend but could manage only fifth with a final split of 22.24s.
“He was even better today,” said Moreira “The pace didn’t suit him, they went slow up front, but he showed that he has a better turn-of-foot than any horse in the race. I’m just a lucky boy to be the one sitting on top of him today because he would have won with any other jock on top.
“The way he won the international last month was also very impressive, so it’s hard to say whether that race or this was the easiest win but today was very impressive, and an easy win, too. This type of horse, you don’t have to hit them, they know how to run themselves, so it’s hard to say how much more he has inside because I never hit him, I don’t have to. He’ll keep on winning, the way he’s going.”
Last year’s winner Blazing Speed was outpaced in the stretch after racing handily and kept on for fourth pace, while fellow big-name runners Gold-Fun and Glorious Days finished sixth and eighth, respectively.
The Stewards’ Cup was staged as a local G1 contest prior to being raised to international G1 status this season. The race is the first leg of the Hong Kong Triple Crown, which continues on 1 March with the G1 Citibank Hong Kong Gold Cup (2000m) and concludes in May with the G1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup. All three races are worth HK$10 million and are open to international competition.
fonte : HKJC
Hurricane Fly: took his tally of Grade 1 wins at Leopardstown to ten
PICTURE: Getty Images
Fly fries rivals to win fifth Irish Champion
Report: Leopardstown, Sunday
BHP Insurances Irish Champion Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m, 4yo+
THE only greatness is immortality and in winning a fifth Irish Champion Hurdle and a 22nd career Grade 1 Hurricane Fly forged his name deeper into the annals and further established himself as an essential character in the debate over the greatest two-mile hurdler of all time.
It was not the 11-year-old’s greatest performance, but it was the performance of a great.
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Behind and nudged along leaving the back straight, Hurricane Fly trailed a horse good enough to win last year’s Champion Hurdle in Jezki – and looked in trouble. But Walsh mined his mount’s insatiable willingness to produce a tenacious display of the class and heart that has helped the son of Montjeu become the most successful Grade 1 horse in the history of the sport.
“He didn’t travel as well as normal,” was Walsh’s assessment. “I was going as fast as I was able to and I was struggling before the bend. It was a testing race really.
“I was worried about how much Jezki was going to find but when I saw AP [McCoy - Jezki's jockey] go for his whip I knew I had him covered. I got more aggressive with him and when he started to pick up, then he stuck his head down like he does.”
A bad mistake at the last, when already passed by Hurricane Fly, cost Jezki and McCoy second as Willie Mullins’ other runner Arctic Fire came through to chase home the 11-10 favourite.
If Ruby Walsh was born great, and Hurricane Fly has achieved greatness, then Willie Mullins has had greatness thrust upon him by his remarkable achievements as a trainer and on a day when he won the three Graded races he said: “It’s fantastic that he now holds the record for most Irish Champion Hurdle wins [surpassing Istabraq].
“I was a bit worried wheh he lost his place around the third hurdle but when he began to close I was a lot happier and he found and battled as well as he’s ever done.
“I’m sure Ruby will leave a decision as to whether he rides him or Faugheen at Cheltenham until very close to the day. We’ll wait and see. Horses have a habit of making those kind of decisions for you.”
There is not much that Hurricane Fly has not done, at least twice, and as thoughts turned to Cheltenham, where the two-time Champion Hurdle winner is a best-priced 9-1 to become the first horse to regain the Champion Hurdle for a second time, Walsh accepted he faces a difficult heart-versus-head decision between Hurricane Fly and the 5-4 favourite Faugheen.
He said: “It’s good to have two horse like this and I hope they both make it to Cheltenham fit and healthy. I’ll make up my mind which one I ride about 11am on the Sunday.”
fonte : RacingPost
