A familiar fresh approach as GLORIOUS DAYS trials ahead of Mile test
Just like 12 months ago, GLORIOUS DAYS has been kept fresh for the big day with Size using two dirt track barrier trials in the lead-up to sharpen the Hussonet gelding. The second of those came this morning (Friday, 5 December) in an eight-horse heat over 1200m.
As he did at the same stage of last year’s prep, nine days out from race day, GLORIOUS DAYS travelled smoothly and cruised home with plenty in the tank. In last year’s corresponding trial he tanked home a neck second in 1m 11.06 s. This time the seven-year-old’s new big-race pilot Mirco Demuro was in the plate and the rider was always going to take things easy on the slow, wet track – Demuro had hold of a tight rein as the pair crossed the line an easy fourth in 1m 12.53s.
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GLORIOUS DAYS (outside) finishes fourth in a 1200m barrier trial on dirt this morning at Sha Tin.
Size was deservedly lauded for peaking GLORIOUS DAYS without a prep race last season and the trainer is once again happy with his charge, whose career first-up record reads 1, 1, 2,1.
“He seems okay, he’s healthy and well and he’s sound,” said the trainer. “He’s done everything that we’ve wanted him to. It’s always problematical to know exactly where you are with them without racing them but he’s run well fresh a few times and I’d be happy if he does the same again.
“He looks exactly the same but he’s a year older and I’ve constantly got that thought in my mind as to if I have to make any adjustment because of that. His energy levels can’t be as high as they were when he was a four-year-old but he’s still the same horse, it’s just up to me to produce the horse on the day. That’s the most important thing, so I’m trying to make sure everything’s okay with him in general.”
Last year GLORIOUS DAYS swept past runner-up GOLD-FUN to claim a famous LONGINES Hong Kong Mile win under Douglas Whyte. The year before, the talented brown gelding came up just short behind the brilliant AMBITIOUS DRAGON. He is set to face both opponents again on Sunday week but Size has at least one eye on another rival.
“He’s the older horse now and ABLE FRIEND’s the new one on the open class scene,” said the Australian, a seven-time champion trainer in Hong Kong. “ABLE FRIEND’s got the ratings, he’s done the job and he certainly looks the one to beat on paper. He’s a formidable opponent, he puts them away very quickly; he’s got a very good sprint, so he’ll be hard to beat.”
Demuro climbed aboard GLORIOUS DAYS for the first time two weeks when the gelding blew away any cobwebs in the first of his two barrier trials. And the Italian was pleased with the progress his LONGINES Hong Kong Mile hope has made in the interim.
“He feels like he’s come on from the last time I trialled him,” said Demuro. “John has just tried to do the same things he did last year, so he had two trials before the race – nice and easy. That’s what we tried to do today, just easy. He had a little pressure from the horse inside me but he did it very comfortably. It looks like he’s ready for the race. I’m happy that John and the owners considered me because he’s a very good ride to have.”
The G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile is the world’s richest turf mile with a purse of HK$23 million. The LONGINES Hong Kong International Races also feature the HK$25 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m), the HK$18.5 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) and the HK$16.5 million LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m).
Barrier trial of GLORIOUS DAYS on 5 Dec
Heathcote delighted as BUFFERING settles in at Sha Tin
BUFFERING undertook light exercise at Sha Tin racecourse this morning (Friday, 5 December) and trainer Robert Heathcote was on hand to oversee his stable star, who will line up in the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint on Sunday, 14 December.
The Mossman gelding had a light canter on the dirt track and Heathcote reported that the four-time G1 winner is in fine order after arriving in Hong Kong on Tuesday along with the David Hayes-trained CRITERION.
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BUFFERING has a light canter on the dirt track this morning.
“Everything’s very good,” said Queensland’s champion trainer. “It was encouraging news I got when I was back home in Brisbane as they walked off the plane. Even the vet here commented how well CRITERION and BUFFERING had done – they got off the plane nice and bright. They’ve been here the three days now and I’m very, very happy.
“BUFFERING didn’t clean his bin out (at first). As you know, we trainers like to train out of the feed bin – but last night he completely cleaned his bin out. That’s normal. It takes a couple of days to settle in and he’s done that. He’s nice and bright, and when the trackwork rider has just said to me ‘we’ve got to do a little bit more tomorrow, boss’ that’s a good sign to me.”
BUFFERING heads into his first overseas assignment off the back of three runs in G1 company. After edging LANKAN RUPEE in September’s Moir Stakes the seven-year-old was a close seventh to the same rival in the Manikato Stakes after a troubled run, and last start, on 8 November, the tough bay was fourth to TERRAVISTA in the Darley Classic at Flemington.
“We won’t be doing a lot of work with him,” said Heathcote. “I have a fit racehorse, he’s had some good solid racing in the spring down in Melbourne; he had a Group 1 win in the Moir Stakes, a solid run in the Manikato without a lot of luck – it was a thrilling race – and then a good run behind the three highest-rated sprinters in the world. I’ll maybe give him a look at the course proper on Saturday morning and then on Tuesday morning he’ll have a more searching gallop.”
Heathcote is relishing the upcoming challenge and rates being in Hong Kong with a serious contender as being among his career highlights. And that could turn into an outright pinnacle if BUFFERING can emulate FALVELON (2000 & 2001), the only other Australian-trained Hong Kong Sprint victor.
“The mere fact that he got an invitation to come here is exciting. I’ve had some highlights in my racing career but to be standing here at Sha Tin – certainly if we can be competitive and win, it would be the highlight of my career,” he asserted.
The G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) carries a purse of HK$18.5 million, making it the world’s richest all-age 1200m turf race. The LONGINES Hong Kong International Races also feature the HK$25 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m), the HK$23 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile and the HK$16.5 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m).
History maker S’manga Khumalo can’t wait for Hong Kong
In 2013 S’Manga Khumalo made racing history by becoming the first black African jockey to win the Durban July, South Africa’s most prestigious race. He made more history by becoming the first black champion jockey in South Africa earlier this year and, as of last weekend, was second in the current championship.
Talking to Khumalo it is clear that he now also wants to make his mark on the world stage and there will be no better place to do that than at the LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship at Happy Valley on 10 December.
“I’ve wanted to ride in Hong Kong for a long time, and I’ve had a smile on my face ever since I got this invitation,” said Khumalo, who has just turned 29 and has ridden almost 900 winners, which is not bad for a man who – as a 14-year-old boy – had never seen a horse let alone a horse race.
“To go out there and show your talent alongside jockeys you had admired from the TV screen really is something I never even dreamed would happen.”
It already has happened and a few months ago he competed in the UK’s prestigious Shergar Cup at Ascot, which he describes as “one of the proudest moments” in his career so far.
One of five children of a domestic worker he was brought up in the Durban township of Kwa Mashu, and those who know South Africa will be aware of the fairly ferocious reputation of this place. Being very small and light was hardly a help in such a tough environment, but, with a loving family behind him, he was steered away from danger and towards the best available education.
His life changed direction the day the school was visited by a talent scout from South Africa’s jockeys’ academy. Being short and slight suddenly became an advantage, and initial scepticism when he was offered a place became enthusiasm as he started research and to read newspaper articles about the world of racing.
When confronted by racehorses themselves, he admits initial intimidation by the size and strength of the exotic creatures that had suddenly entered his life, but he quickly started to bond with thoroughbreds even describing them as “such loving animals”.
He made few headlines with his first winner in the much less competitive racing environment of Zimbabwe but when a widely-acclaimed ride from Khumalo in front of 50,000 spectators in last year’s Durban July at Greyville took him into the history books. He said: “It felt like that first winner all over again and I was ecstatic and emotional.”
As to the development of his own riding style, he said: “I tried to blend the techniques of the three of my heroes – Piere Strydom, Weichong Marwing and Anthony Delpech.” And the statistics increasingly reveal just how effective is Khumalo’s streamlined crouch style.
Fashion-wise, he also cuts a dash with blonde hair, diamond ear studs and various exotic tattoos but there’s nothing shallow about this man who strives to encourage other black South African jockeys to also reach for the sky.
As far as his visit to Hong Kong is concerned he’ll be sticking around for a few days after the IJC, and he wants to remind local trainers that: “I’ll still be in Hong Kong for the LONGINES HKIR and if you want to see what S’manga Khumalo can do, I’m available!”
fonte : HKJC
