Sunday’s card at Sha Tin is billed as the “World Turf Championships” . The Hong Kong Cup has a prize purse of US$2.8 million and is the world’s richest turf race over 2,000m. It is one of four Group One contests which will take place at Sunday’s Longines Hong Kong International Races and offers the largest pot of money. Total prize money at the meeting is US$9.2 million.
The $2.8 million Gr1 Longines Hong Kong Cup has been dealt a blow with the withdrawal of Cirrus des Aigles, a French-based 6-year-old gelding now rated the world’s top horse after the retirement of Frankel. The withdrawal of the likely favourite leaves Hong Kong galloper California Memory as the new favourite as he seeks to defend his title in the 2,000-metre race. The competition is tough with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s Carlton House; top French runners Saonois and Giofra; German hopeful Feuerblitz; and several proven Hong Kong runners along with California Memory.
The $1.9 million Gr1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint has been won by a local horse nine of the past 10 years and in 10 of its overall 13 runnings.
There are plenty of talented locals in this year’s 12-horse field, including Joy and Fun, defending champion Lucky Nine and Super Easy.
However, they will need to contend with the likes of the 1-2 finishers in the recent Group 1 Sprinters Stakes in Japan, Lord Kanaloa and Curren Chan, and Australian star Sea Siren. Singapore sensation Super Easy will be stepping up but has won 13 of 17 lifetime starts. Lucky Nine’s trainer, Caspar Fownes, frowned at his No. 12 post position at Thursday’s draw — a handicap with a short run into the turn. “It’s just one of those things and we just have to see how good the horse is now,” he said. His three main rivals drew gates 6, 7 and 8.
The $1.9 million Gr1 Longines Hong Kong Vase, a 2,400-meters marathon, has a field of 13 and many of them appear on paper to have a shot.
Dunaden is the defending champion but, after winning the Group 1 Caulfield Cup in Australia two months ago, ran unaccountably poorly in the Group 1 Melbourne Cup. Group 1 Singapore Cup winner Chinchon, Grade I Secretariat Stakes winner Bayrir, Dancing Rain and Sea Moon all have run well enough in the past year to contend on Sunday.
The $2.6 million Gr1 Longines Hong Kong Mile also has been dominated by locals as eight of the last 10 winners were Hong Kong-based. The home team is loaded again with Ambitious Dragon, the two-time Hong Kong Horse of the Year, leading the way. Glorious Days, who defeated Ambitious Dragon in the local prep for this race, also is in the field, along with several others with good credentials over the Sha Tin surface. Rivals from England, Ireland, Japan and France will try to turn the tide.
