Two South African bred runners will create plenty of interest for local racing fans at Sha Tin on Sunday when Hong Kong’s richest race, the HK$28 million Gr1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup, takes centre stage on a bumper programme of world-class racing.
Northern Superstar – or Edict Of Nantes as we knew him
Klawervlei Farm Sale graduate and Cape Derby and Daily News 2000 winner Edict Of Nantes (now performing under the name of Northern Superstar) has his second international start when he runs in the Gr1 Hong Kong Cup over 2000m at 10h30.
Karis Teetan rides the son of Count Dubois for Tony Millard. He had his first start a fortnight ago and ran just out of the money. Grant van Niekerk rode the five-year-old that day when he was not pushed hard in the Class 1 Chevalier Cup – and finished just 4.50 lengths off the winner, Simply Brilliant.
But it is the Tony Cruz-trained Time Warp who is looking to join California Memory as a back-to-back winner of the 2000m contest. Cruz, who prepared California Memory, also trains the in-form Time Warp, who looks set for a big run.
Singapore Sling (photo: HKJC)
Tony Millard saddles Dingaans winner Singapore Sling who runs in the HK$25 million Gr1 Hong Kong Mile at 09h50.
A R225 000 Cape Premier Yearling Sale Book 1 graduate, this top-class son of Philanthropist was bred by Drakenstein Stud out of the three-time winning Western Winter mare, Sing Dixie Sing.
Another defending champion, local darling Beauty Generation, looks every inch the horse to beat though as he is set to defend his title after he broke the track record at his most recent start – and will be ridden again by top jockey, Zac Purton.
