By Alan Carasso
Post positions were drawn Thursday morning in the Sha Tin parade ring for Sunday's HK$18-million BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000mT), with the winners of each of the first two legs of the 4-year-old lead-ups experiencing very different fates.
Singapore Sling (SAf) (Philanthropist) emerged the clear winner when all was said and done. Runner-up to Nothingilikemore (Aus) (Husson {Arg}) in the Hong Kong Classic Mile in January before going one better in the Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m), the South African Grade 2 winner landed a plum barrier in three. He should be able to find a cosy spot at the fence behind the likes of The Golden Age (Fr) (My Risk {Fr}), who figures to be ridden for speed by Matt Chadwick from gate 11.
“I couldn't have asked for a better gate. It's exactly where we wanted to be and it means he should get the run of the race,” said trainer Tony Millard, who sent out the legendary Ambitious Dragon (NZ) (Pins {Aus}) to win the 2011 Derby.
As for Nothingilikemore, fourth after a slow beginning in the Classic Cup, gates one and 13 were left, but longshot Good Omen (GB) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) drew the inside alley, leaving connections with the second-widest gate. Trainer John Size was taking the result in his stride.
“I don't see it as that much of a negative, horses have won from out in the wide gates before and it is what it is,” said Size, who conditioned Luger (Aus) (Choisir {Aus}) to a spectacular victory in 2014.
Tony Cruz, a three-time winner of the Derby as a jockey and twice as a trainer, has four entered for this year's race, led by Classic Cup runner-up Exultant (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}). He drew just to the outside of The Golden Age in barrier 12, but his get-back, run-on style renders his draw somewhat irrelevant.
The Size-trained Ping Hai Star (NZ) (Nom de Jeu {NZ}) should prove to be the wiseguy selection and will go in search of four straight wins with Ryan Moore in to call the shots.
“We need him to switch off and do everything right, but I think he probably needs a horse to be able to follow,” Size said. “We want him to be able to settle and then track into it, and that gate should allow him to get dragged into the race.”
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