Sha Tin will host the first of four international Group 1 races in Hong Kong on Sunday, Apr. 24, with a stellar line-up set to do battle in the HK$20 million G1 Audemars Piguet QEII Cup.
The 2000-metre contest features a prospective field of 14 runners from Japan, Ireland, Australia, France, the UAE and Hong Kong, with recent Dubai World Cup night runners Highland Reel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire})–who became Aidan O'Brien's first winner in Hong Kong when lifiting the Longines Hong Kong Vase in December–Dariyan (Fr) (Shamardal), Ertijaal (Aus) (Hard Spun) taking on John Moore's local star Designs On Rome (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor). Dual Group 1 winner Lovely Day (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) heads a trio of Japanese runners completed by Nuovo Record (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) and Satono Crown (Jpn) (Marju {Ire}).
Anthony Kelly, Executive Director of Racing Business and Operations for the Hong Kong Jockey Club, commented, “The Audemars Piguet QEII Cup has established itself as a renowned international Group 1 contest since Audemars Piguet first partnered with the Hong Kong Jockey Club 17 years ago.
“The success of that collaboration is seen today in the fact that seven elite overseas runners will compete against the best of Hong Kong in what is now a world's top 10 race.
“Japanese horses have a long tradition of success at Sha Tin and it is particularly exciting to see Lovely Day, Nuovo Record and Satono Crown among the selections.
“We also have the first and third from December's Hong Kong Vase, Highland Reel and Dariyan, while Australia's Rising Romance and the UAE's Ertijaal are proven Group 1 performers, too.
“With Hong Kong fielding the winners of the past three editions alongside this year's Hong Kong Derby hero, Werther, the 2016 Audemars Piguet QEII Cup is certainly living up to its top 10 status.”
Staged initially to mark Queen Elizabeth II's official visit to Hong Kong in 1975, the AP QEII Cup was granted international Group 1 status in 2001, having been open to international runners since 1995. Sha Tin will also host the G1 Champions Mile and G1 Chairman's Sprint Prize on Sunday, 1 May, and the G1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup on Sunday, 22 May.
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