Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
BMW CHAMPIONS MILE-G1, HK$12,000,000 ($1,546,163), Sha Tin, 5-6, 3yo/up, 1600mT, 1:35.23, gd.
1--XTENSION (IRE), 126, h, 5, by Xaar (GB)
        1st Dam: Great Joy (Ire) (SP-Ger), by Grand Lodge
        2nd Dam: Cheese Soup, by Spectacular Bid
        3rd Dam: Avum, by Umbrella Fella
(€15,000 yrl '08 TATIRE). O-Mr & Mrs Steven Lo Kit Sing; B-Paul McCartan; T-John Moore; J-James McDonald; HK$6,840,000. Lifetime Record: GSW & G1SP-Eng, G1SP-Fr, 22-4-7-3, HK$29,920,150. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2--Glorious Days (Aus), 126, g, 4, Hussonet--San Century (NZ), by Centaine (Aus). (NZ$90,000 RNA yrl '09 NZBPRE). O-Tom Brown's Syndicate; B-R Pietrykowski; T-John Size; HK$2,640,000.
3--Lucky Nine (Ire), 126, g, 5, Dubawi (Ire)--Birjand (GB), by Green Desert. (€9,000 yrl '09 TATIRE). O-Dr Chang Fuk To & Maria Chang Lee Ming Shum; B-Darley; T-Caspar Fownes; HK$1,200,000.
Margins: HF, HF, NK. Odds: 17-1, 11-2, 11-1.
Also Ran: Ambitious Dragon (NZ), Able One (NZ), African Story (GB), Musir (Aus), Admiration (Aus), Sunny King (Ire), Cityscape (GB), King's Rose (NZ), Beauty Flash (NZ), Fair Trade (Aus), Destined for Glory (Ire).
Click for the HKJC.com chart (video included), the HKJC.com PPs or the free brisnet.com catalogue-style pedigree.
   With New Zealand phenom James McDonald in the irons, Xtension came charging to take a blanket finish and successfully defend his title in the Champions Mile, while 6-5 Cityscape (GB) (Selkirk) could do no better than 10^th. The G2 Vintage S. winner and runner-up in the 2009 G1 Dewhurst S., Xtension was third in the G1 Prix Jean Prat before being acquired with a Hong Kong Derby campaign in mind. He had the misfortune of running into Ambitious Dragon (NZ) (Pins {Aus}) and was second to the subsequent Horse of the Year in the domestic centerpiece over 2000 meters before decisioning Lucky Nine by a half-length in this feature 12 months back. Third to Able One (NZ) (Cape Cross {Ire}) in the G1 Hong Kong Mile in December, he couldn't quite get to Ambitious Dragon in the Stewards' Cup the following month and chased that one home in the Hong Kong Gold Cup over 10 panels in February. He was exiting a fifth to Cityscape in the G1 Dubai Duty Free, the best result of the three Hong Kong runners. Alertly away, Xtension got the perfect spot as Able One dropped his head and took them along on the front end. Lucky Nine, the G1 Hong Kong Sprint hero stretching out off a third in the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen, got over from his wide draw to force the pace from second, while Cityscape, a bit slow to start, lingered in the latter half of the field. Able One led into the stretch, with Lucky Nine peeled to his outside, and McDonald looked for a way through between those rivals before switching off the heels of Lucky Nine. Ambitious Dragon, ground-saving throughout, made a menacing bid up the inside, but Xtension found the acceleration he needed and charged home four paths off the inside to score.