By Alan Carasso
HONG KONG — Fields were drawn Thursday morning in the state-of-the-art parade ring at Sha Tin Racecourse for Sunday's HK$84.5-million Longines Hong Kong International Races, with results that satisfied a good many of the connections of the 51 entered horses, while others were more subdued.
The day's featured event is the HK$25-million G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup, and if anything, Werther (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) will have tightened his grip on favourtism after landing gate three, just to the outside of Neorealism (Jpn) (Neo Universe {Jpn}), who defeated Werther into third in the course-and-distance G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup in April.
“Good barrier,” enthused jockey Tommy Berry when speaking with owner Johnson Chen before adding that Werther went well in his Thursday morning gallop (see Trackside Report).
Trainer John Moore was also pleased with the outcome.
“We wanted three, four or five–when the owner drew three, I couldn't believe it,” he said. “The owner did a great job drawing gate three, especially with Neorealism drawing the inside and Time Warp (GB) (Archipenko) in gate five. The pace influences are all around us so they are going to go forward, so we are going to get the gun run. He's got enough gate speed, so he'll be tracking the speed.”
Like Werther and Neorealism, Poet's Word (GB) (Poet's Voice {GB}) is rated internationally on 119 and while he is not as accomplished as that duo, he arguably has the greater upside. He is drawn widest in 12, but that barrier has produced as many winners (3) in the last 18 runnings of the Cup as has the inside gate.
The skies were decidedly darker for the connections of Lucky Bubbles (Aus) (Sebring {Aus}), who figures the second favourite at worst for the G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint (1200m). After encountering all sorts of traffic trouble when ninth to Mr Stunning (Aus) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) in the G2 Jockey Club Sprint last time, the popular chestnut drew the dreaded one hole and will need all of jockey Hugh Bowman's skill to get the job done. Jockey Nash Rawiller was noticeably relieved when he pulled barrier four for Mr Stunning, while GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint winner Stormy Liberal (Stormy Atlantic) difficult task was made that much tougher when drawing the 11 hole.
“If I'd had the chance to choose the barrier then I would have gone for four or five so the four's just perfect,” Rawiller said.
Of Stormy Liberal's draw, Rockingham Ranch Racing Manager Brian Trump tweeted, “Well wasn't the post we were hoping for, but Stormy Liberal looks great and with Silvestre de Sousa guiding us, anything can happen.”
The G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile looks the most wide-open of the days events and its nominal favourite, G2 Jockey Club Mile hero Seasons Bloom (Aus) (Captain Sonador {Aus}) landed a good gate in five, prompting a smile out of jockey Joao Moreira who was watching in the audience. Japan's Satono Aladdin (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) will start just to the inside of Seasons Bloom, while defending champion Beauty Only (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) drew gate 12. Connections would not be unduly concerned with that result, as the blaze-faced 6-year-old defeated Helene Paragon (Fr) (Polan {Fr}) from gate 13 last year. The latter is in the other end of the machine in stall two.
A deep field of 12 was drawn for the G1 Longines Hong Kong Vase (2400m) and Talismanic (Medaglia d'Oro) could fall into the same trip he parlayed into victory last time in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf after drawing gate one, the same stall from which he departed at Del Mar. Highland Reel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was third in the Turf and will likely be ridden for speed from gate eight by Ryan Moore. Max Dynamite (Fr) (Great Journey {Jpn}), third in the G1 Melbourne Cup, drew gate two, while G1 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St Leger) winner Kiseki (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}) has the three, assuming he is cleared to run by HKJC stewards. But the Vase is a race that runs much deeper than those three top stayers.
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