Hong Kong International Races – Wednesday, December 5 track notes
THE competitors hit the track in anticipation for Sunday’s Hong Kong International Races and Horse Betting has the latest from Sha Tin.
Take a look at what connections had to say ahead of tomorrow’s barrier draw.
Hong Kong Cup Wednesday track notes
DEIRDRE
Breezed 1000m with last 800m in 51.4s (28.2, 23.2) on turf under jockey Christophe Lemaire.
Lemaire said: “She moved very nicely and answered everything I asked. I think she is in great condition.”
Work rider Yuta Komiyama said: “She is sound and I am happy with her. The warm weather of recent days has not affected her at all and the turf here should suit her. According to the weather forecast there will be rain on Sunday, but that won’t be any concern, in fact we would welcome rain. From 1800m to 2000m is her best distance and as she is a hold-up runner, the draw is not a big factor. She will have a paddock schooling on Friday.”
STAPHANOS
Cantered a lap and a half over the all-weather track.
Assistant Trainer Kazuo Fujiwara said: “He has kept his condition well. Tomorrow we will breeze him over the turf.”
STORMY ANTARCTIC
Ed Walker’s Stormy Antarctic, the sole representative from the UK in the LONGINES Hong Kong Cup, continued his quiet build-up to Sunday with a routine canter on the all-weather under work rider Gary Plasted.
Plasted said: “All good so far. Hopefully it’ll stay that way. He’s not done much all week, but he’ll probably do a bit more tomorrow.”
SUNGRAZER
Breezed four furlongs in 52.9s (30.5, 22.4) on the Sha Tin turf course.
Assistant Trainer Keiichi Asami said: “He has come into himself now and I was very happy with his work today.”
TIME WARP
Trainer Tony Cruz said: “I’m happy with all of my horses, they’re all fit and we’ll just see what happens at the draw on Thursday.”
Hong Kong Mile Wednesday track notes
BEAT THE BANK
Calmer than yesterday when he played up mid-canter; breezed around the all-weather track under work rider Sandeep Gauravaram.
Travelling head lad Simon Humphries said: “The trip to Hong Kong was all new to him and he’s never even done an overnighter before. He’s a bit quirky but he’s taken the whole thing really well and has put all his weight back on. He’ll have a blow under Sunday’s rider (Oisin Murphy) later in the week.”
MOZU ASCOT
Breezed four furlongs in 50.9s (27.9, 23.0) on the Sha Tin Turf Course under jockey Christophe Lemaire in company with Vase runner Lys Gracieux.
Trainer Yoshito Yahagi said: “He is in his usual condition, which is good. The jockey said he felt really good today breezing on the turf, so I think that should be a good sign for his race on Sunday.”
Jockey Christophe Lemaire said: “He has settled well and felt really good today. He was very relaxed.”
ONE MASTER
William Haggas-trained One Master was out for the second time on the all-weather with work rider Alex Badri in the saddle again.
Badri said: “She was much better today. Much calmer and more settled. And it was like she knew where she was today. Yesterday it was all a bit new for her.”
PERSIAN KNIGHT
Worked for a lap and a half on the all-weather track.
Work rider Hiroyuki Uemura said: “Everything has been under control and he is getting familiar with the surroundings here. We will give him a blow-out on the turf tomorrow.”
VIVLOS
Breezed five furlongs with last 800m in 51.5s (28.9, 22.6) over the Sha Tin turf course.
Trainer Yasuo Tomomichi: “She is in the condition I’d want to see her in before any race and I think today’s work was a nice finishing touch.”
Hong Kong Sprint Wednesday track notes
FINE NEEDLE
Cantered easily for one and a half laps on the all-weather track.
Work rider Yoshinori Unoki said: “He has settled in well and has maintained good condition. Tomorrow, jockey Yuga Kawada will gallop him and I hope he will be more ready, mentally, after that drill.”
LIM’S CRUISER
Worked on the dirt track.
Trainer Stephen Gray was happy with the work and said: “You don’t want to leave it on the track so I worked him further instead of worrying about time. I thought about the grass but realised it is a mistake all trainers make. If he’s not ready now he never will be.”
SIR DANCEALOT
Continued his build up on the all-weather track, warming up and increasing the tempo in today’s gallop down the straight for regular work pilot Ryan Holley.
Holley, representing trainer David Elsworth, said: “He’s well, in good form, I’m happy with him. The boss arrives today and will decide, but I think he’ll do a bit of work on the turf tomorrow.”
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Hong Kong Vase Wednesday track notes
CROCOSMIA
Stayed in the Quarantine Stable and walked in the trotting ring for an hour.
Work rider Shoichi Nishiura said: “She was relaxed and in a great mood today. It was good for her to walk in the cooler weather this morning.”
EZIYRA
As one of the last internationals to fly in on Sunday, the Dermot Weld-trained filly enjoyed a first feel of the Sha Tin all-weather, cantering a couple of steady laps.
Work rider Carlos Viera said: “She’s settled in very quickly and she travelled over well. She’s fit enough and we’ll keep tipping away but everything’s 100 per cent with her at the moment. It’ll be up to the boss to decide whether she might have a stretch on the turf on Friday.”
LATROBE
Continued his build-up to Sunday with a canter on the all-weather track under work rider Martin Doran.
Assistant trainer Mark Power said: “He’s very well, and nicely relaxed here. His trainer (Joseph O’Brien) will be here on Friday.”
LYS GRACIEUX
Breezed four furlongs in 50.9s (27.9, 23.0) on the Sha Tin turf course in company with Mile runner Mozu Ascot.
Jockey Joao Moreira said: “She is really relaxed. She ran well in tandem with Mozu Ascot and it was a really strong workout.”
MIRAGE DANCER
Sir Michael Stoute-trained Mirage Dancer took to the turf on Wednesday morning and stretched his legs for a circuit in 1m 32.1s (31.8, 31.0, 29.3), increasing the tempo slightly in the straight, without being asked to do too much. He followed that with a schooling in the paddock
Assistant Sarah Denniff said: “I was very happy with that, he was nice and relaxed, and everything is good with him. The plan is for Ryan Moore to breeze him on the turf tomorrow.”
PAKISTAN STAR & EXULTANT
Trainer Tony Cruz said: “I’m happy with all of my horses, they’re all fit and we’ll just see what happens at the draw on Thursday.”
ROSTROPOVICH
Repeated his routine of the past two days on the all-weather track with his work rider Patrick Gleeson in the irons, watched as usual by Pat Keating.
Aidan O’Brien’s assistant Pat Keating said: “He’s coming along nicely here, and I like the way he’s settled in. He’ll go on the grass tomorrow and do a little bit then. He’s got a bit of Highland Reel about him, in the way he goes about things – he’s not as good yet, but I’d be happy if he can be in the mix on Sunday.”
SALOUEN
Continued his preparation with a canter on the all-weather track under work rider Shaun Graham.
Former UK trainer Philip Mitchell, representing trainer Sylvester Kirk, said: “He’s in absolutely cracking form. He’s still got a summer sheen on his coat and he looks bigger and stronger than ever. We just need a bit of luck with the draw and in the race.
“He certainly didn’t have any luck when sixth in the Arc last time and both the trainer and I believe he could have been fourth. Let’s just say that he had his mind on other things with the filly (Enable) in the next stall, and, instead of being fast away, he lost three or four lengths at the gate. There was no Plan B but he was closing fast late on, only to get hampered.”