Japan chases first Chairman’s Sprint Prize
Japan has rarely failed to make an impact on Hong Kong’s international racing stage whether it be December’s four race extravaganza or Sunday’s now three race Champions Day.
From multiple Group 1 winner Eishin Preston at the start of the millennium to the more recent exploits of Maurice,
Lord Kanaloa and A Shin Hikari, some of the very best of Japan’s thoroughbreds have blitzed local rivals and other visitors on the Sha Tin turf.
However, one race of the seven International Group 1s run at the two meetings has escaped the country. That’s the HK
$16 million Group 1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) which, this year, sees the Yoshitada Takahashi-trained Fine Needle attempt to set the record straight for Japan.
Fine Needle joins the UAE’s Blue Point in taking on a raft of high-class Hong Kong trained sprinters and while the task appears daunting, on paper at least, the five-year-old arrives in form and impressed with his gallop on the course proper this morning.
Race day jockey Tommy Berry, this morning, rode Fine Needle who worked over 800 metres in 51.9 seconds, zipping home the last 400 metres in 22.7 seconds.
“Felt good. He was really strong through the line and pulled up very well in the wind. He switched into gear quickly when I asked him. He moved nicely and was breathing well. He’s fit and in good form. I’m very much looking forward to Sunday,” Berry said.
Fine Needle has won the Group 1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen (1200m) and the Group 3 Silk Road Stakes (1200m) at his two starts in 2018 – both races which, incidentally, appear on the winning resume of Japan’s dual Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) winner Lord Kanaloa.
It would be premature to liken Fine Needle to the bona fide sprint star Lord Kanaloa but Berry believes the horse can be genuinely competitive provided the race is truly run.
“He’s not a big horse but he’s got that touch of class and he’s strong. Some of the sprinters here might have a better turn of foot but this horse will be very strong if we get a good tempo,” he said.
Trainer Takahashi is pleased with how the five-year-old has travelled and with his work this morning.
“He had his final gallop today and I was happy with his work. My horse has been very settled since he arrived and he looks good. Everything has gone as planned so far,” he said.