LONGINES Hong Kong International Races Tuesday (6/12) track notes

06/12/2016

LONGINES Hong Kong Cup

A SHIN HIKARI (JPN)
Cantered one lap around the Sha Tin all-weather track.
Work rider Tomoyasu Sakaguchi said: "He's in good condition. Jockey Yutaka Take will gallop him on Thursday."

ELLIPTIQUE (FR)
Worked on the Sha Tin all-weather under work rider Amelie Foulon: covered 1000m
in 1m 10.6s (15.9, 14.4, 13.9, 13.6, 12.8).
Trainer Andre Fabre's head man, Richard Lambert, said: "He just cantered away in Amelie's hands, it was very easy. He is well."

GUN PIT (HK)
Galloped 800m on the Sha Tin all-weather track in 48.8s (26.1, 22.7).
Trainer Caspar Fownes said: "Gun Pit's very well, he's had a good prep leading into the Cup. Obviously, it's going to be the biggest race he's tackled and it's going to be tough for him. But his last few runs on the grass have had merit so I'll just be looking at hopefully picking up a little cheque for the owner and just running a nice race, especially on that surface. And then we'll look forward to taking him to Dubai and campaigning there for a couple of months."

LOVELY DAY (JPN)
Exercised in the quarantine area trotting ring.

MAURICE (JPN)
Worked over the Sha Tin all-weather track.
Groom Tomohiro Takahashi said: "We pretty much did the same light work as yesterday on the all-weather, just maintenance work. Only Maurice went a little further, seven furlongs. He has rebounded well from his travel and is back to himself. Satono Crown and Neorealism are improving, but will need a little more time. The jockeys and trainer will meet to discuss which barriers are preferable for each horse later in the week."

QUEENS RING (JPN)
Cantered on the all-weather track. 
Trainer Keiji Yoshimura said: "It is the first time I've seen her since she left Japan, but for a filly she has settled in very well."

STAPHANOS (JPN)
Worked 1½ laps around the Sha Tin all-weather track.
Groom Yohei Fujino said: "This is his third trip to Hong Kong so he is very at home here and eating well. We gave him just a light work today and will gallop him on Thursday on the turf. We really hope we are able to get an inside post this time. Going 2000m at Sha Tin, we think the inside is preferable to an outside post and his previous results here confirm that."

LONGINES Hong Kong Mile

CONTENTMENT (HK)
Easy canter on the inner all-weather track.
Trainer John Size said: "He seems normal, seems well. His track work's been good, he trialled good on Friday and I'm pretty relaxed about him. I think he'll run better again."

COUGAR MOUNTAIN (IRE)
Exercised on the all-weather track under regular rider Craig Bryson: covered 800m in 1m 05.6s (16.7, 17.5, 15.9, 15.5).
Aidan O'Brien's assistant Pat Keating confirmed: "Everything is good with him."

JOYFUL TRINITY (HK)
Worked on the all-weather track.
Trainer John Moore said: "He's working well. He's a horse with good ability but I think he just might find this international Group 1 competition a little bit of a stretch, in terms of being able to get the win. We're hoping he can run into the money."

LOGOTYPE (JPN)
Cantered easily on the all-weather track under trainer Tsuyoshi Tanaka.
Tanaka said: "He has settled well and is relaxed. I wanted to check his gait and he moved nicely. He has recovered since his last start and there is no issue about his condition so far. I want to give him a good preparation to keep him in top form for the race."

NEOREALISM (JPN)
Worked over the Sha Tin all-weather track.
Groom Tomohiro Takahashi said: "We pretty much did the same light work as yesterday on the all-weather, just maintenance work. Only Maurice went a little further, seven furlongs. He has rebounded well from his travel and is back to himself. Satono Crown and Neorealism are improving, but will need a little more time. The jockeys and trainer will meet to discuss which barriers are preferable for each horse later in the week.

"Since Neorealism ran third in the Mile Championship, we are not concerned that this horse can't run well over 1600m." 

ROMANTIC TOUCH (HK)
Cantered on the inner all-weather track under race day jockey Matthew Chadwick.
Chadwick said: "He's going good, better than last start and obviously he ran as good as he can. He's come on very well. Hopefully he draws a gate, maybe inside four, and he can run well again if I don't have to do too much on him in the run. I work him nearly every day, I rode him in a gallop on dirt on Sunday. He's jumping out of his skin, I don't think he's been so well in the time I've been associated with him, so we're happy."

SATONO ALADDIN (JPN)
Exercised in the quarantine area trotting ring.

SUN JEWELLERY (HK)
Given a steady canter on the inside all-weather track at Sha Tin.
Trainer John Size said: "He trialled well the other day. He's going to improve. He's only had two runs back this season as a five-year-old. His four-year-old form suggests he's going to improve as a five-year-old, and I'm expecting him to do so – whether it's this race or in the Stewards' Cup or whatever, he's going to go ahead. All of them will gallop tomorrow, it will be my normal routine – normal's good, I like normal."

LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint

AMAZING KIDS (HK)
Easy canter on the inner all-weather track.
Trainer John Size said: "He's fine, his first two runs were terrific. Amber Sky is a good horse down the straight and he's hard to chase down, so we beat him first-up and that was a good effort from a horse who had never run down the straight. And then his next start, he finished the race off really strongly, probably had a bit of a tough run. And then his third run back, he looked disappointing to watch but I think maybe his first two runs were a bit tough on him and his third run, he could have given himself a day off. Since that race, the horse did extremely well, very good in the feed tin, he's ravenous in his feed tin. The barrier trial the other day, Joao rode him, I thought the trial was quite nice, I was comfortable with that. He jumped out, ran around, did his work, so there's no fault with him actually. Certainly nothing that's obvious anyway with the horse. When you're constantly watching them, all you are looking for is something wrong and I can't see anything."

BIG ARTHUR (JPN)
Worked 1½ laps around the Sha Tin all-weather track.
Assistant trainer Masaoki Nakata said: "We had another easy work today. We will keep him on the all-weather for the rest of his work this week, even his gallop on Thursday. Despite having a reputation as a bad shipper he has settled into Hong Kong really well."

GROWL (UK)
Walked around the sand ring.
Work rider Fionn McSharry said: "He's in good shape and stretched his legs today. He'll do some work on the dirt tomorrow."

PURE SENSATION (USA)
Worked on the turf going 600 metres in 37.0s (13.2, 11.9, 11.9) under regular rider Rudy Nerbonne and followed up with a school in the paddock.
Narbonne said: "He is in good form, and he is adapting to going right-handed. He changed his leads with no problem, but he has to do that at racing pace on Sunday. His run last time in the Breeders' Cup over 1300 metres was a good effort, he was only beaten a length against the best in America. The 1200 metres on Sunday will suit him and he deserves to be here."

REBEL DANE (AUS)
Cantered on the all-weather track under race day jockey Ben Melham.
Greg Miles, assistant to trainer Gary Portelli, said: "This is the deepest he's gone into any prep but the horse is really well. All the standard indicators are positive. He arrived on Sunday night and has settled in quickly. He lost nine kilos on the flight but has already put a couple back on and looks bright. He had a good gallop, at home, before he left and he won't do much this week. We hand walked him yesterday and he had an easy trot and canter this morning.

Ben Melham said: "Feels great." The jockey rode the horse for the first time when he won the G1 Manikato Stakes at Moonee Valley on 21 October and was in the plate again when he won a Rosehill barrier trial on 22 November. Trainer Portelli arrives in Hong Kong tonight.

RED FALX (JPN)
Warmed up in the trotting ring and cantered one lap on the all-weather.
Work rider Isao Futaguchi said: "He lost a bit of concentration and was keen this morning, but he was in a good mood.  He will work on turf tomorrow and do some schooling in the paddock afterwards."

SIGNS OF BLESSING (FR)
Worked the Sha Tin all-weather under work rider Wilfred Conart: covered 1000m in 1m 12.3s (16.7, 14.5, 15.0, 12.6, 13.5).
Conart said: "He is behaving well and is very relaxed. In terms of his programme for the week I will talk to my boss."

TAKEDOWN (AUS)
Cantered a couple of circuits under work rider Petra Kankova.
Trainer Gary Moore said: "This is the first time I've seen him since he won the Winterbottom Stakes in Perth, and I'm really delighted with his condition. He'll do some more serious work tomorrow and that should put him spot on. He's a model of consistency and I think we're going to be very competitive on Sunday. Let's just hope he draws a good alley – inside five would be ideal."

LONGINES Hong Kong Vase

BENZINI (NZ)
Walked around the sand ring.
Assistant trainer Harry Bull said: "He's in good order but we're not doing much
with him as he's done a lot of travelling and, as he's trained on a farm, he's
not used to being around other horses."

BIG ORANGE (UK)
Quite feisty, he cantered a lap of the all-weather circuit under work rider Gillian Dolman.
Dolman said: "He's very fit and we're really happy with him."

FLAME HERO (HK)
Steady canter on the small all-weather track.
Trainer Peter Ho said: "He is coming along nicely. He has only run over 2400 metres once before and didn't perform but after last time Chad Schofield told me that he'd rather put him in this race rather than sticking to 2000 metres. Hopefully, he can have a good race. He ran amazing last time out, he beat all the champions! And easy. He is keeping his condition very well and I'm so happy with him at the moment. I think he has done enough in his work, he is not a young horse and I'm happy with how he has been working so he doesn't need much more now."

GARLINGARI (FR)
Cantered a lap of the Sha Tin all-weather track under work rider Zoe Gargoulaud. There was no repeat from Monday of his slight hesitance to cross onto the track.
Gargoulaud said: "He was calmer today because he had a horse in front of him. He is very well in himself and he has adapted to the new surroundings quite well. I'm pleased with him."

HELENE HAPPY STAR (HK)
Canter on the main Sha Tin all-weather track under John Moore's assistant trainer Terry Wong.
Trainer John Moore said: "His last run was good and he should come on for that. He put in a nice trial last Friday and, looking at the opposition, I expect he's a good place chance. He just lacks that class you need to win an international Group 1 race, but funnier things have happened."

HIGHLAND REEL (IRE)
The defending Hong Kong Vase champion worked 800m on the all-weather track in 1m 01.9s (15.3, 15.2, 16.7, 14.7).
Trainer Aidan O'Brien's travelling head lad Pat Keating said: "He is a great traveller, and I can tell you that when he arrived here at Sha Tin, his head came up, he looked about him, and he knew exactly where he was. He's well and I've no worries about him, everything is good."

NUOVO RECORD (JPN)
Worked in two laps over the Sha Tin all-weather track. Clocked through 400m down the stretch in 31.2s (15.6, 15.6).
Groom Hideyuki Obara said: "We gave her a decent tune-up today over the all-weather course. She is in excellent condition and didn't lose any weight on her trip from the United States. She is a fantastic shipper and is very relaxed. We'll have a light work over the turf tomorrow before galloping her on Thursday."

ONE FOOT IN HEAVEN (FR)
Stayed in the quarantine stables.
Serge Renee, assistant to trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre, said: "He didn't travel over too well and so he is staying in there for today but everything is fine. The vet here has said he is doing better now and he should be out tomorrow."

HKJC Chief Stipendiary Steward, Kim Kelly, said: "Dr. Peter Curl, Executive Manager, Veterinary Regulation has advised the Stewards that One Foot In Heaven, trained by Mr. Alain de Royer-Dupre and entered to run in the LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (Group 1) on Sunday, 11 December 2016, has been found upon routine post-arrival health screening to show evidence of a blood abnormality after arriving in Hong Kong on Saturday, 3 December 2016. Dr. Curl has informed that this condition is most likely related to long distance travel. The horse's condition will continue to be monitored and a further release will be issued at the appropriate time."

QUECHUA (SIN)
First sighting since arrival and was on his toes and a little warm, which is apparently normal for the horse: jogged and cantered a couple of circuits of the all-weather track at Sha Tin under Nooresh Juglall.
Big race jockey Barend Vorster said "Everything's good with him, he's taken the four hour flight from Singapore really well, he hasn't lost any weight, and that's a good sign."

SATONO CROWN (JPN)
Worked over the Sha Tin all-weather track.
Groom Tomohiro Takahashi said: "We pretty much did the same light work as yesterday on the all-weather, just maintenance work. Only Maurice went a little further, seven furlongs. He has rebounded well from his travel and is back to himself. Satono Crown and Neorealism are improving, but will need a little more time. The jockeys and trainer will meet to discuss which barriers are preferable for each horse later in the week."

SILVERWAVE (FR)
After undergoing little more than a leg-stretch on Monday, cantered a lap of the Sha Tin all-weather track under work rider Sylvain Guillot.
Pascal Bary's assistant Fabrice Dolbois said: "He is pleasing us. He has recovered well from the journey and is in good condition. Yesterday was just to get him out and to accustom him to the track. This morning he cantered and did it nicely. I think he will get out on the turf track on Thursday. It is the first time he has travelled but he has taken it well. Like any human he was a bit tired when he arrived. The bonus is that he seems very calm because generally he is a slightly nervous individual but he is maturing now."

SMART LAYER (JPN)
Exercised in the quarantine area trotting ring.