By David Morgan
Secret Weapon misfired last month when a sub-par 11th of 12 in the G1 Stewards’ Cup (1600m), but jockey Nash Rawiller is expecting a return to form in this Sunday’s (26 February) HK$10 million G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup.
A big factor in Rawiller’s faith is the return to 2000m. Dennis Yip’s stable star has raced at the distance three times in his career; two of those efforts have been this season and in both he has staked a claim to being Hong Kong’s peak performer at the 10-furlong trip.
The Choisir seven-year-old followed a win, under Rawiller, in November’s G2 Jockey Club Cup with an admirable second to Japan’s mighty Maurice in the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup three weeks later.
“He’s going back to the 2000 (metres) this time, which suits him a lot better than the mile last time,” Rawiller said. The rider has more than 50 career G1 wins to his credit but is seeking a first at the elite level in Hong Kong.
“It was just an unsuitable race last time. They went a bit slow mid-race and then sprinted, and the ground was very fast. It just wasn’t his day; I’m hoping Sunday is. If he comes out and reproduces his December run he has a huge chance.”
Rawiller was not in the plate for that Hong Kong Cup second, Zac Purton having stepped in for his suspended countryman, but the former Sydney champion has been a regular trackwork partner in recent times.
The pair was in tandem yesterday morning (Tuesday, 21 February). Secret Weapon galloped 800m on the turf in company with the potentially useful Class 3 galloper Bring It On and clocked 51.6s (29.2, 22.4).
“He had a quiet gallop on the course proper, just to try and top him off,” Rawiller said. “He had a good blow, actually, which was good; it cleaned him up a bit. He’s never a flash worker, so I don't read too much into his work he just turns up on race day.”
The top-class field also features two Hong Kong Horses of the Year in Werther (2016) and Designs On Rome (2014), both trained by John Moore. The former has pleased his handler heading into this race - his second of the campaign - while the latter champ is shooting for a third consecutive win in Sunday’s second leg of the Hong Kong Triple Crown.
Meanwhile, Tony Cruz has engaged December’s G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile winner Beauty Only along with two-time G1 scorer Blazing Speed, while the Peter Ho-trained Flame Hero and the Moore stable’s Basic Trilogy are also expected to line up.
Helene Paragon won the first leg of this season’s Hong Kong Triple Crown, the G1 Stewards’ Cup. The final leg of the series is the G1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2400m) at Sha Tin in May.
Sunday’s card also features the G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m). Among the eight entries for that race are the past two winners, Able Friend (2015) and Contentment (2016), as well as Helene Paragon.
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Photo 1:
Secret Weapon took the LONGINES Jockey Club Cup over the course and distance in November.
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