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HKIR News : Tracknotes (1) - Hong Kong Sprint (Gr.2-1000m) HK$8 million (13/12/2001) 13 December 2001 MORLUC (USA) A year's worth of preparation culminated this morning when Morluc breezed a brisk 600 metres on the Sha Tin turf course. The workout was virtually identical to the one trainer Randy Morse put into the five-year-old horse three days prior to his victory in this year's Nureyev Stakes at Keeneland on October 5, Morluc has come straight from that race to the Hong Kong Sprint, an event he has been pointed towards since finishing a close second in it in 2000. While Morluc has trained at Sha Tin with bar shoes on, he will not be wearing them on Sunday. This was also the case when he won this year's 'Nureyev. KING OF DANES (HK) King Of Danes had to work well down the turf Riverside Gallop at Sha Tin this morning to convince trainer Tony Cruz that he was fit enough to do himself justice in Sunday's HK$8 million race down the straight 1000m course. Third in last year's Hong Kong Sprint, King Of Danes has had a stifle problem but a good piece of work this morning was enough to persuade Cruz that his son of Danehill is fit and ready to do himself justice. "He worked well. Call him a potential runner," Cruz said. "I'm very happy with him. He went really this morning. All I want now is a good draw for him." said trainer Derek Cruz of Solid Contact, his big Sprint hope. "I want a low draw along the rails for him like he had last time out when he ran second [in the Sprint Trial Trophy] giving all that weight away to All Thrills Too. But whatever happens he will run well, I know that," Cruz added. CLIFFHANGER (HK) John Egan, breezed Ivan Allan's four-year-old over four furlongs. "He is in very good form," Egan said.." The last couple of times I have worked him he has given me a fantastic feel. On his last run which was over 1200 metres he was beaten by one of the best horses in Hong Kong, Electronic Unicorn. He only went past me in the last 200 metres and we were beaten just over a length and were a long way clear of the rest. If Electronic Unicorn hadn't been in the race we would be 6-1 on Sunday, 20-1 is a big price. I hope I get a draw without too much pace around me as I want to dominate and, ideally, I don't want someone to take me on." THE TRADER (UK) Kevin Darley, who rides The Trader in the Sprint on Sunday, got the leg up on him for the first time after he had finished partnering Zindabad in his workout today. Darley said; "He is nice and fresh and he was having a look at everything that was going on. He will like a fast pace on Sunday and needs the fast ground." His trainer, Michael Blanshard, having his first runner in Hong Kong, is perfectly happy with his record-breaking son of Selkirk's wellbeing. "He has travelled and worked very well last Friday. I don't need to do very much with him now but would ideally like him to have a bit of cover in the race on Sunday. He loves to come off a fast pace."
'Pip' Payne is perfectly happy with his filly and she will have her final workout with her big race jockey, Johnny Murtagh, aboard tomorrow. Payne said: "She will work over 500 metres on the all-weather track tomorrow and that will be it." He then quipped: "Now what I want is to be drawn next to the Japanese speedsters, get a lead off them and then pounce inside the final 100 yards!" CENTURY KID (AUS) Graeme Rogerson reports that his sprint contender pulled up well from light exercise this morning. 'I'm very happy with him. He's put on weight since he got here and looks in great shape,' Rogerson said. Rogerson added that Century Kid would have a solid breeze-up tomorrow morning. 'He'll sprint up a furlong and that will top him off for Sunday,' he said.
It's the status quo for the defending champion. 'There's not much more we can say,' said trainer Dan Bougoure, 'he's done everything right . I'm very happy. Looking forward to the race.' KENWOOD MELODY (HK) "His recent gallops have been good and he has run very well down the straight 1000m before so I'm looking forward to it a lot," said jockey Wendyll Woods. "I just hope he can break well - he can often be a bit slowly away and you can't afford to do that in racing, nevermind against horses like these. Finishing in the first five or six will be a good run," Woods added. MEJIRO DARLING (JPN)
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