HKIR News : Japanese team content after Friday morning workouts

14 December 2001

Stay Gold, the strong Hong Kong Vase hope from Japan, pleased his trainer Yasuo Ikee after a light workout on the Sha Tin all-weather surface on Friday morning. "Stay Gold did it nicely this morning and everything is going perfect so far. I will give him one more piece of work tomorrow morning and everything will be ready for the race after that," Ikee said. ¡@

With regard to Hong Kong Mile candidate, Eishin Preston, trainer Shuji Kitahashi said after the breeze on the grass course this morning: "Eishin Preston covered 600m for 37.0 seconds and 800m for 52.5 seconds, which is a little bit faster than I had planned.

"I had slightly easier work in mind for him but then, through the quarantine and transportation, he lost some weight which set us back a little. However, it was very good bit of work that he did today, he handled the track well and I am happy with his condition.

"I don't know that much about his opponents except for the other Japanese runner, Zenno El Cid, who is very good horse. It will be a very tough race but I believe my horse will run well," Kitahashi said.

Finally, Tadashi Ishizaka, the trainer of Sprint runner Daitaku Yamato, commented after his horse's breeze on the grass course: "Daitaku Yamato has trained very well at home and since he gas got here. He is in good condition and I was happy to see that there was a little rain last night. Though he is a seven-year-old, he is still very fresh and keen and if he can produce his best form on Sunday I am sure he has good chance."