CHAMPIONS MILE 2005 - TRACKNOTES, WEDNESDAY, MAY 11

11 May 2005

The mighty Silent Witness, bidding to extend his undefeated record to 18 in Saturday's HK$8 million Champions Mile, scorched through a short, sharp all-weather hit-out at Sha Tin on Wednesday morning.

Accompanied by a stable companion, Silent Witness, ridden by Felix Coetzee, broke from the gates at the 400m and covered the distance in 21.7 seconds, much to the satisfaction of trainer Tony Cruz, who had earlier watched fellow Champions Mile contenders Bullish Luck and Perfect Partner work equally well on the same surface.

"They all worked very well, all in good form," said Cruz.

Delzao, the Champions Mile candidate from Australia, was on the track for the first time since arriving in Hong Kong late on Monday night and only stretched his legs on the all-weather surface. Pat Cannon, assistant to trainer Robert Smerdon, said the stallion lost just 7kgs on the trip from Melbourne and had settled in well at Sha Tin.

"He has done all his work at home before coming here so he won't be doing much for the rest of the week. It's just about getting him comfortable here," he said

Cannon added that Delzao, poised to make only his second start for his new connections, had a hit-out at Flemington Racecourse and won an Ararat barrier trial over 1100m by seven lengths prior to shipping to Hong Kong.

Star British filly Attraction,performed her first turf workout on the Sha Tin turf, covering seven furlongs in total, and clocking the final 400m in 23.8 seconds under rider Mark Billingham. Trainer Mark Johnston arrives today from the UK to oversee her preparation for the rest of the week.

The Duke, ridden by Shane Dye, performed the only other fast work of the morning. Caspar Fownes' placegetter in the CXHK Mile breezed along the turf track with a stable companion, finishing the final two furlongs in 23.4 seconds.

One of the two Japanese runners, Cosmo Bulk cantered for one lap on the all-weather track under Yoshikazu Suematsu.

Hirokazu Okada, son of owner Misako Okada, said: "He did not lose his weight after the trip to Hong Kong, because he accustomed to long trips within Japan for most of his racing career. He is eating up well, I think he is very relaxed and in good form. He will handle the going and 1600m as well and the plan is that settles in third or fourth position in the run."

The Japanese chance, Meiner Solomon, did not come out the track this morning and had just an easy workout in the trotting ring. His work rider, Katsumi Sato, said: "We are having an easy day today just after the breeze yesterday. Our horse has not won any Graded stakes in Japan to date, so it is a great honour for him and the people involved with him to race overseas."