Precision completes outsanding day for Hong Kong horses

Completing the greatest day in the history of Hong Kong racing, Precision drove to an upset victory Sunday in the 16th running of the HK$18-million Hong Kong Cup (G1) at Sha Tin Racecourse.

Benefiting from a brilliant ride by Mick Kinane, the four-year-old gelding by Anabaa prevailed by a short head over Germany's representative, Paolini. Precision thus became the third Hong Kong-based runner to emerge victorious in the 2002 Hong Kong International Races.

Paolini was a half-length better than Dano-Mast, the representative from Denmark, who finished third. They were followed in order in the field of 12 by Sarafan, Eishin Preston, Housemaster, favoured Grandera, Indian Creek, Come See You, Dr. More, Cellini and Royal Treasure.

Precision's time for the 2000-metre distance was 2:07.1. Sent off at the huge odds of almost 66/1, he returned the highest win mutuel in the history of Hong Kong's international racing festival. Precision is owned by Wu Sai Wing, whose smile in the Sha Tin winner's circle seemed brighter than the fireworks display that followed the International Races programme.

"I had a smooth run on the outside, while everyone else was having a rough time on the rail," Kinane said.. "When I asked Precision to quicken he did it very well. I have to admit it is a bit of a surprise, but it's great to finish the season like this."

"This is my first international victory, and it means an awful lot," said the victorious trainer, David Oughton. Born in England, the 46-year-old Oughton has been training in Hong Kong for 15 years.

Last April, Oughton sent out Precision to a seventh-place finish in the Audemars Piguet QE II Cup (G1) at Sha Tin. Oughton's charge, inarguably, has improved since then. "He has strengthened up with work," said Oughton. "This is wonderful for Hong Kong racing"

On March 17 of this year, Olympic Express and Precision finished one-two in Sha Tin's Hong Kong Derby.

On Sunday, Olympic Express defeated a field of crack international contenders in the Hong Kong Mile (G1). Approximately a half-hour later, Precision did the same in the Hong Kong Cup.

Andreas Suborics, who rode Paolini, was gallant in defeat. "I'm so glad Paolini has proved he is as good as we always thought," Suborics said. "I had a dream ride, no excuses. But it's always disappointing to be beaten by such a small margin."

In 2001, the Japan representatives Agnes Digital, Eishin Preston and Stay Gold were triumphant in the Hong Kong Cup, Mile and Vase (G1). But this year, it was Hong Kong's turn to register what a hat trick on their home field.

The crowd at Sha Tin numbered 62,030.

Hong Kong International Races 2002 - Hong Kong Cup Page
Hong Kong International Races 2002 Homepage

Few events on the global racing scene match the prominence and prestige that the HK$18-million Hong Kong Cup (G1) has achieved. Contested at Hong Kong's Sha Tin Racecourse, the Hong Kong Cup is the world's richest 2000-metre turf race. It is the culminating event of the World Series Racing Championship, and will run this year on Sunday, 15 December.

Last year the Japanese representative, Agnes Digital, ridden by Hirofumi Shii, closed stoutly to prevail over the United Arab Emirates' Tobougg and France's Terre A Terre in a three-horse photo finish.

[History]

The Hong Kong Cup actually predates the WSRC by more than a decade. It was first staged on January 24, 1988, as an 1800-metre event for a purse of HK$1.5-million. The inaugural running was restricted to local horses and invitees from Malaysia and Singapore. The winner was Flying Dancer, trained by Brian PC Kan. Backed at 5/1 in a 12-horse field, Flying Dancer stalked the early pace, took the lead in the final 100 metres and drew off to a 1 1/4-length victory.

In 1989, the Hong Kong Cup's invitational list was expanded to include horses from Australia and New Zealand. The following year, horses from Europe were added to the list of invited participants, as were horses from the U.S. in 1991, and from Canada and Japan in 1992.

Horses age three years and older are eligible to run in the Hong Kong Cup. It is a most difficult event to win, and it should be noted that no horse has ever won it twice, although several world-class runners have tried.

Colonial Chief, who won the second running of the Hong Kong Cup in '89, finished unplaced and third, respectively, in subsequent editions of the race. River Verdon, victorious in the 1991 Hong Kong Cup, was unplaced in two subsequent tries in the race. Jim And Tonic, the 1999 Hong Kong Cup winner, finished third in the 2000 edition of the race, and was unplaced last year.

Midnight Bet, the 1998 Hong Kong Cup winner, was the record-holder when the race was run at 1800 metres, clocking a time of 1:46.9. The Hong Kong Cup's current 2000-metre distance was adopted in '99. The clocking of 2:01.4 registered by Jim And Tonic that year immediately became the new stakes standard, and remains so today.

Favourites who have won the Hong Kong Cup include Kessem in 1990, River Verdon in 1991, First Island in 1996 and Fantastic Light in 2000. Fantastic Light is the Hong Kong Cup's shortest-priced winner since the race was upgraded to Group 1, having been sent off at 19/10 odds under jockey Frankie Dettori.

The longest odds for a Hong Kong Cup winner were 72/1, accorded to Grey Invader in the third running of the race in December, '89. (The Hong Kong Cup was actually run twice that year, first in January, and then on the final month of the calendar.)

Jim And Tonic, with his 3 3/4-length victory in '99, established the prevailing standard for the largest margin of victory in the Hong Kong Cup. Conversely, Colonial Chief in January, '89, and Val's Prince in 1997 share the prevailing record for the smallest winning margin in the Hong Kong Cup. Both prevailed by "a short head." (Please note: in the 15 runnings of the Hong Kong Cup to date, nine have been decided by win margins of less than one length.)

Gerald Mosse is the only jockey to have twice won the Hong Kong Cup. Mosse was victorious aboard River Verdon in 1991, and aboard Jim And Tonic in '99. Mosse's overall record in the race includes six mounts, two wins and one third-place finish. Frankie Detorri holds the all-time record for Hong Kong Cup mounts with nine. From these, Dettori has registered one victory and one second-place finish.

"It's a very tough race to win," concedes Dettori, who, nevertheless, keeps trying each year. Dettori has ridden in every Hong Kong Cup since 1993, a longevity streak matched by no other jockey in the race's history.

No trainer or owner has yet achieved two Hong Kong Cup wins, although Saeed bin Suroor and Godolphin Stable came very close in recent years, winning with Fantastic Light (a champion in both Europe and North America) in 2000 and just missing victory by a head with Tobougg in 2001.

The purse for the Hong Kong Cup is now 12 times what it was for the race's first running 14 years ago.