Races > Hong Kong Cup

Hong Kong Cup (G1) - WRAP UP

Agnes Digital crowned a memorable day for Japanese racing with a battling victory in the HK$18 million Hong Kong Cup, the final leg of the Emirates World Series, at Sha Tin today.

Ridden confidently near the pace by Hirofumi Shii, Agnes Digital hit the front over 200m from the line and fended off the repeated efforts of Tobougg on his inside and Terre A Terre on his outer by a margin of a head and half a length. Agnes Digital's win was the third of the day for Japanese runners.

Post-race quotes:

1: Agnes Digital (jockey, Hirofumi Shii): "The race went very smoothly for us. We did not encounter any problems at any time. I felt we had to get near to the front so we came around the first turn in very strong position, and from that point onward I felt that victory was in our hands. The pace of the race fitted right into our plans. After I hit the front over 200m from the line I could feel and hear the other horses trying to make a run at us, but I knew that we had the situation completely under control. After the two other Japanese horses won their races, I did feel some pressure, because I knew I was expected to win my race, too. Now, I'm going to go out and have a very fine celebration."

Agnes Digital (trainer, Toshiaki Shirai): "Our next race, if we are invited, will be the 2002 Dubai World Cup, I think. After that, we would like to run in either the Breeders' Cup Turf or the Breeders' Cup Classic in America, where Agnes Digital was bred. This has been a very special week for me. I think that from this point onward, you will see many more Japanese horses competing in international races."

2: Tobougg (trainer, Saeed bin Suroor): "He ran a great race. When the winner went past him he kept fighting back in tenacious style and was gaining again at the line. He will be a serious horse next season over races between 2000 and 2400 metres."

Tobougg (Simon Crisford, racing manager, Godolphin): 'He has improved all season but he was a very good two-year-old. There are no plans for him yet next season we shall make up our minds where we go with him in February. All our horses have run fantastic races. It has been a great end to the season for Godolphin."

3: Terre A Terre (jockey, Christophe Soumillon): 'She has run a fantastic race considering she was a filly against the colts and she's with a little give in the ground. Maybe I got there a little too soon because the Japanese horse was able to kick again but I love this filly. She gave me everything.'

Terre A Terre (trainer, Eric Libaud): "I'm absolutely thrilled. Soumillon rode her to orders and she had a very lucky trip and the gaps opened when she needed them. When he asked her for an effort she responded at once. She will possibly stay in training next year.'

Terre A Terre (owner, Henri Devin): "That was very exciting. I shall keep her in training next year, because while she's in such good form, we might as well keep on the go, earning money."

4: Hawkeye (trainer, Michael Jarvis): 'It looks like we have a good horse on our hands."

Hawkeye (jockey, Gary Stevens): "I had great ride and he is only a baby now but going to make a very nice horse. I would travel a long way to ride him again."

5: Jim And Tonic (jockey, Thierry Thulliez): "He ran well for me, but when I asked him for his effort at the 300 metres mark he didn't quite have his usual kick."

Jim And Tonic (trainer, Francois Doumen): "He was very well ridden but did not have the turn of foot today. We'll take next season step by step as he is getting older."

6: Saddle Up (trainer, Laurie Laxon): "Ran very well in a race of this class. Had his chance but stuck on well. He's done plenty of travelling and coped well. Very good effort."

7: Peak Power (jockey, Robbie Fradd): "That was a great effort by him in a race of this nature. A good honest run. He caught in a pocket in the straight so all in all, I'm happy with how he finished."

8: Bocelli (jockey, Grant Cooksley): "Battled on pretty well. This was a tough race and he wasn't disgraced."

9: Choc Ice (jockey, Johnny Murtagh): "She was going well until we got pushed out at the top of the straight. She did not give me much after that."

10: Momentum (trainer, David Hayes): "He did get stuck on the inside. With a clearer run he would have finished a length or two closer."

11: Silvano (jockey, Andreas Suborics): "I had a bad trip from 14, and I was wide pretty much all of the way. But he's had a long, hard season and a fantastic year."

12: Monards (jockey, Eric Saint-Martin): "He has not got the quality of those horses out there today but he ran well enough."

13: Housemaster (jockey, Felix Coetzee): "He went well up to a point - but he was struggling when it mattered."

14. Bach (jockey, Mick Kinane): "I'm a bit disappointed. It's been a long hard season for him."

About Hong Kong Cup (G1) 2001

HK$18 million (approx. US$2,300,000)
2000m /10f /turf /3yo+

This Hong Kong Cup was initially run as the Hong Kong Invitation Cup in January 1988 when the overseas entries were confined Malaysia and Singapore. The race was granted Group3 status in 1993, Group 2 in 1994, and it became the first ever race in Hong Kong with full international Group 1 ranking in Jim And Tonic's year - 1999 - when it also emerged as the final leg of the Emirates World Series. Last year, the great Fantastic Light claimed a last gasp triumph to record his first Emirates World Series crown in Hong Kong with a smooth success from Greek Dance. 1999 was also the year when the Cup's distance was increased to 2000m from 1800m. This year the Hong Kong Cup becomes the richest race on turf in the world over 2000m at HK$18 million (approx. US$2.3 million, GB£1.56 million, Aus$4.5 million).

Final leg of Emirates World Series Racing Championship

Prize Money Place Prize (HK$) Prize (US$) 1st 10,200,000 (approx. 1,300,000) 2nd 4,000,000 (approx. 510,000) 3rd 1,800,000 (approx. 230,000) 4th 1,000,000 (approx. 125,000) 5th 600,000 (approx. 75,000) 6th 400,000 (approx. 50,000) HK$18 million plus trophies for the winning owner, trainer and jockey is divided as above.

Weights Northern Hemisphere Horse Description Southern Hemisphere kgs lbs   lbs kgs 57 126 4yo+ c., h. & g. 126 57 55.75 123 4yo+ f. & m. 123 55.75 55.75 123 3yo c.& g. 116 52.5 54.5 120 3yo f. 113 51.25 (c - colt; f - filly; g - gelding; h - horse; m - mare)

HK$1 million bonus
HK International Races 2001 - APQEII Cup 2002
The Hong Kong Jockey Club will award a HK$1 million (approx. US$130,000) bonus to the owner of any horse which wins one of the four HK International Races (HK Cup / HK Mile / HK Vase / HK Sprint) on 16 December 2001 and the Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup (G1 / HK$14 million / 2000m /10f / turf / 3yo+) to be run on 21 April 2002 at Sha Tin Racecourse.