Hong
Kong International Races 2001
- WRAP UP
Date:
16 December
Time: 12:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Venue: Sha Tin Racecourse
Treble
Group One joy for Japan at Hong Kong International Races
JAPAN enjoyed its greatest ever day on the international racing
stage as it claimed all three Group One races at the Hong Kong
International meeting at Sha Tin today.
The highlight of their day was Agnes Digital's
victory in the Hong Kong Cup, the final leg of the Emirates World
Series, where he gallantly held on by a head to beat the renewed
challenge of Godolphin's Tobougg.
They
were also successful in the Hong Kong Mile with Eishin Preston
and with Stay Gold in the Vase. The only remaining spoils of the
International race series went to Australia with Falvelon repeating
his 2000 victory.
Agnes Digital came to Hong Kong on the
back of a victory in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) where he beat last
year's Japan Cup winner, T M Opera O, over today's trip of 2000
metres.
But today, under a driving finish from
Hirofumi Shii, he found it tough to overcome the tenacious Tobougg,
who went off the 6-4 favourite and tried to make all under Frankie
Dettori.
Shii
said: "I felt we had to get 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. 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."
Eishin Preston waltzed away with the Mile.
The Green Dancer colt swept through from the back of the field
in the home straight to readily go three and quarter lengths clear
and upset the Sha Tin crowd, who were willing home their star
miler, Electronic Unicorn, who finished second.
Winning jockey, Yuichi Fukunaga, said:
"This horse can be a little bit difficult to ride, but he
showed us his best today. I was under no pressure."
The
mighty Japanese middle-distance star, Stay Gold, was backed as
if defeat was out of the question in the Vase. The odds-on shot
won but he gave his supporters a very anxious time as he endeavoured
to catch Dettori on Ekraar up the home straight.
Dettori had cleverly stolen a march on
his rivals as he kicked for home at the 1000-metre mark and was
four lengths clear off the final bend - but Stay Gold stayed on
to snatch victory right on the line to win by a head. It was exactly
what he did when defeating Fantastic Light in the Dubai Sheema
Classic last March.
Yutaka Take, ten times champion jockey
in Japan, said: "In the early part of the race, I was a little
bit farther back than I wanted to be but everything worked out
fine. I'm very happy. There are no difficulties in riding a horse
like Stay Gold. He does what he's supposed to do, virtually on
his own."
The first of today's races was the HK$8
million Hong Kong Sprint and the result mirrored last year's result
with Australia's Falvelon beating the American speedster Morluc
by a short head, the same distance as last year.
Jockey Damien Oliver was delighted: "They
went fast early and I was further off the pace than I expected
but the horse really responded in the closing stages. He's a foolproof
horse."
Falvelon, prepared in Queensland by Danny
Bougoure, will now return to Australia where connections will
determine whether his racing career continues or whether they
will accept any one of several offers for the horse to stand at
stud. However, a third trip to Hong Kong in 2002 has not been
ruled out.
"It's not impossible," said
Oliver. "He loves this place." Bougoure added that the
five-year-old may return to Hong Kong next year if he is fit and
healthy.
For the second year in succession,
Simon Crisford received the Emirates World Series trophy in Hong
Kong for Godolphin, whose brilliant Fantastic Light had wrapped
up the title at the Breeders' Cup meeting on October 27.
About
Hong Kong International Races 2001
The
2001 HKIR on December 16 comprises of four races of different
distances including three international Group 1 races, namely
the Hong Kong Cup (2000m),
the Hong Kong Vase (2400m)
and the Hong Kong Mile (1600m).
The recently upgraded Group 2 Hong
Kong Sprint (1000m) compliments the three major events.
The number of entries
for this international event has grown steadily each year and
this year's renewal was no exception as the first nomination stage
attracted a record total of 314 individual entries from 12 racing
jurisdictions: Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain,
Ireland, Macau, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore and the United
States.
The Hong Kong International Races
is not just one of the finest race meetings on the calendar -
it is also the venue for the final leg of the Emirates World Series
Racing Championship, the series that identifies the best horse
in the world.
