Races > Hong Kong Mile

Hong Kong Mile (G1) - WRAP UP

EISHIN PRESTON, the lesser fancied of the two Japanese runners in the Hong Kong Mile, waltzed away with HK$14million Hong Kong Mile to give his country a second winner at the Hong Kong International Races at Sha Tin today. The well-backed Japanese favourite, Zenno El Cid, finished last.

Electronic Unicorn, rated Hong Kong's best chance of a home win at the International Races, emerged with great credit, finishing second, three and a quarter lengths adrift of the dazzling winner. Three quarters of a length further back in third was the Godolphin-trained China Visit, with Forbidden Apple, runner-up in the Breeders' Cup Mile in October, in fourth place.

Post-race quotes for the Hong Kong Mile:

1: Eishin Preston (trainer, Sei Kitahashi): "I was not happy with the barrier position (13) that Eishin Preston drew, but I guess it turned out to be lucky. Of course, I am very satisfied with the result. Eishin Preston ran today at his very best, and I am hoping that he can repeat this performance many times in the future. He was a little bit tense going into the race, but my jockey got him to relax, and that made all the difference. A good jockey gets the best results, and that's what we saw today."

Eishin Preston (jockey, Yuichi Fukunaga): "This horse can be a little bit difficult to ride, but he showed us his best today. I was under no pressure. The owner [Toyomitsu Hirai] told me to relax and enjoy myself. It is very thrilling to be able to win a race such as this, and I am honoured to have been allowed the opportunity."

2: Electronic Unicorn (jockey, Robbie Fradd): "I would never have beaten the winner. I pushed the button with over 200m to run but Eishin Preston just shot away as soon as I moved. Electronic Unicorn twisted a shoe this morning and that wouldn't have helped him - but it's a not an excuse. We beat everything else comfortably and it was a great run against a very strong field. But these Japanese horses are very, very strong and that's the bottom line."

3: China Visit (Simon Crisford, racing manager, Godolphin): "That was very good. There are no excuses."

4: Forbidden Apple (jockey, Corey Nakatani): "Forbidden Apple ran a pretty good race, but he was leaning to the left turning into the lane and had to keep pulling him, pulling him to try to correct that. Sometimes, he doesn't want to change from his left lead, and a horse can't do that and win against competition of this level. I think he might have needed to train over here a little bit more."

5. Shogun Lodge (jockey, Shane Dye): "He had every chance. The run came for him on the inside and I can make no excuse."

6: Red Pepper (jockey, Gerald Mosse): "Red Pepper ran a good race. He was sixth but he should have been fourth as I got a check with about 350 metres to run."

7: Charming City (jockey, Basil Marcus): "I was happy to take up a nice lead and I thought we had a chance of winning 250 metres out before the rest of them came at me. I'm very pleased with the run. He's very brave."

8: Show A Heart (jockey, Glen Boss): "He gave me a beautiful ride and at the 600 metre mark I though he would finish in the first four. He was probably a length or two disappointing."

9: Proudwings (jockey,Yataka Take): "She has had a long season in France, going to Japan and now here. It was not her day today."

10. Super Molly (jockey, Damien Oliver): "He ran as well as he could. He just was not up to it."

11. Tough Speed (jockey, Johnny Murtagh): "He settled well and got a good position. I was hopeful 600 metres out but I knew my fate soon after."

12: Red Sun (jockey, Felix Coetzee): "No excuses. He tried hard."

13. Mount Abu (jockey, Jimmy Fortune): "He broke and got across from stall 14. It was too quick for him out but he should still have finished closer to China Visit, whom he has beaten before."

14: Zenno El Cid (jockey, Olivier Peslier): "He stopped at 600 metres marker. He was fine and then there was nothing."

About Hong Kong Mile (G1) 2001

HK$14 million (approx. US$1,800,000)
1600m /8f /turf /3yo+

The Mile is the richest international mile race in the world worth HK$14 million (US$1.8 million, GB£1.2 million, Aus$3.5 million). The Hong Kong International Bowl was renamed the Hong Kong Mile and run over 1600m from the old trip of 1400m for the first time in Docksider's year of 1999 when it was still a Group 2. The International Cataloguing Standards Committee upgraded the event to a Group 1 for the first time last year when Sunline won after an unforgettable tussle with Hong Kong's champion, Fairy King Prawn. The old Bowl was first run in 1991 to mark the staging of the 22nd Asian Racing Conference in Hong Kong.

World's Richest Mile Race

Prize Money Place Prize (HK$) Prize (US$) 1st 8,000,000 (approx. 1,000,000) 2nd 3,000,000 (approx. 400,000) 3rd 1,500,000 (approx. 200,000) 4th 800,000 (approx. 100,000) 5th 450,000 (approx. 60,000) 6th 250,000 (approx. 30,000) HK$14 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 56.5 125 3yo c.& g. 119 54 55.25 122 3yo f. 116 52.5 (c - colt; f - filly; g - gelding; h - horse; m - mare)