Snow Sky will join fellow Juddmonte contender Flintshire in an attempt to give owner Prince Khalid Abdullah a first victory at the HK$83 million LONGINES Hong Kong International Races. The three-year-old will line up alongside the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe second in the HK$16.5 million LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m) on Sunday 14 December.
Remarkably, for a man whose vast racing operation has enjoyed many elite level successes across the globe, Hong Kong remains unconquered. Polish Summer (2003), Spanish Moon (2009) and Redwood (2010) have all hit the cross-bar with runner-up finishes in the Vase and Cityscape was second in the 2011 Mile. They are the closest Abdullah has come to LONGINES HKIR victory.
Not so Sir Michael Stoute, the trainer responsible for plotting Snow Sky’s assault. The master of Freemason Lodge in Newmarket is chasing a third victory at the LONGINES HKIR, albeit a first in 14 years.
Stoute’s initial win at Sha Tin’s international extravaganza came at a relatively early juncture in the event’s history when Soviet Line annexed the Hong Kong Invitation Bowl (1400m), the fore-runner to the LONGINES Hong Kong Mile, back in 1994. Six years later he struck in the Hong Kong Vase with Daliapour and now Snow Sky will tread the Vase trail, too.
Snow Sky, the mount of Ryan Moore, will no doubt be seen as the second pick of the two Juddmonte homebreds, but he heads to Hong Kong off the back of a fine season that has so far yielded a G3 win in the Gordon Stakes (2400m) at Glorious Goodwood and a career best third last start in Doncaster’s G1 St Leger over an extended 14 furlongs. Since that classy effort behind the talented Kingston Hill on 13 September the Nayef colt has progressed well, with Hong Kong very much the target.
Lord Grimthorpe, Abdullah’s racing manager, reported: “Snow Sky’s preparation has gone well and he is heading to Hong Kong in good form. Sir Michael kept him ticking over with Hong Kong in mind after the St Leger and has been very pleased with him. His work has been good and that is why Sir Michael has been keen to go to Hong Kong.”
Snow Sky would become only the third three-year-old to win the Vase should he prevail a week Sunday. The only others before him to have succeeded are the fillies Vallee Enchantee in 2003 and Daryakana in 2009, but Lord Grimthorpe is positive about the chances of the bay, whose uncle, Polish Summer, was caught close home by Vallee Enchantee.
“Snow Sky ran a really decent race in the St Leger but the main point is how nicely he has come on since then,” he said. “He will like the fast ground - he has a good action for that - and I think a strongly run mile and a half will suit him as well as anything.”
As for the long flight to Hong Kong, the owner’s racing manager is not too worried - Snow Sky will arrive on Saturday night (6 December): “I would not have too many concerns about him travelling for the first time as his temperament is pretty cool. You never really know, but the quality of horse travel has improved so much that I think the most important thing is how they come out of it physically rather than mentally.”
The LONGINES Hong Kong International Races also feature the HK$25 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m), the HK$23 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile and the HK$18.5 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m).
