Flintshire is the standout candidate in this year’s G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m). The Juddmonte homebred has been strutting his stuff against the best of the best in elite mile and a half races all year, yet he could face his biggest challenge from a local Hong Kong runner who has never even won at the distance, Willie Cazals.
Last year another European star, The Fugue, just like Flintshire this time around, came into the Vase with impressive credentials, notably a last-start second in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Turf. The Fugue was expected to win, but circumstance played a different tune and it was not her day - that day belonged to a Hong Kong horse, Dominant, who became the first local runner to land the prize in 15 years.
Willie Cazals will, on Sunday, bid to follow suit. The six-year-old grey, a once precocious talent now attempting to fulfil the promise of his youth, has in fact only raced at 2400m twice previously; in May 2013 he ran second in both the HKG3 Queen Mother Memorial Cup and the HKG1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup.
“In Hong Kong we hardly get any mile and a half races for him to run in, only three a season, but he’s spot on for this race,” said trainer Tony Cruz.
Willie Cazals’ record at the distance is nonetheless quite impressive. In the first of his two attempts he stormed from last-to-first down the home stretch - clocking 21.99s for the final 400m - and failed by a nose to best Dominant, who it must be noted was conceding 14lb. In the latter, Willie Cazals went even better; the Aussie Rules gelding flew home from the tail with the race’s fastest final 400m split of 22.77s to go down by a length and a quarter to two-time G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup hero California Memory.
Those races should have marked the true beginning in Hong Kong for a horse who arrived at Sha Tin from Italy after splitting Crackerjack King and subsequent super mare Danedream when runner-up in the G2 Derby Italiano of 2011. He then sluiced up by almost five lengths in a Milan Listed contest. Hong Kong beckoned.
The then colt was his own worst enemy upon arriving at Sha Tin and was prone to erratic behavior, notably jumping markedly left in barrier trials and losing ground before consenting to run. Cruz went back to basics and retaught his new pupil how to behave on the track. He debuted with a sound fourth in April 2012, but then the first of two injuries sidelined him. The second would rob him of a chance to compete in last year’s LONGINES Hong Kong Vase.
“He’s had tendon problems,” said Cruz. “In the first year he pulled his right tendon then last year he had another lesion in his left tendon, but anyway, he’s come back good and I believe that’s all in the past and his tendons will hold up now. He’s a light-framed horse, so for him to pull his tendons is not something you’d expect.”
Willie Cazals has run three times this term, and has caught the eye on each occasion, blitzing from the rear to make the frame in his first two, both over 1800m. Last time he again ran on from deep to finish seventh in the G2 LONGINES Jockey Club Cup (2000m). Only the winner, Blazing Speed (21.85s), and fifth home Designs On Rome (21.82s), both leading candidates for Sunday’s G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup, (2000m) clocked faster closing sectionals than the 21.89s Willie Cazals registered.
“He’s come back very good this season and I think a mile and a half will be perfect for him,” said Cruz of the half-brother to G1-placed sprinter/miler Joanna. “He has a good draw, he’s got a good jockey - Dougie Whyte’s on him - and we expect good results.”
