Only a neck separated Aerovelocity from Peniaphobia in the Group 1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) at Sha Tin back in December. That race marked the advent of a guard-change at the top of Hong Kong’s sprint division and on Sunday (15 February) the pair’s keenly-awaited rematch is set to take place at the same course and distance in the HK$6.6 million HKG1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize.
Aerovelocity holds the bragging rights after that showcase victory. But while Paul O’Sullivan’s charge has been kept to the training track in the two months since, Peniaphobia has stepped out to enhance his growing reputation with a battling win in last month’s HKG1 Kent & Curwen Centenary Sprint Cup (1000m). With that first leg of the Hong Kong Speed Series in the bag, Tony Cruz’s star has his sights fixed on Sunday’s second stage.
“We have to face Aerovelocity again on Sunday; there’s not a lot between the two of them and I expect it will be a duel again,” said Cruz, who is chasing a first win in the race since 2005 when the great Silent Witness claimed the second of his back-to-back Chairman’s Sprint Prize victories.
O’Sullivan was in agreement: “There’s probably not a lot between a few of these horses, especially Aerovelocity and Peniaphobia, so it could just come down to barrier draws, really. If I draw 12 and Tony’s horse draws one, well it’s going to be difficult, and, in some degree, vice versa. I think the best run in the race will win it, if they both race up to their form.”
Aerovelocity had the polar extreme of “the best run” when the pair met in November’s G2 Jockey Club Sprint. The six-year-old, a seven-time course and distance winner, was twice badly impeded against the inside rail as he attempted to unleash his challenge, leaving Peniaphobia to storm unhindered to the win. But the latter didn’t exactly have things easy that day either as he raced four wide, exposed to the breeze throughout.
It was a different story in the LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint. Aerovelocity led under Zac Purton who cuddled his mount into the stretch and kicked for home with 300m to race. The Pins gelding fought to the wire as Peniaphobia, who had stalked the pace, pressed on his outer.
A cursory look at the sectionals for that race relates that Peniaphobia finished off the quickest of the two but was unable to claw back all of the length or so start that he had afforded Aerovelocity when the field had turned for home. The winner clocked a time of 1m 08.57s with the breakdown for each 400m being 23.36s, 22.31s, 22.90s. Peniaphobia posted sectionals of 23.56s, 22.31s, 22.76s. As their trainers have said, there is not much between them.
Both handlers are pleased with their horses ahead of Sunday. Aerovelocity tuned up for the fray with an all-weather track barrier trial win over 1200m. That was on 3 February.
“He trialled soundly last Tuesday - he always trials well on the dirt,” said O’Sullivan. He pulled up good afterwards and that should have just topped him off.”
Cruz is equally happy with Peniaphobia who has won six from 12 starts in Hong Kong.
“He hasn’t put a foot wrong, it’s all going to plan,” said Cruz of the four-year-old British import, who got up late to win by a short-head from Bundle Of Joy last start.
“He’s a lovely horse and I was very happy with the way he won last time over the 1000m. He’s doing really well going into this race. The distance this time should suit him better; the 1000m is on the sharp side for him, so I was pleased with the way he won last time.”
Both trainers harbour hopes of overseas conquests in the near future. The G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen (1200m - dirt) is a possibility for both, while O’Sullivan is also considering the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen (1200m) in Japan.
“The thing with international travel is they have got to be going well. He doesn’t have to win to be going overseas but if he runs fourth or fifth then I’d be scratching my head as to whether it would be the right thing. As long as he races well we’ll be looking at either Dubai or Japan - and if not, we’ll maybe sit back and get him ready for Singapore. Hopefully he’ll just run well enough to justify a trip,” said O’Sullivan.
Cruz said: “After this race we’ll look to Dubai at the end of March. That’s where we’d like to go.”
First though, the two brightest new hopes in Hong Kong’s speed ranks have Sunday’s test to get through. And there are plenty of their rivals that would take exception to any notion of it being a two-horse race. Current Champion Sprinter Lucky Nine has won the last two editions of the Chairman’s Sprint Prize and will be primed to maintain his grip.
Gold-Fun adds an intriguing twist as a top-class miler dropping back in trip to mix it with the sprinters; Smart Volatility has been knocking on the door in the season’s big races and Dan Excel is slated to return after an aborted Australian campaign, having not raced since winning the G1 Singapore Airlines International Cup (2000m) in May.
The high-class entrants also include last year’s G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen victor Sterling City, the smart and in-form Dundonnell, Eagle Regiment, Golden Harvest, Flagship Shine and Frederick Engels.
The Hong Kong Speed Series carries a bonus of HK$5 million to any horse that can win all three legs. The final leg is the HK$10 million Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) on 15 March, which has been upgraded to international Group 1 status for the first time this year and is open to overseas runners.
Past winners of Chairman’s Sprint Prize (since 1991)
