Blazing Speed and Neil Callan have been almost inseparable over the past 18 months, forming a big-race pairing that has combined to snare victories in the G1 Audemars Piguet QEII Cup, the HKG1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup and the G2 LONGINES Jockey Club Cup.
On Saturday (21 November) the duo will attempt back-to-back wins in the last-listed of that prestigious big-race trio, the Jockey Club Races’ 2000m feature, which is the premier lead-up race to the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m) on 13 December. Callan has firm hopes that Blazing Speed can step-up off a fine first-up run last month, when the gelding shouldered 133lb to finish four lengths sixth in the HKG2 Oriental Watch Sha Tin Trophy (1600m).
“Seeing him in the mornings, he looks pretty well,” said Callan. “It’s a nice, simple draw (gate 4) and he’s a straightforward sort of horse. He’s fit and ready to go, so I’m very happy and looking forward to getting back on him.”
Callan was not in the plate for Blazing Speed’s return to action - a rare cleft in a partnership that has combined 10 times in the gelding’s last 12 starts. Nash Rawiller took the reins instead that day as Callan maintained a hitherto ever-present association with another talent from the Tony Cruz stable, the emergent four-year-old Beauty Only.
“Because I didn't ride Blazing Speed in his first race this season, I haven’t had much to do with his track work or his barrier trials, but he seemed to run a good race. He got to the line well from a difficult position and I expect he’ll have come on for that,” said Callan.
Beauty Only, meanwhile, passed the post three and a quarter lengths ahead of Blazing Speed in their recent meeting, albeit in receipt of 14lb, as he claimed second place behind fellow rising star Contentment. Callan has partnered the Holy Roman Emperor gelding at each of his 12 Hong Kong starts, and numbers last season’s HKG1 Hong Kong Classic Mile among a tally of four wins; but as no man can ride two horses in one race, the Irishman finds himself reunited with the established star.
“Before I rode Beauty Only in the mile race last time, the consensus was that when Blazing Speed stepped up to 2000m in the Jockey Club Cup I was always going to ride him there,” explained Callan. “But then there was a change of heart from the owners of Beauty Only to switch him to 2000m. Once they made that switch, I’d already made a commitment to ride Blazing Speed. It’s a shame to have to make a decision between the two but at that point I was already committed to Blazing Speed for this race.
“It’s proven on the ratings that Blazing Speed is one of the best middle-distance horses in Hong Kong, so we’ll just have to wait and see what happens on Saturday.”
As for Beauty Only, the LONGINES Jockey Club Cup represents something of a step into the unknown. The bay won twice over 1800m as a two-year-old in Italy, but his only attempt to date at 2000m saw him finish more than four lengths sixth behind Luger in the HKG1 BMW Hong Kong Derby last March.
“Beauty Only didn’t run too badly in the Derby, he’s a year older and that bit stronger - I don't know, we’ll have to wait and see,” said Callan. “It’s a shame to have to miss him because I’ve been on him from day one and I’ve won four races on him. He’s gone up through the grades and I still think we haven’t seen the best of him. I still think he’s got a lot of improvement in him.”
The man hoping to benefit from any improvement on Saturday is Gerald Mosse. The Frenchman, the winning-most jockey in the history of December’s LONGINES Hong Kong International Races (8 wins), is looking forward to becoming acquainted with Beauty Only.
“I’ve never touched him but he looks like he’s a really nice horse with a lot of potential - I like him a lot,” said Mosse. “Of course, he’s stepping up in distance against the top horses, so that’s a little bit of a question mark.
“But when he used to race in Italy as a two-year-old, he was already running 1800m, so I believe, with maturity, and if I’m a bit patient, he should be able to come home like he did the other day - he finished in 22.01s or something. He can finish really quickly. Over 2000m, I don’t know if he’ll do the same but he looks a really nice horse and I’m very pleased to be on.”
Beauty Only runs in the colours of Eleanor Kwok and her son, Patrick, and Mosse will don another set of the Kwok family’s silks when he sides with Beauty Flame in Saturday’s G2 BOCHK Wealth Management Jockey Club Mile.
“Beauty Flame is a lovely horse, he’s tough,” said Mosse of last season’s G1 Stewards’ Cup (1600m) and Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) runner-up. “Able Friend has beaten me three times but you never know. My horse is well and I’m happy. He’s very consistent and is usually thereabouts.”
Able Friend is the headline draw in the mile showcase, which also features Designs On Rome, Dan Excel, Packing Pins and Contentment.
Saturday also features the G2 BOCHK Wealth Management Jockey Club Sprint (1200m). The field of 11 includes crack speedsters Gold-Fun, Peniaphobia, Lucky Nine, Not Listenin’tome and Super Jockey.
The LONGINES Jockey Club Cup also features among its nine runners Military Attack, Dominant, Helene Super Star and Helene Happy Star.
The trio of Group 2 contests that comprise the Jockey Club Races are the principal lead-ups to the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races on Sunday 13 December at Sha Tin, which features the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m), the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile, the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) and the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m).
