A fascinating renewal of the HK$10 million G1 Stewards’ Cup headlines a big-race double-header at Sha Tin Racecourse on Sunday, 31 January, and with last year’s dominant winner Able Friend out of the picture, trainer Tony Cruz is looking to Beauty Only for a breakthrough win at the highest level.
“Beauty Only is my top pick,” said the trainer. “Without Able Friend, he has a big chance.”
The Italian import won the HKG1 Hong Kong Classic Mile at the course and distance this time last year to earn his stripes as one of the best of the 2015 four-year-old crop. Beauty Only began the current campaign by making good progress towards the mile division’s top table and is aiming to get back on track after diverting to 2000m for his most recent two starts.
The Holy Roman Emperor gelding, one of four Cruz-trained runners shooting for Stewards’ Cup glory, made a perfect start to the season, winning a 1400m Class 1 handicap under Neil Callan, with Sunday’s opponents Giant Treasure and Multivictory behind. He followed that with a closing second to another Stewards’ Cup hopeful, Contentment, in the HKG2 Oriental Watch Sha Tin Trophy (Handicap) over a mile.
But with Beauty Only having scored a G3 win at 1800m in his youth, connections opted to send their rising star down the 2000m route. A fine third to Military Attack in the G2 LONGINES Jockey Club Cup in November prompted a tilt at the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup the following month. In a race dominated by Japan’s front-running A Shin Hikari, Beauty Only finished back in eighth.
“We ran him at a mile and a quarter in December but that was too long for him, he’s definitely a miler so this should be perfect for him,” said Cruz, who gave the five-year-old a warm-up in a recent 1000m barrier trial behind stablemate Peniaphobia.
“I was happy with his trial the other day,” he said. “They took him off his feet early but he was running on at the end and afterwards he was jumping out of his skin. He’s ready for action and Ryan Moore’s riding him. It’s an open race and Beauty Only could be the one - he’d be my best chance.”
Beauty Flame ran second to Able Friend in this race last year and caused a shock when defeating the Horse of the Year in November’s G2 BOCHK Wealth Management Jockey Club Mile. A return to that form, following a fair sixth in the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile last time, would put the six-year-old right in the mix once again.
“Beauty Flame has a very good chance,” said Cruz. “He’s in as good form as when he was second last year and I expect him to be in the first three.”
Blazing Speed gave Cruz his fourth win in the race as a trainer when successful under Mirco Demuro two years ago. That was the seven-year-old’s latest win at a mile, and the handler has next month’s G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup (2000m) as the prime target for last year’s G1 Audemars Piguet QEII Cup winner.
“I’m very happy with his condition, he looks in great form but it’s not his distance. He won the race two years ago but really the mile is too short for him,” said Cruz, who also saddles recent HKG3 Chinese Club Challenge Cup (Handicap) winner Mulitivictory.
The Stewards’ Cup field also features former Hong Kong Horse of the Year recipients Designs On Rome and Military Attack, dual G1 Singapore Airlines International Cup (2000m) winner Dan Excel, last month’s G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile runner-up Giant Treasure, 2015 HKG1 BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) victor Luger, and Rewarding Hero.
Also on the 11-race card is the HKG1 Centenary Sprint Cup (1200m), the first leg of the Hong Kong Speed Series. Cruz relies on last month’s impressive G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) hero, Peniaphobia, the mount of Joao Moreira.
The Champion Jockey made all after breaking from gate 14 on that occasion - with the re-opposing Gold-Fun and Not Listenin’tome in second and third - and this time is berthed in gate 3.
“His recent barrier trial was very good; I was delighted with how he went,” said Moreira. “If he brings the form he showed in December he’ll be hard to beat. I believe I’m on the best horse in the race, he’s a little bit more mature this year and if everything goes right he can win.
“Last time he overcame a bad draw and this time he doesn't need to do that, so hopefully he does everything right, and, if doing that, I’m confident he’ll be right there.”
Also in the 13-strong field is Aerovelocity, who held off Peniaphobia when successful in the 2014 G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint, but who missed the most recent edition as a result of a heart irregularity: Lucky Nine, Secret Sham, Super Jockey, Amber Sky, Charles The Great, Domineer, Frederick Engels, I’m In Charge and Strathmore complete the top-class line-up.
