By Andrew Hawkins
The undercard races at tomorrow’s LONGINES Hong Kong International Races has historically proved to be a stepping stone to big-name billing at the December showpiece, and this year could be as strong as ever with names like Pakistan Star, Mr Stunning and Jing Jing Win, among others, looking to continue their progression towards a potential spot in the features in 2017.
While most of the focus is on the four rich features which headline the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races, the other six events – the supporting acts – provide some of the most competitive racing of the entire Hong Kong season as trainers and owners chase a win in front of the world.
Not only is it competitive, but each race also provides an opportunity for horses to step forward and mark their credentials as future HKIR contenders.
Since 2006, 35 local horses that have run on the undercard have returned down the line to compete in one of the four international features – the HK$25 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m), the HK$23 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (1600m), the HK$18.5 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) or the HK$16.5 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m). That includes 12 of the 27 Hong Kong representatives at this year’s HKIR.
International day winners to have previously raced on the undercard on their way to the big time include 2014 Mile winner Able Friend, 2014 Sprint winner Aerovelocity, two-time Hong Kong Cup winner California Memory (2011 & 2012), 2010 Mile victor Beauty Flash and 2008 Sprint champion Inspiration.
Classic contenders headline competitive closer to LONGINES Hong Kong International Races
Tomorrow’s card closes with a peach of a Class 2, the Eishin Preston Handicap, and the 1600m contest could turn out to be the most competitive event on a stellar day of racing.
This race has evolved into a key lead-up to Hong Kong’s Four-Year-Old Series – the Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m), the Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) and the BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m).
In the last five years, three subsequent Four-Year-Old Classic Series victors have won the contest – 2011 winner Fay Fay came back to win the Derby, 2013 victor Able Friend took the Classic Mile at his next start, while last year saw the winning Hong Kong debut of Werther, which set him on his way to Derby glory.
This year sees three potential classic horses, including a fascinating debutant from the southern hemisphere. However, all eyes will be on boom horse Pakistan Star as he begins his build-up towards a Derby campaign.
Tony Cruz’s rising four-year-old is as well-known, if not more so, in foreign climes as his seven stable mates who are running for HKIR glory earlier in the day, his electrifying turn of foot and his something-from-nothing victories generating headlines around the world. But the son of Shamardal will be attempting to bounce back from two admirable defeats at Sha Tin tomorrow.
“He is well and he’s ready to run a good race,” said jockey Matthew Chadwick. “He has drawn the outside in 14, but it’s not really a positive or a negative, it just means that I have to hope the race pans out for us. We’ve faced two really strong horses in Mr Bogart and Simply Invincible at his last two, both of them are running in the Class 1, and so I think his form shows he will be hard to beat.”
Expected to be well-fancied to play the spoiler’s role for a third time is John Size’s Western Express. Formerly raced as Cardless Cash in Australia, where he won two from two, he was dominant when racing away to record an effortless victory at his Hong Kong debut in Class 3 last month.
However, the X-factor horse may be John Moore-trained Eagle Way, the G1 Queensland Derby (2400m) winner in June who makes his Hong Kong debut. It comes exactly 12 months after Moore produced 2015 Queensland Derby runner-up Werther to win the same race. In fact, Moore has won this contest the last four years, also sending out What You Dream (2014), Able Friend (2013) and Victory Master (2012). Hugh Bowman takes the ride from gate five.
The final race, the Class 2 Eishin Preston Handicap (1600m), is due off at 5:50pm tomorrow.
Purton hopes for Class 3 repeat with Jing Jing Win
Three years ago, Zac Purton jumped aboard a lightly raced gelding before the first on LONGINES Hong Kong International Races day, a Class 3 over 1200m. The bay, a winner of just one of his six starts in Hong Kong, was sent off as second favourite, and in a final-furlong battle royale, managed to just prevail.
Purton has never given up the ride since, and tomorrow, that bay – Aerovelocity – will be aiming to maintain his perfect record on international day as he aims to win his second LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m).
This year’s 1200m Class 3 opener, the Silent Witness Handicap, could once again provide Purton with a future HKIR mount as he partners unbeaten Jing Jing Win with the horse chasing a three from three record.
David Hall-trained Jing Jing Win was the top lot at the Hong Kong International Sale in March, the son of Starcraft selling to owner Liu Yu Wen for HK$8.5 million. And with two big-margin wins already recorded, it appears to have been money well spent.
“We hope to go there and win again,” Purton said. “Obviously he’s done everything right so far, he continues to do everything right. He’s working well in the morning, his recent barrier trial was good, so we’re expecting him to run well.”
The four-year-old is still raw, though, developing a number of bad habits at the gates, and Purton says that the issues are still there even with race experience under his belt.
“He’s not getting better in the gates at all,” he said. “He puts his front legs forward and locks them and basically sits down like a dog. So he’s going to have to sort that out as he goes up in grade and against the better class horses. Fortunately though, so far he’s been able to get away cleanly and put himself in the right spot and he’s going to need to do that again.”
The 1200m Class 3 has marked the International day debut of a number of brilliant sprinters, including another Hong Kong Sprint winner in John Moore-trained Inspiration. He finished third to Northern Hero in this race in 2006 in a contest which also saw two-time Sprint place-getter Joy And Fun finish second.
Hall had flirted with the idea of stretching Jing Jing Win out to 1400m for another Class 3 on the card, a race that saw tomorrow’s Mile contenders Giant Treasure and Packing Pins launch themselves towards the big leagues in 2014, but Purton believes sticking to 1200m is the right decision for now.
“I think it is a good choice, while a horse is still winning at a distance you probably don’t need to change it,” Purton said. “He’s in tune with that. After his trial, I think he gave the impression that he might just go a little bit keen for a 1400m race so this race over 1200m looks a good stepping stone to whatever he does in the future.”
The Class 3 Silent Witness Handicap (1200m) kicks off the bumper LONGINES Hong Kong International Races card at 12:25pm tomorrow.
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Photo 1:
Pakistan Star (outside) finishes a close second behind Simply Invincible at his latest outing.
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Photo 2:
Jing Jing Win lands a comfortable win last start at Sha Tin.
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