BLAZING SPEED – HK
Tony Cruz’s charge cantered on the inner all-weather track.
Jockey Neil Callan said: “I’d expect him to improve quite a bit going into this race from his last. He looks magnificent, so he’s going to go there with the same chance that he does every year.”
DICTON – FR
Very light canter around two laps of the all-weather track.
Laura Dell’Elce, assistant to trainer Gianluca Bietolini, said: “He travelled over well and he seems to be settling in.”
NEOREALISM – JPN
The Noriyuki Hori-trained galloper warmed up in the trotting ring and then hacked 1400m on the all-weather track under his regular exercise rider Shinjiro Kaneko.
Kaneko said: “He feels very good. He is in good form and has been very relaxed in these different surroundings. I think he is more relaxed than the last time he came here (for the Hong Kong Mile) in December.”
Jockey Joao Moreira said: “I will ride him either on Thursday or on Friday. I have not been told any specific details yet.”
SECRET WEAPON – HK
After yesterday’s turf gallop, Dennis Yip’s charge cantered on the inner all-weather track.
Jockey Zac Purton said: “He has had a little bit of a setback coming into this race so Dennis has had to pull out all the stops to get him in the form that he’s in but I think he’s in good enough form to run a good race. He was blowing hard after his gallop yesterday so that work will have done him good.”
WERTHER – HK
Last year’s APQEII Cup winner cantered on the inner all-weather track.
Trainer John Moore said: “Everything’s going to plan with him. He looks good this morning and you’ll see him work on the grass with a lead horse on Thursday morning. He’s had the perfect prep in the sense of being set for just this race. Missing the first half of the season helped because he’s kicking his brand off whereas the other Hong Kong horses have a long, hard season.”
