NEWS
Hong Kong might be next stop for Red Rocks
Posted: Monday, November 12, 2007 2:25 PM
RED ROCKS (IRE)
Photo by Z
by Jeff Lowe
After finishing third in the John Deere Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) on October 27 at Monmouth Park, Red Rocks (Ire) has returned to England with the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Vase (HK-G1) on December 9 as a possible target.
Jamie McCalmont, a British-based agent for owner J. Paul Reddam, said the four-year-old Galileo (Ire) colt has not done any serious training since returning to trainer Brian Meehan’s stable at Manton, and so “the best way to describe it is that the [Vase] is under consideration.”
Winner of the 2006 Breeders' Cup Turf, Red Rocks finished 7 3/4 lengths behind overwhelming winner English Channel in this year's Turf.
McCalmont said Red Rocks would remain with Meehan next year with a schedule that will again focus on the Nakheel Dubai Sheema Classic (UAE-G1) and Breeders’ Cup Turf. Red Rocks finished ninth to Subscribe in the 2007 Sheema Classic at Nad al Sheba racecourse.
The Hong Kong Vase also might be on the agenda for Viva Pataca, the local star who scored easily in the Cathay Pacific International Cup Trial on Sunday at Sha Tin racecourse.
The connections of Viva Pataca toyed with the idea of supplementing him for the Breeders’ Cup Turf, but they ultimately decided to focus on the International Races program at Sha Tin. They have not decided between the $2.6-million Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Cup (HK-G1) at 2,000 meters (9.94 furlongs) or the $1.8-million Hong Kong Vase at 2,400-meters (11.93 furlongs).
Miss Andretti, the Australian-based mare who traveled to England and won the King’s Stand Stakes (Eng-G2) at Royal Ascot, was scheduled to enter quarantine on Monday for a trip to Sha Tin for the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Sprint (HK-G1) on the International Races card.
The five-year-old mare won The Age Classic (Aus-G1) on Saturday at Flemington for trainer Lee Freedman.
Jeff Lowe is a Thoroughbred Times staff writer
