NEWS
California Flag, Youmzain among stars in Hong Kong
Posted: Friday, December 11, 2009 4:15 PM
More than 30 international runners, including recent Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner California Flag and Grade 1 winner Black Mamba (NZ), will take on the very best horses based in Hong Kong for the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Races on Sunday at Sha Tin Racecourse
The International Races comprise four Group 1 turf events worth combined purses of $8-million. The program is anchored by the $2.6-million Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Cup (HK-G1) at $2.6-million). The program also includes the $1.8-million Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Vase (HK-G1) at 2,400 meters (11.93 furlongs), the $1.6-million Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Sprint (HK-G1) at 1,200 meters (5.97 furlongs), and the $2.1-million Hong Kong Mile (HK-G1) at 1,600 meters (7.95 furlongs).
"We are delighted to have attracted so many of the world's best horses, trainers, and jockeys to the Turf World Championships on the 125th anniversary of the Hong Kong Jockey Club," said Bill Nader, executive director of racing at the Hong Kong Jockey Club.
"The recent history of this great meeting exhibits neck-and-neck rivalry between Hong Kong-trained horses and those from the rest of the world. For the last four years, the meeting has been tied at two wins apiece for the home team and those from abroad.
"Many believe this is the strongest home defense ever assembled with valid winning chances in each race, but this is a prerequisite given the strength of the visiting contingent from five continents.
"The Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Races meeting is the most prestigious event on Hong Kong's sporting calendar I can assure everyone a feast of world class racing on the second Sunday in December."
The most lucrative event in Hong Kong sport, the Hong Kong Cup has been by horses trained in seven nations over the past decade. This year’s edition pits last season's international Group 1 winners at 2,000 meters in Hong Kong--
Eagle Mountain and Presvis—against French classic winner Vision d'Etat and 2009 Mercedes-Benz Hong Kong Derby victor Collection
Vision d'Etat, winner of the 2008 Prix du Jockey Club (Fr-G1) (French Derby), captured the Prince of Wales's Stakes (Eng-G1) at Royal Ascot in June.
Eagle Mountain, victor in last year’s Hong Kong Cup, was runner-up in the 2008 Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Turf (G1). In his only start this year, he was ninth in the Cathay Pacific International Mile Trial on November 22.
Presvis, winner of the Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup (HK-G1) in April, finished a close second in the Singapore Airlines International Cup (Sin-G1) in May.
Collection enters off a victory in the Cathay Pacific International Cup Trial on November 15.
Thirteen of the 15 editions of the Hong Kong Vase have gone to horses trained in France or Great Britain.
This year’s field includes British-based multiple Group 1 winner Youmzain, the highest ranked runner at the meeting. He has been the runner-up in the last three editions of the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Fr-G1).
Hong Kong's Horse of the Year Viva Pataca is a multiple Group 1 winner who will bid for his first win since taking the Citi Champions and Chater Cup in May.
Purple Moon suffered a last-gasp defeat by Doctor Dino (Fr) in the race last year to go with other near-misses in the 2007 Emirates Melbourne Cup (Aus-G1) and 2009 Nakheel Dubai Sheema Classic (UAE-G1).
Black Mamba, winner of the 2008 John C. Mabee Handicap (G1), has three wins, a second, and a third in seven starts this season, including her victory in the Beverly Hills Handicap (G2) in June. She won the Rood and Riddle Dowager Stakes on October 25 at Keeneland Race Course before being purchased for $1.5-million at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky fall selected mixed sale by Tony Bott of Evergreen Stables Farm on behalf of Hong Kong-based client P. K. Siu.
Some of the best sprinters from Australia, the U.S., Europe, and Japan are aiming for the Hong Kong Sprint, including Sacred Kingdom, Hong Kong's champion sprinter, winner of the race in 2007; Scenic Blast, Australia's Horse of the Year after three Group1 sprints in both hemispheres who will collect the $1-milion Global Sprint Challenge bonus if he wins; California Flag, the leading U.S. turf sprinter who won the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint earlier this month; and Cannonball, runner-up in the Golden Jubilee Stakes (G1) in June at Royal Ascot and recently a fast-finishing third in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint.
Hong Kong has kept the Hong Kong Mile title at home for five of the last ten years, and this year could be the most historic with Good Ba Ba going for an unprecedented triple in the race.
Other contenders include Egyptian Ra, the second highest-rated horse in Hong Kong and third in the race last year; Group 1 winner Pressing, winner Topkapi Trophy for the past two seasons in Turkey; and graded/group stakes Ferneley (Ire), who finished second in the Woodbine Mile Stakes (Can-G1) in September but was unplaced in the TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1).
