Nobody really knew how this race would take shape, most speed maps were an educated guess at best. With no obvious leader, and a weather forecast that looked rather dire, it was anyones guess who might lead. The Helene horses, Super Star and Happy Star, both pushed on from wide gates and the predicted leader Horse of Fortune was also handy, so any thought of a muddling speed were soon quashed. Perhaps the rain that had fallen during the course of the day, meaning the track was downgraded to yielding seemed  to see some riders lose their head.

After the Derby Bowman was asked what Werther’s ideal distance might be and he responded, that 2000m off a good pace would be the trip and so it proved to be. Werther was able to sit back in the field and and bide his time sitting off the tempo (although it was not A Shin Hikari like speed). When the leaders angled out looking for better ground as they straightened, Bowman pounced on the inside and was soon hitting the front some 300m from home.

From there it was a one act affair with the margin ever widening. Hugh was able to give an early salute (with no risk of a fine) and maintain a 4.5l margin at the line. Previous winners Military Attack and Blazing Speed were able to run on and fill the placings making it a trifecta for Hong Kong trained horse. The first of the foreign raiders was Lovely Day who finished forth (also the best of the on speed horses).

What do we make of the race? This I’m sure will be well debated over the coming weeks. The soft ground lead to some tactical errors and the margin of the win will be considered flattering by many. Werther went into the race under rated by many I’m sure, but even his most ardent supporters would not have had him beating this field by the margin the unfolded. He now joins an elite group of QE II winner coming off a Derby win (Vengeance Of Rain, Ambitious Dragon and Designs On Rome). Hong Kong Chief Handicapper, Nigel Gray was thinking that the race may rate in the region of 123/124, which could be a little high. However time will be the judge of that.

 

So what next for Werther? John Moore – “Next we’ll go to the Champions & Chater Cup over a mile and a half here in a month’s time and Hugh will be back to ride him,” he said, adding with a hopeful smile and raised eyebrows, “then we’ll give him a break and I’ll be trying to pull the owner’s leg to go back to Australia for the Cox Plate!” While Werther was impressive, I’m not sure Bowman will be jumping off Winx to ride him in a Cox Plate.

On the winner Bowman said “I thought we saw a great turn of foot over a trip, a turn of foot we haven’t see him give since he ran here first-up at the 1600 metres on international day,” said Bowman. “The reason you haven’t seen that turn of foot is because I’ve been riding him more tactically aware. I’ve had him up close; I’ve had him travelling a bit stronger than I did today. Today I allowed him to really relax throughout the race and we’ve seen the best of him.”

No doubt Werther is a good horse, much improved from the galloper we saw in Australia. Just how good he is remains to be seen. Hong Kong desperately needs new talent in the middle distance range, and today we saw the a serious contender emerge.