Some of the images from the photoblog today are from Thursday mornings work. I have a few images of some of the local horses who will be on the undercard to the G1 races on Sunday, and have included them for interests sake.

DANBURITE

As opposed to his quirky friend Al Ain, Danburite has appeared to have a very straight forward week here in Hong Kong. Thursday was his second gallop on the grass this week and all went well as opposed to the side-show his countryman was putting on at the same time.

He worked on the turf track over 800m under exercise rider and assistant trainer Shinichiro Kobayashi, clocking 57.6s (33.0, 24.6). Kobayashi said: “After he warmed up in the trotting ring he went out to the turf course and cantered. He started to accelerate from the 600m pole and was driven in the stretch. He moved nicely and responded well. He did almost everything he needed to do before he came over here, so I haven’t asked him to do too much this week.  Everything has gone as planned. Tomorrow he will visit the paddock area and the starting gate for schooling.”

This morning he exercised in the quarantine stables’ trotting ring and then schooled at the paddock and the starting gate. Assistant trainer Shinichiro Kobayashi said: “He usually becomes eager when he walks around the paddock before he has a preliminary canter on race day.  He was a bit excited this morning after he walked at the paddock, but it has been a good experience for him to be familiarised with it.  Hopefully he will be more relaxed on Sunday.  He practiced to stand still with the stall handler staying beside him in the gate, and he was fine with it, which should be effective on Sunday.”

BLUE POINT

Thursday he worked on the turf where he stretched his legs for a couple of furlongs under work rider Giuseppe Bussu. Sophie Chretien, assistant to trainer Charlie Appleby, said: “He won’t go back on the grass, he’ll stay on the dirt until the race now. He’s just going to go easy for the next couple of days, we want to keep him fresh and happy, we’re not going to try anything smart, just make him enjoy himself. We’re very happy with him, he’s eating and enjoying himself so we’ve just got to hope we can keep him like that until Sunday.”

Trainer Charlie Appleby was on track today and has an air of confidence about him. “I’m delighted with him,” he said. “He shipped in very well, Sophie knows him inside out and the team was pleased with the way he settled into his surroundings. He was on the turf yesterday, Giuseppe said he moved around beautifully, he was pleased to see him switching his leads well. He’s doing all the right stuff, showing us all the right signs.”

On his last minute scratching from the Dubai meet “Frankly, we’re here now so it wasn’t too serious,” Appleby explained. “If it had been serious, we wouldn’t be standing where we are now. It was an unfortunate situation, he must have given himself a bang somewhere along the line there, but post-race, we haven’t had a setback at all. It was just fortunate on the night that we had a reserve there in Jungle Cat to pick up the pieces. It’s worked out well too because we come here with a fresh horse.

“If Blue Point had run on World Cup night, this would have been a serious question – coming out here and then heading on to Royal Ascot, it would have been a tough test. But the way it has panned out, timing-wise, it suits us. It was a race we purposely made the entry for, not quite knowing what would happen, and with him missing World Cup night, it was a logical step coming here and then going on to Royal Ascot.”

Confidence is one thing, taking on the local brigade and beating them on their own patch is another. He will do well to run a place.

FINE NEEDLE

Fine Needle made an appearance on the dirt track after a quiet day in the quarantine area yesterday. He cantered a lap, and did throw his head about somewhat, not letting his rider relax at all.

Trainer Yoshitada Takahashi said: “He has settled in well and has really acquainted himself with the surroundings. He has moved comfortably during his work and felt good this morning. Mentally, he has been switched on and sharpened up since the breeze he had the other day.  All has gone well so far.”

HOT KING PRAWN

One of the highlights of the undercard will be seeing the unbeaten John Size trained sprinter Hot King Prawn. He will race over 1200m for the first time, having made all his starts to date down the 1000m straight at Sha Tin. He comes up against a solid field of Class 2 gallopers, which includes debutants Summer Passage and Eptimum. Hot King Prawn is awkwardly drawn in gate eight and is burdened with top weight. However on all he has shown to date, he is well suited here.

 

SIMPLY BRILLIANT

The first of the progeny of star stallion Frankel to land a win in Hong Kong, Simply Brilliant runs over a mile in a Class Two event. He’s put together two wins on the trot now, and is really looking like he’s settling into the pattern here in Hong Kong. With the tough handicapping it is difficult to string multiple wins together. However he really looks relaxed and well, so another win would not surprise. He does have a tough task ahead of him though with both Easy Go Easy Win and Citron Spirit in good form. He’s drawn the outside gate and hoop Olivier Doleuze will have his work cut out finding an easy run.