Crocosmia
This mare is G2 winner and runner-up in the past two editions of the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup, latterly to Lys Gracieux earlier this month. She generally races on the speed and as with nearly all Japanese runners, prefers a firm track.
She was the only international runner to make use of the turf track, and was impressive in galloping 800m in 49s (25.7, 23.3) under jockey Ryusei Sakai. Assistant trainer Shoichi Nishiura said: “I wanted her to relax today to get her to move nicely and we asked her to go a bit stronger towards the finish line. So far, we have been trying to get her form back since she arrived in Hong Kong. She worked perfectly today and has settled in the new surroundings well.”
Red Verdon
Red Verdon comes to Hong Kong after a luckless spell in Australia. He finished 11th in a slowly run Caulfield Cup, then suffered from hoof problems which saw him miss a run in the Melbourne Cup. He seems to be well over those issues now and looks to have settled into life at Sha Tin.
This morning he breezed around the dirt track and quickened up as he passed the on-looking trainer Ed Dunlop. Dunlop said: “I saw him for the first time in Hong Kong last night and he looks great. We don’t need to do much with him for the rest of the week and he’ll probably stick to the all-weather track.
“Nothing went right for him in the Caulfield Cup (where he finished 11th) and he’s 100% recovered from the bruised heel he suffered subsequently. It’s a tough assignment for him on Sunday but he comes here a fresh horse and if he’s on his A-game on Sunday he might be able to pick up some pieces.”
Red Verdon’s experienced work rider, Steve Nicholson, had to take evasive action in the straight when he found Beat The Bank in his path on the rail, but was unfazed by the incident, “Don’t worry, I’ve seen it all before,” he quipped as he guided his charge off the track.
Staphanos
This guy is nearly a local here, making his fifth visit to Hong Kong. He placed third and fourth in past two editions of the Cup and and is G1-placed five times. He’d be a deserved and popular G1 winner.
He cantered a lap and a half around the dirt track. Assistant trainer Kazuo Fujiwara said: “He is improving daily and moved over the track really well. We’ll breeze him on Thursday.”
Sungrazer
This guy is a seven-time winner from 16 starts, with three G2 scores; he was a very good second at his latest run behind Rey De Oro in G1 Tenno Sho Autumn. He usually settles midfield or back. At his best on good to firm but has won on ground with some ease.
Lys Gracieux
She gained a well-deserved first G1 win with a defeat of Crocosmia in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup last time. That is the race that Snow Fairy came through when winning the Cup. She is a strong finisher who excels on firm ground and has no exposure to genuinely soft.
Walgeist
Waldgeist earned his stripes as one of the world’s top middle-distance gallopers with four wins this year including the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and will attempt to give trainer Fabre a third Vase win. The four-year-old was a running-on fourth to Enable in the G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in October. He is sually ridden midfield and is capable on good and soft ground but excels on the latter.
He cantered two laps of the all-weather track. Andre Fabre’s travelling head lad Richard Lambert said: “He’s fine, he’s just doing routine canters on the all-weather. There’s no need to work him on the turf as he ran in the Breeders’ Cup and he did what he needed to do before coming out.”