UK: Hong Kong Trainers Dismiss Fitness Concerns

Thursday, 7 June 2012: Hong Kong's two entries in the King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot are under fitness clouds ahead of the Group One sprint on June 19.

Joy And Fun Photo by Singapore Turf Club

Veteran sprinter Joy And Fun  and Little Bridge  have arrived in the UK but not without concerns for their fitness.

Trainer Derek Cruz remains unperturbed by a foot injury to his "war horse" Joy And Fun and is confident the veteran sprinter will be lining up on Tuesday week in a the race where his career almost ended in 2010 when he suffered a fractured cannon bone.

The rising nine-year-old has been battling with a bruised heel but Cruz feels it is nothing compared to the more severe injuries of a fractured wither he suffered as a young horse as well as his bone fracture in the 2010 King's Stand.

"He is a trojan with all the major injuries he has had - what else can you throw at him? He is a war horse," said Cruz.

"His foot injury is settling down, it is coming along nicely and he is moving a lot better now. He is right up to the mark and he produced two very good pieces of work before he left."

Cruz's son Trevor travelled with Joy And Fun from Hong Kong to England just over a week ago.

Cruz will join them next Jane Chapple-Hyam's stables next week.

"I'll ride the horse when I get there and get a better feel on whether he is feeling good," said Cruz, who also will consider running Joy And Fun against Black Caviar in the July Cup at Newmarket on July 14.

"He left here in good nick, and I thought his third in Dubai was great. He is going in first-up after that and should sprint well fresh," Cruz said.

Trainer Danny Shum has played down reports of a virus hampering Little Bridge's preparation since he arrived at Newmarket.

Shum will arrive on Thursday with Shum declaring Little Bridge is not ill.

"There's no virus, he is absolutely fine," Shum said.

"He just had a minor fever when he arrived in England because of the travel. The next day he was back to normal and everything is fine."

Shum had originally proposed an ambitious overseas tour with Little Bridge to include the Diamaond Jubilee Stakes and July Cup before coming home from the UK via the G1 Sprinters Stakes in Japan.

However Little Bridge will now return to Hong Kong immediately after the King's Stand Stakes and be prepared at home for a trip to Japan in October for the Sprinter's Stakes.