3 minute read
Will the odds-on favourites justify their price in the 3 G1s on the card?
Firstly the Sprint with 8 runners and Lucky Sweynesse on 1.2. It could all be down to the start, which isn't his best feature and while he is clearly Hong Kong's best sprinter the slightest hitch here could leave the gate open for Wellington who is going for his third successive win in the race. He's on 10.0 for Richard Gibson and Alexis Badel. Lucky Sweynesse however has responded positively to every question asked of him and this could be the biggest question of them all.
Then on 14.0 so hardly a roughie is Sight Success who ran a top 4th in the Al Quoz in Dubai. He's drawn gate 1 and has J Mac on board and as John Size says all he has to do is go straight and "we shall see". Having seen his run in Dubai we are looking at him to cause a possible upset here. Master Eight on the same quote has returning hero Joao Moreira riding for Franke Lor and they may lead.
The FWD Champions Mile looks almost certainly to go to the locals as they have the two highest rated milers in Golden Sixty and California Spangles. They've drawn wide in 7 and 8 but there is a long run down the back straight in which the runners can sort themselves out.
Golden Sixty is an absolute star – one of the best they have ever had in Hong Kong but this will be hard to win as he is trying to make it three in a row for the race. California Spangle has beaten him before but it could come down to tactics. Voyage Bubble, the Derby winner, may try to steal the lead although Purton on California Spangles says he will go forward. Australia's sole rep at this meeting My Oberon is not without a chance here – he's been kept safe on 13.0 and Moreira rides and he certainly knows his way around this track.
Waikuku will be having his last start in this race and he's been a wonderful horse for connections. He's on 35.0 but would be nice to see him go out on a good run.
The QEII Cup is over 2000m which means there isn't much between the start and the first turn. The race is now down to 7 runners so that may not be such a challenge as it is when there is a full field. Romantic Warrior won this last time and has been a star of the local scene but he was beaten in his last two starts by Golden Sixty which has blotted his copy book. We would not be taking the odds-on here and instead will put the hard-earned on British raider Dubai Honour who has taken the eye on the training track and comes here after two G1 wins in Australia. The other one to respect here is the Japanese mare Geraldina, whose sire Maurice won twice here and her dam Gentildonna was one of Deep Impact's best offspring. She can be a bit hit and miss but if she runs to her best she could steal this and her price is 5.5.
We will provide an update from the track on Sunday.
