Hong Kong: three Australians taking on the world

Cover image courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club

The Vase

Without A Fight (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) who takes his place in the G1 Hong Kong International Vase, is the most favoured of the Australian representatives, contesting the 2400-metre event that has never been won by an Australian-trained horse.

There have been Australian form lines fare well however, Dunaden (Fr) (Nicobar {GB}) and Red Cadeaux (GB) (Cadeaux Genereux {GB}) finishing first and third in 2011 having, at their previous starts, provided the quinella for the G1 Melbourne Cup.

Red Cadeaux was again at Flemington the following year, unplaced before a G1 Japan Cup eighth and a win in the Vase.

Highland Reel (Ire) won the Vase in 2015 and 2017 and his lead-up form for his first success was a G1 W.S Cox Plate third behind Winx (Street Cry {Ire}).

Without A Fight heads to the race with just one run under his belt, running such a strong third behind Via Sistina (Ire) (Pride Of Dubai) in the G1 Champion S. having not raced since his 2023 Melbourne Cup victory.

He was second-up, though off a shorter spell, when winning last year's G1 Caulfield Cup. And Sam Freedman has been happy with his progress in Hong Kong.

“He has settled in really well and obviously he is a well-travelled horse, and he has taken it fine and is straight into his feed and he has been working and hasn’t missed a day.

“He did some pace work on Friday and seems great. He arrived here in really good order, and we did a fair bit of work with him before he got here.”

Getting home in 24.2s on the grass on Tuesday morning, Without A Fight again had Freedman happy.

“He wasn’t out there to break any records. He just stretched his legs, and all went smoothly. He basically just worked over seven furlongs (1400 metres) just in an improving gallop and picked it up and stretched his legs in the last little bit. His action was great and he went straight and recovered well.”

Another horse with Australian form is amongst his main dangers, last year's G1 Queen Elizabeth S. and G1 Ranvet S. winner Dubai Honour (Ire) (Pride Of Dubai).

His track work rider Issy Paul has been pleased with his work, telling the HKJC that “he is very good and I’m very happy.”

The 7-year-old already has Hong Kong experience having ventured there on three occasions, finishing fourth in the 2021 G1 Hong Kong International Cup, third in the 2023 G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup and seventh in that same race last year. Both of those races were won by Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}).

Stellenbosch (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) arrived in Hong Kong on Sunday, the filly who has been in the placings in Group 1 company twice since a win at that level in April attempting to continue the recent good run by Japanese horses in this race.

Japan can lay claim to five Vase winners; Stay Gold (Jpn) in 2001, Satono Crown (Jpn) in 2016, Glory Vase (Jpn) in 2019 and 2021 and Win Marilyn (Jpn) (Screen Hero {Jpn}) in 2022.

Another horse with good credentials is Giavellotto (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), his trainer Marco Botti describing the last start G1 Irish St Leger placegetter as a horse who has been “a solid performer all year.”

Marquisat (Ire) (Zarak {Fr}) found early trouble when fifth in the G1 Grosser Preis von Bayern; a race won last year by subsequent Vase winner Junko (GB) (Intello {Ger}). He was having his first crack at Group 1 level on that occasion, having won three of his first seven starts.

Trainer Andre Fabre's travelling head lad Richard Lambert has been happy with the gelding's process. “He seems to be a good traveller and he's in good shape. Obviously, he's beginning to get a bit of a winter coat, which is normal, but his weight is good and he has acclimatised well. I expect him to improve as the week goes on.”

Gallery: Some of the runners in the G1 Hong Kong Vase, images courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club

Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) seeks go to one better than he did when second in last year's G1 Hong Kong International Cup in which he ran into Romantic Warrior. This year's G1 Coronation Cup winner has pleased the Aidan O'Brien stable's travelling head lad Pat Keating who staid that he has “settled in well.”

Due to be “building up,” during the week, he will be under the supervision of O'Brien himself when he arrives in Hong Kong on Thursday morning.

The Mile

Four horses have ventured from Australasia to claim victory in the G1 Hong Kong International Mile, Monopolize (Rubiton) taking out consecutive runnings in 1995 and 1996, Catalan Opening (NZ) (Kaapstad {NZ}) winning for Bart Cummings the following year and the mighty mare Sunline (NZ) (Desert Sun {GB}) emerging victorious after a memorably stirring battle with the local favourite Fairy King Prawn (Danehill {USA}) in 2000.

(Who could forget the massive crowd's chants of PRAWN, PRAWN, PRAWN all the way down the straight!?)

Horses bred in Australia and New Zealand boast an outstanding record in the race with the Queensland-bred Golden Sixty (Medaglia D'Oro {USA}) taking out three of the last four runnings. The 2022 winner California Spangle (Ire) is a Northern Hemisphere-bred horse, but he is a son of Starspangledbanner.

Antino (NZ) (Redwood {GB}) looks a great chance on the back of his outstanding spring carnival form, trainer Tony Gollan happy to take him along quietly this week.

“He has handled the trip well so far,” he said on Monday evening. “He lost a couple of kilos and has settled in as expected. He doesn’t need much work as he is very fit. He has been up for a while so it’s just a matter of keeping him happy. He looks fantastic and he looks as good to my eye as when he looked at Flemington at his last run and we are still a week out, I am very happy with him.”

Antino's sire Redwood (GB) headed to Hong Kong on two occasions, running a great race when second to Mastery (GB) (Sulamani {Ire}) in the 2010 Vase in which Americain (USA) was third.

His main danger is Soul Rush (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}) who vies to become the fifth Japanese-bred winner of the mile; the last couple being Admire Mars (Jpn) in 2019 and Maurice (Jpn) in 2015.

They are amongst the 20 different Japanese horses to record wins on this day with last year the first since 2018 where none of the races were won by one of their horses.

The winner of eight races, Soul Rush contested this race last year, finishing fourth behind Golden Sixty and his form back home since has been consistent.

His work rider Yuki Iwasaki was optimistic on Tuesday morning, saying that, “He was fresh, very flexible and felt really good.”

The locals Voyage Bubble (Deep Field) and Galaxy Patch (Wandjina) are going to prove hard to toss having finished first and third in the main Hong Kong lead up race, the G2 HJKC Mile.

James McDonald rides the former with trainer Ricky Yiu confident.

“He is currently in great form and McDonald also knows the horse very well. The horse is still improving and his form is as good as last year when he was just beaten by Golden Sixty.

“He is a versatile type of horse, very smart, he can go to the front or settle behind, in whatever position. I believed he will run a good race this Sunday.”

Galaxy Patch was a beaten favourite last time out but has trialled nicely since.

“Vincent (Ho) was very happy with him,” trainer Pierre Ng reported. “I’m very happy with how he's pulled up and he looks well today. He’ll have another gallop on Thursday; his main gallop, and then he’ll be ready to race.”

Cheering him on from Australia will be his breeders Summerset Park Stud as well as Larneuk Stud, home to his sire Wandjina.

Another interesting runner from an Australian perspective is Docklands (GB) (Massaat {Ire}) who was sound when chasing home Via Sistina, finishing fifth and sixth in the Cox Plate and the Mackinnon S.

Stable representative Laura Pike noted that: “We went to Melbourne at the end of September, so we've been away quite a long time. He picked up prizemoney and he beat the track record despite finishing fifth in the Cox Plate. We arrived in Hong Kong 10 days ago, so we've had a bit longer than everyone else and we're just keeping him ticking over.

“He had a nice routine canter on the grass today (Tuesday). He's so fit, so we're just trying to freshen him up and keep him happy. He seems in great form. I was really happy with that today. He's going to do another bit on the grass on Thursday, when he'll have a blow before his race on Sunday. He loves his work. He's very bonny. He loves the cameras!”

The Sprint

Not since Falvelon's consecutive wins in this race, the G1 Hong Kong International Sprint, in 2000 and 2001 (the second and third runnings) has an Australian-trained horse claimed victory in this dash but it has been a race dominated by the Australian-bred horse.

It has been run on 24 occasions, Australian-bred horses winning the first 10 and another five since. New Zealand-bred horses have three wins including Lucky Sweynesse (NZ) (Sweynesse) last year.

David Hayes won the race in 2002 with All Thrills Too (St Covet) and has the hot favourite this time around, Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}) expected to go on his merry way having been so dominant winning his last seven in a row.

“After 10 starts no horse has shown me more,” Hayes said of the horse who broke the long-standing 1200-metre Sha Tin record held by Sacred Kingdom (Encosta De Lago) when taking out the G2 HKJC Sprint at his latest outing.

Galloping on all-weather track on Tuesday morning, clocking 22.6s for 400 metres, Ka Ying Rising had Hayes smiling.

“He was good this morning. I’m very happy and more importantly Zac (Purton) was very happy. We just let him stretch his legs for 400 metres and he showed me he’s ready to go.”

Last year's Mile winner California Spangle also has high-class sprinting form with two Japanese horses also fancied; Lugal (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) and Toshin Macau (Jpn) (Big Arthur {Jpn}) providing the quinella in the G1 Sprinters S. at Nakayama in late September.

Lugal's trainer Haruki Sugiyama said that he is looking forward to Sunday with his charge working on the turf on Monday, having an easy canter on the all-weather on Tuesday. “Everything has gone well so far. I saw him for the first time since he arrived here, and he seems to be the same as how he was at home. He will be tuned up after he gallops on Thursday.”

Stable representative, Takashi Komine said of Toshin Macau, who also worked on the all-weather “he seemed to be relaxed unlike yesterday, but he was very nervous when working on the main track for the first time. However, once he started cantering, he launched the bid and ran well. Tomorrow, we plan to do the same kind of training as today.”

Gallery: Two Japanese horses fancied in the G1 Hong Kong International Sprint, images courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club

The Australian runner Recommendation (Shalaa {ire}) is double-figure odds on the back of his last start Listed Century S. third but Ciaron Maher has liked what he has seen of the 5-year-old since his arrival in Hong Kong.

“Everything is going very well. He travelled well and he didn’t even sweat when he came over on the plane. He was quite bright after he worked on Sunday morning. He likes to be fresh and he seems to be that way.

“He will do a piece (of fast work) on Wednesday, but not much. As I said he likes to be fresh. And he has had plenty of racing and the better he feels, the better he goes.”

The Cup

Bound for the Middle East after this race, Romantic Warrior is not surprisingly a very short-priced favourite to add a third G1 Hong Kong International Cup win to his tally. When successful last year he became the only dual winner of the race with California Memory (USA) (Highest Honor {Fr}) successful in 2011 and 2012.

Not beaten since his G1 Turnbull S. fourth last year, Romantic Warrior is the reigning Hong Kong Horse of the Year with his wins in Australia and Japan earning him worldwide recognition and respect.

It's hard to see him beaten on Sunday but he does have some talented rivals including a horse of particular interest to Australians; Liberty Island (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) being a daughter of the G1 ATC Sires Produce S. and G1 Spring Champion S. winner Yankee Rose (All American).

Second to the star galloper Equinox (Jpn) in last year's G1 Japan Cup, the five-time winner from nine starts had a set-back with her feet before finishing out of the placings in the G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) at her latest outing.

Her rider Yuya Katayama was happy with her track work on Tuesday morning, noting that “her moves are getting lighter and lighter day by day and I think she is in good shape and has been preparing well for tomorrow's solid work and the race day.”

Katayama has Liberty Island's mental state in mind as well, saying that “the paddock will be full of people and we have to walk close to people, so considering those situations I intentionally walked her close to the photographers and media people, but she was calm without any problem.”

Also from Japan is Tastiera (Jpn) whose sire Satono Crown won the Vase in 2016. Second in the Tenno Sho last time out, he has had his form hold up with that race won by the subsequent barnstorming Japan Cup winner Do Deuce (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}).

Tastiera's owners Carrot Farm decided to skip the Japan Cup, basing their decision to head to Hong Kong “on suitability, opponents, and the desire to give him meaningful experience that will help him in the future.”

Stable representative Tomohiro Takahashi said that Tastiera “is a little bit nervous but is gradually getting used to the new environment. The more time he has, the more relaxed he will become.”

To be ridden by Damian Lane, he is trained by Noriyuki Hori who also trained Satono Crown as well as fellow Hong Kong feature winners Maurice and Neorealism (Jpn).

Representing England is the Andrew Balding-trained The Foxes (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) who recorded a Listed win over Dubai Honour at his latest outing.

“He’s got a fair bit to find with Romantic Warrior, but I think we are certainly in the mix with the others,” Balding said.

“He has come out of his recent win at Newcastle very well and I can’t feel we could have him any better. He’s a horse we have always thought a lot of.”

Balding enjoyed Hong Kong success with Phoenix Reach (Ire), winner of the Vase in 2004, noting that “I think The Foxes is quite similar to him.”

“We haven’t had a horse for Hong Kong for several years. But it’s always something we would like to do. If we have the right horse, Hong Kong is on the agenda.”