50 horses picked to run in Hong Kong International Races

Fifty horses, split evenly between locals and internationals, have been selected by the Hong Kong Jockey Club for the four Group 1 races Dec. 9 that make up the Hong Kong International Races at Sha Tin Racecourse.

Nine Japan-based horses are among the selected runners, as are eight horses with English connections, four from Ireland, two from France, and one each from Australia and Singapore. No U.S.-based horses will make the trip to Hong Kong this year.

:: Hong Kong: Free PPs, picks, and analysis

The highest-rated horse in the four races is Hong Kong-based Beauty Generation, who heads a list of 13 selected runners for the $3.19 million Hong Kong Mile. Beauty Generation will be favored over a group that includes One Master, fifth last out in the Breeders’ Cup Mile. The others in that race, arranged by ranking, are Persian Knight, Comin’ Through, Mozu Ascot, Beauty Only, Beat the Bank, Fifty Fifty, Singapore Sling, Southern Legend, Inns of Court, Nothingilikemore, and Vivlos.

Eleven horses were selected for the $3.57 million Hong Kong Cup, including last year’s race winner, Hong Kong-based Time Warp. Time Warp is rated 120 internationally, the co-highest rating in the race along with Sungrazer, one of three Japan-based horses selected along with Staphanos and Vivlos. Also selected for the Cup is Stormy Antarctic, who finished third in the Woodbine Mile and more recently was a close fourth in the Group 1 QE II at Ascot. The others selected, listed by rating from high to low, are Werther, Northern Superstar, Seasons Bloom, Gold Mount, Glorious Forever, and Eziyra, most recently sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf. The Cup is run at about 1 ¼ miles around two turns.

At the top of the ratings for the $2.55 million Hong Kong Vase over about 1 ½ miles is Waldgeist, who followed a fourth-place finish in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe with a fifth in the BC Turf. Also selected to run were two horses from trainer Aidan O’Brien (who won this race last year with Highland Reel), Capri and Rostropovich. O’Brien’s son Joseph has 3-year-old Latrobe for the race. The other selected runners are Pakistan Star, Salouen, Exultant, Mirage Dancer, Eagle Way, Red Verdon, Prince of Arran, Ruthven, Lys Gracieux, and Crocosmia. Lys Gracieux, a Group 1-winning Japan-based filly, was supplemented into the field.

Hong Kong trainer John Size has four of the 12 selected runners for the $2.55 million Hong Kong Sprint: Ivictory, D B Pin, Beat the Clock, and Hot King Prawn. Hot King Prawn’s international rating is 118 compared to Ivictory’s 121, but Hot King Prawn is the likely Sprint favorite. Also expected to run is the Sprint’s 2017 winner, Mr. Stunning, as well as Fine Needle, Sir Dancealot, Winner’s Way, Pingwu Spark, Lim’s Cruiser, Born in China, and Little Giant. The Sprint is contested at about six furlongs around one turn.