Arcada heads field of nine in Hyacinth Handicap

Arcada, who finished third in two Group 2 stakes in Ireland and England in 2016, will have his Hong Kong debut in Monday’s $236,981 Hyacinth Handicap at seven furlongs on turf at Sha Tin Racecourse.

Arcada, formerly trained in Ireland by Joseph O’Brien, was third in the Futurity Stakes at The Curragh in Ireland in August 2016 and the Royal Lodge Stakes at Newmarket, England, a month later. Now trained by Ricky Yiu, Arcada did not race in 2017 because of concern over the tendon in his right foreleg, according to the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s website.

The $236,981 Hyacinth Handicap drew a field of nine. Arcada, a gelding by Rip Van Winkle, will be ridden by Vincent Ho and will carry 116 pounds.

Racing Supernova, winless in 14 starts in the last 16 months, is the 133-pound highweight. A 6-year-old gelding, Racing Supernova was second in a seven-furlong handicap at Sha Tin on March 18, closing from sixth to lose by a short head.

The course and distance of the Hyacinth should suit Kingsfield, a 6-year-old gelding who won a seven-furlong handicap at Sha Tin on Jan. 1 and has since been third and second in similar races at Sha Tin behind Ping Hai Star, who has won four consecutive races including the Hong Kong Derby on March 18.

Kingsfield, who will carry 121 pounds, led in his last start on March 3, but typically races from a stalking position.

Calculation, who will carry 120 pounds, may set the pace. A 4-year-old gelding, Calculation has had a busy campaign since the Hong Kong season started in September. Monday’s race will be his 13th start of the term.

Calculation led throughout a minor handicap at about a mile on Sha Tin’s infield all-weather track on March 11 against lesser company and faces a class test in this field.

Leading rider Joao Moreira and leading trainer John Size team with What Else But You, who finished a troubled fourth in the same race as Racing Supernova on March 18, the 5-year-old gelding’s first start of the current Hong Kong season.