Beauty Generation looking good ahead of Jockey Club Mile

The most important race card so far this Hong Kong season, Sunday’s program at Sha Tin Racecourse, is all about readying the local forces for the most important race card of the whole Hong Kong season.

Featured are three Group 2, $542,766 stakes preps for the Hong Kong International Races on Dec. 7.

Race 6 is the Jockey Club Mile over 1,600 meters, a prep for the Group 1 Hong Kong Mile. Race 7 is the Jockey Club Cup, a 2,000-meter prep for the Group 1 Hong Kong Cup and the Group 1 Hong Kong Vase. And race 8, the Jockey Club Sprint, is a prep for the Hong Kong Sprint.

First post for the 10-race program is midnight Eastern on Sunday, with the first of the stakes scheduled for 2:30 a.m. Eastern.

Beauty Generation won the 2017 Hong Kong Cup and has started his current campaign with a bang, winning his comeback run and his second start of the Hong Kong season. He’ll be a short favorite to land another prize Sunday, although trainer John Moore clearly will not want Beauty Generation to do too much three weeks out from his major goal.

“If Beauty Generation hadn’t won first up and then had only run a place coming into this race, I’d have put a bit more work into him, but it’s not necessary because he hit his straps running from the first race. We’ll just keep him ticking over now,” Moore told Hong Kong Jockey Club publicity.

Southern Legend and Singapore Sling both get five pounds (128 to 123) from the favorite, and Singapore Sling especially could be ready for an improved performance.

The Jockey Club Cup over 2,000 meters looks more contentious – depending on what Pakistan Star feels like doing on the day. HKJC stewards for a time last season banned Pakistan Star from racing after the gelding pulled himself up during a race, and while Pakistan Star appeared to put those issues behind him late last year when he became a Group 1 winner, he was up to his old tricks again Nov. 4, trying to pull himself up after about a furlong, then pulling so hard on jockey Karis Teetan’s reins that he had nothing left for the finish, checking in ninth.

Trainer Tony Cruz seems convinced that Sha Tin’s 1,800-meter distance, which features a run down the backstretch and one turn, was to blame for the problem; Sunday’s race starts just before the clubhouse turn, and Pakistan Star has no history of misbehaving at this trip.

Time Warp, Werther, and perhaps even a recently rejuvenated Eagle Way can win if Pakistan Star fails to show his true colors.

The Jockey Club Sprint includes several high-end performers, but the most interesting horse in the race is Hot King Prawn. The 4-year-old Australian import has won 8 of 9 starts in Hong Kong, and after rushing through the handicap ranks last season, he has won a Group 3 over a straight 1,000 meters and a Group 2 at Sunday’s 1,200-meter trip in his two races this season.

Hot King Prawn still must prove himself at the highest level and on Sunday has worthy opponents like Ivictory, Mr. Stunning, D B Pin, and Beat the Clock.