Eagle Way brings two-race win streak into Hong Kong Classic Mile

Eagle Way has put together a two-race winning streak on two continents in the last year that commands notice.

Eagle Way left Australia in peak form last June, winning the Group 1 Queensland Derby at Eagle Farm Racecourse in his final start in that country.

Eagle Way made an equally splashy debut in Hong Kong with a win in a minor handicap at Sha Tin Racecourse on Dec. 11. Eagle Way will have his Hong Kong stakes debut in Sunday’s $1,289,124 Hong Kong Classic Mile at Sha Tin Racecourse; it is the first leg of the 4-year-old classic series.

The Classic Mile has a post time of 5:10 a.m. Eastern, or 2:10 a.m. Pacific.

Eagle Way is trained by John Moore, who trains a remarkable seven of the 14 entrants in the Classic Mile.

By More Than Ready, Eagle Way has had a career path similar to other leading contenders in the Classic Mile. Several runners achieved notable success in other countries before being imported to Hong Kong.

Rapper Dragon was second in the Group 1 Champagne Stakes in 2015 in Australia when racing under the name Street Rapper. Rapper Dragon was a Group 3 winner in Hong Kong last May.

Horses frequently have their names changed when they are imported to Hong Kong. Eagle Way is an exception.

Beauty Generation won a minor handicap in his second start in Hong Kong on Jan. 8. He was second in the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas in Australia last March, while racing as Montaigne.

Helene Charisma has the highest profile record of the imported runners, having won the Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud last July as Mont Ormel. The Hong Kong Classic Mile will be Helene Charisma’s debut in the Far East.

Aside from Eagle Way, Moore trains Rapper Dragon, Beauty Generation, Helene Charisma, Rodrico, People’s Knight and Let Us Win. Rodrico was second to Eagle Way in the Queensland Derby. Let Us Win was a Group 2 winner in Australia.

Pakistan Star has raced only in Hong Kong, but was purchased for approximately $190,000 as a yearling in France. He was sold for approximately $770,000 at a sale in Hong Kong last March and has won 3 of 6 starts, frequently gaining attention for a rapid turn of foot.

Pakistan Star is trained by Tony Cruz, who has four runners in the Classic Mile.

The 4-year-old classic series continues with the Hong Kong Classic Cup at 1 1/8 miles on turf on Feb. 19 and the Hong Kong Derby at 1 1/4 miles on turf March 19.