Hong Kong: Exultant back at best distance in Standard Chartered Champions and Chater Cup

For four years, Exultant has been the best 1 1/2-mile horse in Hong Kong. Granted, this is not fertile territory for such racehorses. Hong Kong prizes its sprinters and milers. The staying ranks are thin, indeed. Exultant has stood at their forefront since May 2018, when he won in his first Hong Kong start over 2,400 meters, the metric equivalent of 1 1/2 miles. Exultant’s star has dimmed this season, and he’s winless in six starts, but if anything can get Exultant back into the win column it’s a return to 2,400 meters, which Exultant gets Sunday in the Group 1 Standard Chartered Champions and Chater Cup.

Exultant finished second to the legendary Pakistan Star in this race’s 2018 renewal, then won it in 2019 and 2020. Probably his best showing during the 2020-21 Hong Kong season came in his only try this term at 2,400 meters, a pacesetting second-place finish behind the Irish invader Mogul in the Group 1 Hong Kong Vase in December. Exultant in his most recent start, on April 25, couldn’t keep pace with four Japanese shippers in the Group 1 QE II Cup, finishing a one-paced fifth, but that start came at 2,000 meters and there are no shippers for Sunday’s contest. Zac Purton, aboard for Exultant’s last 18 races, has the mount again for trainer Tony Cruz.

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The Standard Chartered Champions and Chater Cup is run at level weights, all eight entrants carrying 126 pounds. Exultant figures to be the moderate favorite.

Glorious Dragon is the second-highest rated horse in the Chater Cup, but even at 2,000 meters in the QE II, a distance he suits better at this point than does Exultant, Exultant handled him by three-quarters of a length. Russian Emperor and Butterfield might have a better chance to beat the favorite.

Russian Emperor, a cull from Aidan O’Brien’s yard last year, ran a strong race to finish second in the Hong Kong Derby over 2,000 meters on March 21, and off that performance was favored May 2 in the Group 3 Queen Mother Stakes, a 2,400-meter race. Russian Emperor probably does stay the trip but turned in a disappointing performance, finishing seventh. He could bounce back Sunday, but the Queen Mother upset winner, Butterfield, might not have been fluky.

It took Butterfield six starts to find his footing this season, but he’s hit peak form now, and the Queen Mother marked his first start at a distance longer than 2,000 meters. He won by only a head, but the longer trip might’ve played an important role, and Butterfield figures to be a square price again Sunday.

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Also on Sunday’s 11-race program is the Group 2 Sha Tin Vase over 1,200 meters, which drew nine entrants. Computer Patch and the improving Sky Field finished noses apart April 25 in the Group 1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize and appear to be the principal players in this race.

First post for the card is 12:30 a.m. Eastern on Sunday. Catch all the action at DRFBets.com.