Hong Kong: Gitano Hernando scores front-running victory in Singapore Gold Cup

Gitano Hernando, considered a synthetic-track specialist, scored the best turf win of his career on Sunday, leading all the way to win the Group 1 Singapore Gold Cup by a half-length over the mare River Jetez.

Gitano Hernando was making his second start for trainer Herman Brown after being purchased over the winter by Ramzan Kadyrov, the president of Chechnya. Gitano Hernando had lost his last five starts, and most recently was a non-contending eighth in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes over the same 10-furlong trip at Sha Tin in Hong Kong. Glyn Schofield, an Englishman based in Australia, rode the winner.

Chinchon finished fifth in the race, Wigmore Hall was seventh, and Dubai Duty Free winner Presvis a disappointing 10th.

Erin Court scored a big upset on Sunday at Tokyo Racecourse with a narrow win in the Group 1 Yushun Himba, or Japanese Oaks. Pure Brise, the longshot pacesetter, held on for second, while the two favorites, Whale Capture and Marcellina, were third and fourth, respectively.