Hong Kong: Highland Reel among competitive field for Queen Elizabeth II Cup

Highland Reel, winner of the Grade 1 Secretariat Stakes at Arlington Park last August, is part of a strong international field in Sunday’s $2.57 million Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Sha Tin Racecourse in Hong Kong.

The Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup drew a field of 13, with runners from the Dubai World Cup program and throughout the Far East.

Highland Reel finished fourth in the $6 million Sheema Classic on the Dubai World Cup program at Meydan Racecourse in the United Arab Emirates on March 26. Last December, Highland Reel won the Group 1 Hong Kong Vase at Sha Tin. Aidan O’Brien trains Highland Reel, who will be ridden by top international jockey Ryan Moore.

Ertijaal, a Group 1 winner in South Africa in 2015, was fourth in the Dubai Turf on March 26. Ertijaal is trained by Michael de Kock.

There are three runners from Japan – Lovely Day, who won the Grade 1 Tenno Sho Autumn in 2015; Satono Crown, who won the Grade 2 Kyoto Kinen in February; and Nuovo Record, who was second in the Hong Kong Cup last December.

The field includes two runners who were Horses of the Year in Hong Kong – Military Attack (the champion in the 2012-13 season) and Designs On Rome (champion of 2013-14). Designs On Rome, 6, won the Group 1 Hong Kong Gold Cup in February, a race in which the 8-year-old Military Attack was third.