Nothingilikemore looks solid in Hong Kong Classic Cup

The ill-fated Rapper Dragon became the first horse to sweep the Hong Kong Classic Series for 4-year-olds when he swept through the Hong Kong Classic Mile, the Hong Kong Classic Cup, and the Hong Kong Derby in 2017 before meeting a tragic end last summer.

At Sha Tin Racecourse on Sunday, Nothingilikemore figures to be heavily favored to add the Hong Kong Classic Cup to his win in the Hong Kong Classic Mile.

Nothingilikemore excelled in the Classic Mile and his crack trainer, John Size, has expressed confidence Nothingilikemore will handle not only Sunday’s 1800-meter trip, but the 2000 meters of the Hong Kong Derby. That remains to be seen, but Nothingilikemore has impressed all along.

The Australian-bred gelding by Husson won all four of his starts during the 2016 – 2017 Hong Kong season, and but for a poor trip in a handicap race Dec. 10 in which he finished second, Nothingilikemore would be 3 for 3 this year.

Nothingilikemore will have regular rider Joao Moreira in the irons when he breaks from post 7 in this one-turn race with a long run down the backstretch, and after showing pressing speed last season, Nothingilikemore has been settling very nicely in midpack early in his recent starts.

Singapore Sling improved to finish second, beaten 1 1/4 lengths by Northingilikemore, in the Classic Mile, and both he and third-place finisher Morethanlucky return in Sunday’s race.

But the horse that might most sternly challenge the favorite, if not in the Classic Cup than perhaps in the Derby, is Exultant. Exultant, coming off a 2000-meter win in a handicap, finished quite fast to nab fourth in the Classic Mile, and there is no doubt his chances will increase as distances in the series get longer.

The Classic Cup goes as race 9 on an 11-race Sha Tin program. Post time for the feature is 3:40 a.m. Eastern.