As of Wednesday morning, I Am Me, Lady of Camelot, and Private Eye were all low double-digit odds in the future book for the $13.6 million Everest Stakes at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, Australia, on Oct. 12.
Those prices are likely to change after Friday’s Group 2 The Short Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs at Randwick. The Shorts Stakes, worth $681,800, is a key prep for the Everest Stakes, the world’s richest sprint.
Leo Schlink
Pierre Ng hopes Taj Dragon’s imposing course and distance prowess will offset the gelding’s weight challenge in the G3 Celebration Cup Handicap (1400m) at Sha Tin on Sunday (22 September).
Taj Dragon has won six times and placed twice from 12 starts over Sha Tin’s 1400m trip, but Ng is aware the Irish-bred gelding will have to post a new career-high when he shoulders 135lb against six rivals this weekend, having never won with more than 133lb previously.
The progressive gelding Bear on the Loose needs a bit of luck to gain a starting spot in the Group 3 Cameron Handicap at Newcastle Racecourse in Australia on Thursday evening.
As of Wednesday, Bear on the Loose was the only runner on the also-eligible list for the $170,400 Cameron Handicap at 7 1/2 furlongs. If he gets into the field of 16, he may be favored in what could be a vital race for a lucrative goal later this year.
Leo Schlink
Francis Lui accelerated his bid for successive Hong Kong trainers’ championships with a treble at Happy Valley on Wednesday night (18 September) as Lyle Hewitson and Karis Teetan slotted doubles.
Lui’s title defence gathered impetus with Sweet Briar, Forever Glorious and Brave Star’s victories to vault into second place in the standings with four wins behind Danny Shum, who also has four wins but leads overall with more minor placings.
by Declan Schuster
Romantic Warrior coasted through a barrier trial at Sha Tin on Tuesday morning (17 September) as trainer Danny Shum’s eight-time Group 1 winner prepares to return in 17 November’s HK$5.35 million G2 BOCHK Jockey Club Cup (2000m).
Romantic Warrior clocked 57.52s in second position over 1000m on turf under Hugh Bowman, a short head behind Macau import Wonderstar.
by Declan Schuster
This season’s Group racing gets underway at Sha Tin on Sunday (22 September) with the running of the G3 Celebration Cup Handicap (1400m), where game veteran Healthy Happy is aiming for a second straight win in the HK$4.2 million feature.
One of seven entries for the race, Healthy Happy scooped last year’s prize first-up from out in front against five rivals as the race’s longest odds chance. Trainer Frankie Lor has prepared the eight-year-old – who has five wins in Hong Kong – with a pair of trials at Conghua.
Paul Lally:
R1 3-2-5-7
R2 4-6-5-7
R3 3-9-1-2
R4 3-4-6-5
R5 2-5-3-9
R6 3-10-5-7
R7 9-4-7-1
R8 8-1-11-7
Best Bet R2 N4 Golden Luck
Longshot R7 N9 Mojave Desert
Play R8 QQP 1-8-11
Nick Child:
R1 | 5-2-3-1
R2 | 9-5-6-4
R3 | 3-6-1-9
R4 | 10-1-3-4
R5 | 5-1-2-9
R6 | 3-10-2-5
R7 | 6-8-7-10
R8 | 7-2-8-9
BEST BET | R1 N5 PERFECT GENERAL
LONGSHOT | R4 N10 DOUBLE SHOW
PLAY | R2 (W/P 9)
Tom Wood:
Sosie gained the role of future-book favorite for the Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris on Oct. 6 with a comfortable win in Sunday’s Group 2 Prix Niel at the same track.
European bookmakers made Sosie 4-1 for the $5.53 million, which, like the Prix Niel, is run at 1 1/2 miles.
In the $144,200 Prix Niel, Sosie stalked 7-10 favorite Look de Vega to early stretch before taking the lead under jockey Maxime Guyon. Sosie (who paid $8.60 in American pools) won by 1 1/2 lengths over 6-1 Delius while being eased down in the final strides.
