By Tom Peacock
Hiroyuki Uemura is relishing the chance to pit Bellagio Opera against the mighty Romantic Warrior in the HK$40 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m) at Sha Tin on Sunday (14 December).
The back-to-back winner of the G1 Osaka Hai (2000m) is considered to be the most likely candidate to prevent Danny Shum’s champion from landing the race for an unprecedented fourth time in a row.
By Maddy Playle
Do not underestimate the three-year-old filly Embroidery in Sunday’s (14 December) G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (1600m) was the message from Christophe Lemaire on Tuesday (9 December).
The top rider will hunt for a second victory at the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races this weekend, having partnered Pride to success in the 2006 G1 Hong Kong Cup (2000m), and he retains the utmost belief in his mount for the LONGINES Hong Kong Mile.
By Daryl Timms
Even a supreme optimist would quickly turn into a pessimist if they attempted to offer a calculated argument why any of Ka Ying Rising’s 11 opponents in Sunday’s (14 December) HK$28 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) could defeat the world’s highest-rated sprinter.
The market will again offer almost unbackable odds for the David Hayes-trained gelding to claim his 16th consecutive victory.
“It’s quite amazing to think he’ll be in a Group 1 with very good horses and the second favourite will be 20/1,” Hayes said. “You just don’t see that.
By Maddy Playle
Only superstars win back-to-back editions of the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (1600m), and Voyage Bubble will endeavour to join exalted company at Sha Tin on Sunday (14 December).
Monopolize, Good Ba Ba, Beauty Generation and Golden Sixty make up the short list of those to have landed consecutive runnings of the HK$36 million prize, but Voyage Bubble would be a deserving addition to the elite group.
There will be another Eustace among the names for Sha Tin’s LONGINES Hong Kong International Races on Sunday (14 December) once again with David's brother Harry hoping for a more prominent showing from his stable star Docklands.
The elder sibling of one of Hong Kong's brightest training talents has had a banner year himself, with Docklands becoming his first top-level winner in the G1 Queen Anne Stakes (1600m) at Royal Ascot in June.
By Tom Peacock
Marco Botti will be reviving a familiar connection as defending champion Giavellotto returns this Sunday (14 December) for the HK$26 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m).
Before he moved to be a permanent member of the Hong Kong jockey community, Andrea Atzeni would often partner up with his Newmarket-based friend and rode Giavellotto to land the G2 Yorkshire Cup in 2023.
By Declan Schuster
Zac Purton believes Ka Ying Rising has taken another crucial step forward this morning (Tuesday, 9 December) in his preparation for Sunday’s (14 December) HK$28 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) at Sha Tin.
Successful in his past 15 races, Ka Ying Rising is aiming to join Golden Sixty by securing a 16th consecutive win, one shy of Silent Witness’ all-time Hong Kong record of 17. Emerging at sunrise, Ka Ying Rising – under the hands of Purton – trotted a few laps in the sand ring before making his way to the main dirt course.
By Daryl Timms
Champion jockey James McDonald has described Romantic Warrior as oozing confidence as the gelding aims to win an unprecedented fourth HK$40 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m) at Sha Tin on Sunday (14 December).
McDonald said he couldn’t have been happier with the gelding’s gallop today (Tuesday, 9 December) when he was accompanied by stablemate Romantic Thor over 1200m on Sha Tin’s turf track and clocked 1m 16.9s, with a final 400m split of 22.3s.
By Scott Burton
The LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship (IJC) at Happy Valley without Ryan Moore is almost unthinkable, and on Wednesday night (10 December), the 42-year-old will join 11 of the world’s elite riders for the 19th time in 20 years.
That couldn’t have been taken for granted when the line-up was first announced a month ago, as Moore continued his recovery from a stress fracture of the femur, which was first revealed at the end of August.
Paul Lally
R1: 2-7-3-9
R2: 7-6-4-1
R3: 3-7-2-5
R4: 7-11-5-1
R5: 12-6-3-10
R6: 2-10-1-4
R7: 3-4-5-6
R8: 3-6-9-12
R9: 11-7-3-2
Best Bet: R7 N3 Silvery Breeze
Longshot: R8 N3 Pakistan Legacy
Play: R4 QQP 5-7-11
Mark McNamara:
R1: 2.7.9.3
R2: 1.5.6.4
R3: 4.7.2.5
R4: 4.7.2.1
R5: 3.6.10.2
R6: 4.2.10.1
R7: 3.6.2.5
R8: 5.9.12.1
R9: 7.11.6.2
Best: R9 N7 Sky Heart
Longshot: R4 N4 Lean Master
Play: R9 Q/QP 6.7.11
