By Tom Peacock
Joseph O’Brien has never been a man to duck an international challenge as he prepares to take on three-time champion Romantic Warrior in the HK$40 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m) at Sha Tin on Sunday (14 December).
With two Melbourne Cups and a Breeders’ Cup success already unlocked during a training career which only began in 2016, O’Brien pitches the unheralded Galen into white-hot competition.
By Daryl Timms
David Hayes has downplayed any concerns over star sprinter Ka Ying Rising drawing barrier one for the first time in his career when he confronts 12 rivals in the HK$28 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint at Sha Tin (1200m) on Sunday (14 December).
Aiming for his 16th consecutive win with Ka Ying Rising, Hayes said the only fear was that the world’s highest-rated sprinter could miss the start.
By Toshihiro Onikubo
Yasutoshi Ikee’s dual Group 1 winner, Soul Rush, will have his last race at Sha Tin on Sunday (14 December) after a sparkling career, which has brought nine wins from 28 starts, including the G1 Mile Championship (1600m) and the G1 Dubai Turf (1800m).
It’s always nice to be invited to ride in the International Jockeys’ Championship. I was fortunate I picked up a couple of good rides, and it went well. It was great to win the IJC again after so long.
Now we’re looking ahead to Sunday.
Sha Tin | Race 4: Hong Kong Vase
We run LOS ANGELES, and this will be his final start on the racecourse.
The winning streak – 15 races over 22 months – is reaching record-breaking territory.
No sprinter in Hong Kong or Australia can keep pace with the 5-year-old gelding Ka Ying Rising, who will be a short price to record another victory in Sunday’s Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint at Sha Tin Racecourse in Hong Kong.
Renowned in Hong Kong racing for horses named with the prefix “En”, Ada Wong, owner of Ensued, who runs in this year’s G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m), says her family are always keen on sourcing better quality horses, and that Ensued is one of their success stories.
A five-year-old import, Ensued will make his second appearance in the LONGINES Hong Kong Vase. Last year, the horse finished fourth behind Giavellotto from gate eight, while this year he will step away from draw seven.
By Scott Burton
The HK$26 million LONGINES Hong Kong Vase is shaping up to be one of the most competitive Group 1s over 2400m of the year internationally, with three pounds covering the top five runners on official ratings.
Connections of most of the main contenders will have been satisfied after Thursday’s (11 December) barrier draw, though Los Angeles and Ryan Moore must navigate a passage from stall 10 in the first of four top-level contests at the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races on Sunday afternoon (14 December) at Sha Tin.
By Daryl Timms
Ka Ying Rising has been thrust into unknown territory after drawing barrier one for the first time in his career as he attempts to defend his HK$28 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) title at Sha Tin on Sunday (14 December).
Conceding it was not ideal to draw the inside barrier in the 13-horse field, trainer David Hayes said the world’s highest-rated sprinter simply had to jump fast and either take a sit or lead if Zac Purton is unhappy with the pace.
