Sharp recent form, a reasonable weight, and proven ability over a distance unusually long by Hong Kong racing standards make Helene Leadingstar a likely winner of the Group 3, $403,137 Queen Mother Memorial Cup on Sunday at Sha Tin.
Also aiding his chances is the presence of only four rivals in this 2,400-meter (about 1 1/2 miles) handicap. That quartet of Eagle Way, Helene Charisma, Chefano, and Savvy Nine is trained by John Moore, while trainer Tony Cruz sends out Helene Leadingstar.
Last year, Best of Days would not have been a candidate for a race such as Friday’s Wagga Wagga Gold Cup at Wagga Racecourse southwest of Sydney, Australia.
In 2019, Best of Days was winless in 10 starts in Group 1 and Group 2 races. His best result was a second in the Group 1 Railway Stakes at Ascot Racecourse, north of Melbourne, in November.
This year, Best of Days is winless in three group stakes, the most recent of which was a fourth in the Group 3 Japan Racing Association Plate at 1 1/4 miles at Randwick Racecourse on April 18.
Imagine an American 2-year-old filly winning a Grade 2 sprint in September or October and then facing older fillies and mares in a Grade 1 race a few weeks later.
While that seems impossible, the scenario will take place in Australia on Saturday when Away Game starts in the Group 1 TAB Classic for fillies and mares at Morphettville Racecourse in Adelaide.
Southern Hemisphere 2-year-olds are nearing the end of their first seasons of racing at this time of year.
Earlier in his career, Fell Swoop was a four-time stakes winner good enough to place in Group 1 sprints in Australia.
The 8-year-old Southern Hemisphere gelding had a rough 2019, going winless in four starts, and has not had much success of late, finishing 10th in the Group 3 Kingdom Stakes on March 28 at Rosehill Gardens. Trainer Matthew Dale has selected an easier race for Fell Swoop in Thursday’s $103,840 Wagga Town Plate at six furlongs at Wagga Racecourse.
With trainer John Moore in the waning weeks of his long Hong Kong career, it’s uncertain what the future – both the rest of this racing season and the 2020-21 Hong Kong season – hold for two of his best-known charges, Beauty Generation and Aethero.
Hong Kong trainers face compulsory retirement at age 65. Moore, 70, got an extension from the Hong Kong Jockey Club, but he now is set to transfer his operation to his native Australia later this year.
Harpo Marx has a serious chance to record his first career win in Australia in Wednesday’s Sky Racing Active Handicap at 1 1/2 miles at Warwick Farm Racecourse in Sydney.
A 4-year-old Irish-bred horse by top stallion Galileo, Harpo Marx began his career in Ireland with trainer Aidan O’Brien. Owned at the time by the Coolmore syndicate, Harpo Marx won a maiden race in Ireland last May and was sixth in the Group 2 Queen’s Vase Stakes at 1 3/4 miles at Royal Ascot last June and seventh of eight behind the brilliant stayer Stradivarius in the Group 1 Goodwood Cup last July.
Proven at seven furlongs in recent starts, Airfree will start at a mile for the first time since early 2019 in a handicap Tuesday at Kembla Grange Racecourse in Australia.
Considering her recent form, with consecutive wins since late March, Airfree is quite capable of extending her winning streak to three races against 12 rivals. A 5-year-old Southern Hemisphere mare, Airfree will carry top weight of 130 pounds and is a threat from off the pace.
The coronavirus pandemic prevented Southern Legend from traveling to Singapore from Hong Kong to try and win his third straight Kranji Cup. Instead, he stayed home and denied Beauty Generation his third straight Champions Mile – but just barely.
