The Grade 1 Arima Kinen at Nakayama Racecourse in Japan on Sunday lost its leading name Friday when Do Deuce was withdrawn because of lameness.
Do Deuce had won the Grade 1 Japan Cup at Tokyo Racecourse in November and was scheduled to have his final start before going to stud in the $6.1 million Arima Kinen at 1 9/16 miles. Do Deuce won the 2024 Arima Kinen.
Led by the recent debut winner Hi Barbie, the Group 3 Magic Millions B.J. McLachlan Stakes at Eagle Farm Racecourse in Brisbane, Australia, on Friday evening is expected to be dominated by fillies.
In a full field of 14, Hi Barbie and fellow fillies Icarian Dream and The Playwright led early betting as of Thursday for the six-furlong race for Southern Hemisphere 2-year-olds.
Hi Barbie was the 2-1 favorite, a slight choice over Icarian Dream (5-2) and The Playwright (3-1).
The field for the $187,500 McLachlan includes six winners.
Reliable Profit has evolved into a serious player on Sha Tin’s dirt course and the Reliable Man gelding is chasing a fourth consecutive win on the alternate surface in the first section of Wednesday night’s (18 December) HK$1.17 million Class 4 Ngan Shing Handicap (1650m).
Since finding his winning groove three starts ago on dirt, Hong Kong International Sale graduate Reliable Profit has worked his way up to Class 4, and a rating of 57, for trainer Danny Shum and jockey Hugh Bowman – who rides the six-year-old grey from barrier 10.
Paul Lally:
R1 4-2-11-3
R2 1-6-4-13
R3 2-6-7-11
R4 1-4-11-10
R5 13-6-2-8
R6 8-1-4-13
R7 1-4-2-8
R8 4-2-3-1
Best Bet: R7 N1 Dancing Code
Longshot: R6 N8 Ace Power
Play: R8 QQP 2-3-4
Mark McNamara:
R1: 9.4.3.2
R2: 13.6.1.12
R3: 5.6.2.7
R4: 6.1.8.9
R5: 2.5.6.13
R6: 4.7.8.9
R7: 2.8.4.6
R8: 4.7.3.6
Best Bet: R3 N5 Robot Knight
Longshot: R4 N6 Natural High
Play: R3 Q/QP 2.5.6
Nick Child:
Five weeks after beating maidens in a one-mile race at Kyoto Racecourse in Japan, Admire Zoom returned over the same course and distance to win Sunday’s Grade 1 Asahi Hai Futurity and clinch the title of champion 2-year-old male.
Ridden by Yuga Kawada, Admire Zoom, who paid $17.20 in American pools, was always near the front, stalking 93-1 Daishan Ra for the first six furlongs. In early stretch, Admire Zoom took the lead and scooted clear, winning by 2 1/2 lengths over 2-1 favorite Museum Mile.
The undefeated colts Arte Veloce and Total Clarity will dominate the betting in Sunday’s Grade 1 Asahi Hai Futurity at Kyoto Racecourse in Japan with Arte Veloce expected to go favored.
Both Arte Veloce and Total Clarity have won twice, in races for first-time starters in the summer and Grade 3 stakes.
Arte Veloce won the Saudi Arabia Royal Cup at a mile at Tokyo on Oct. 5 in his last start, while Total Clarity won the Niigata Nisai Stakes at a mile at Niigata Racecourse on Aug. 25 in his most recent appearance.
Pierre Ng heads into Sunday’s (15 December) fixture at Sha Tin with a team of nine spread across eight of the 10 races, including Healthy Healthy (125lb) and I Give (126lb) – both engaged in a quality HK$2.84 million Class 2 Lukfook Jewellery Cup Handicap (1000m).
Also in the feature dash is Fast Network (129lb), a three-time winner from four starts, who has hit the ground running in Hong Kong for trainer Dennis Yip and jockey Zac Purton, while Healthy Healthy will gun for a hat-trick of wins on debut in Class 2 this Sunday.
