World's top ranked sprinter Sacred Kingdom returned to the winner's circle when taking home the initial Gr-II Gome Sprint. The race marked his last planned appearance of the 07-08 HK racing season, and is virtually assured being crowned the country's champion sprinter.
Details and images to come. And tune in Sunday for the Japanese recap...
Action continues Thursday in Hong Kong with the inagural running of the Gr-II Gome Sprint (4y0+, 1200m) at the Sha Tin racecourse.
The huge favorite will be the world’s top ranked sprinter (grass) Sacred Kingdom, who is coming off a tough luck second in the Queen's Silver Jubilee Stakes. If all goes well, he should romp.
A group of Japan’s top stayers will gather on Sunday for the Gr-I Tenno Sho (Spring) (4yo+, 3200m).
Leading the field are the winners of the top two preps of the race, Gr-II Hanshing Daishoten winner Admire Jupiter, also winner of three of his last four, and Gr-II Nikkei Shinshun Hai victor Admire Monarch, who was third last out in the Daishoten. But multiple Gr-I winner Meisho Samson, out of form as of late with two unplaced efforts in a row after his game third in the Japan Cup in November, will be looking to retake his place among the Japan’s elite. A possible spoiler is also Asakusa Kings, winner of the '07 Kikuka Sho, the last leg of the Japanese triple crown, and who is coming of a 08 debut third in theSankei Osaka Hai .
In a day of great internation racing in Hong Kong, Archipenko (blinkers), most recently third in Dubai's Duty Free, took it up a notch for the growing international force of South Africa by winning the QE II Cup. NZ's Sir Slick led from the start, but was corralled by Japan's Matsurida Gogh as they turned for home. He was in turned swallowed up by Archipenko halfway to the wire, who turned it up from there. HK's Viva Pataca was again way back early, made his typical strong move, but like in the Sheema Classic, ran out of gas when he finally got near the leaders and only managed a third. Archipenko will be a force on the Intl scene in the near future...
And as expected, Good Ba Ba turned the Champion's Mile into a private workout by winning it in a hand ride. The best grass miler in the world right now, no doubt and his victory very likely clinched HK's Horse of the Year award for him, it being his fourth Gr-I win of the 07-08 season.
The best races of the weekend may be in Hong Kong, where top international horses will descend on Sunday for the Gr-I’s Queen Elizabeth II Cup (3yo+, 2000m) and the Champions Mile (3yo+, 1600m), the third leg of the Asian Mile Challenge, at the Sha Tin racecourse.
The pre-race favorite is top local horse Viva Pataca, winner of the HK Gold Cup earlier and last out a second in the Dubai Sheema Classic. He is HK’s top stayer but is cutting back in distance, and will face a tough matchup against Japanase invader, Gr-I winner Matsurida Gogh, last out winner of the Nikkei Sho, HK Derby winner Helene Mascot, Germany’s top horse Quijano, fourth last out in the Sheema Classic, Archipenko, third in the Dubai Duty Free, and New Zealand multiple Gr-I winner Sir Slick.
The Mile on the other hand has the great Good Ba Ba looming over all the others, winner of three Gr-I’s in a row and arguably the world’s top miler. His main challenger may be last year’s winner Able One, although he is coming off an injury layoff.
In Hong Kong, champion Armada garnered his first win in over a year as he surged to the lead midstretch and held off a charge from Jackpot Delight for the win...
(image courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club)
In Japan, the Sankei Osaka Hai, champion filly Daiwa Scarlet made a successful '08 debut when she became the first filly in 10 years to win the race, surging powerful as they neared the stretch to catch front running Eishin Deputy. Meisho Samson closed in to finish fifth, but was never a factor.
The Gr-II Chairman’s Trophy (3yo+, 1600m) will be run in Hong Kong Sunday, and the local milers will have a chance to earn a rare win with the outstanding Good Ba Ba bypassing the race.
2006’s top miler Armada, in his second race back after a one year layoff leads the charge. But he will have to contend with the improving Hello Pretty and Gr-I winner Joyful Winner.
A top trio of Japan’s best takes to the track Sunday for the Sankei Osaka Hai (3yo+, 2000m).
’07 Champion 3yo filly Daiwa Scarlet makes her ’08, having last finished second against the ‘boys’ in December’s Gr-I Arima Kinen. Facing off against her will be multiple Gr-I winner and defending race champion Meisho Samson, who just lost out Horse of the Year award when he came in second to eventual HOY Admire Moon in the Japan Cup. His last effort was a less-than stellar eighth in the ‘Kinen. But it will by no means be a two-horse races, as multiple stakes winner Dream Passport will line up, and he already has a victory over ‘Samson in the past.
In a battle of Hong Kong's best, the miler beat the sprinter, as Good Ba Ba edged Sacred Kingdom in the Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup by half a length in the final leg of the Champion Sprint Series. Having a clear trip, Ba Ba surged ahead while they headed for home, while 'Kingdom found himself blocked in. He found a seam with 100m to go and began a powerful rally, but Ba Ba was comfortably ahead and held on for the close win...
...while favorite Helene Mascot brought home the Hong Kong Derby in a close finish over Jackpot Delight.
Unleashing a powerful kick, Helene' came from midpack to take the lead down the strech, then win a head to head battle ith Jackpot' for the win. Helene Mascot will next compete in the Audemars Piguet QEII Cup in six weeks..
Several big races on the international scene this weekend, where the best might just be in HK on Sunday with the runnings of the Gr-I’s Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup (4yo+, 1400m), the last leg of the Champion Sprint Series, and the Hong Kong Derby (4yo+, 2000m).
The Silver Jubilee is shaping up as the first candidate for race of the year, as the world’s top grass sprinter, Sacred Kingdom, will face off against Hong Kong’s, if not the world’s, top grass miler Good Ba Ba. Each is coming off dominating performances at their preferred distances and all local fans are greatly anticipating their duel. The distance will be an interesting wrinkle, as ‘Kingdom has never raced that far in his relatively brief career, while this will be ‘Ba Ba’s first time under a mile in over a year, although he did win that 1400m in a blazing fast time. Looking to spoil the party though will be the returning Armada, HK’s 2006 / 2007 top rated miler, who has not run in 12 months, coincidentally a second place finish to Ba Ba. Absolute Champion, who upset ‘Kingdom back in January, will not make the race due to illness.
Almost overshadowed by the big showdown is the no-less prestigious Hong Kong Derby. Favoritism will likely fall on Helene Mascot, winner of HK’s Classic mile and a second in the HK Derby Trial, or perhaps the latter race’s winner Green Birdie, who also finished fourth in the Mile. But do not discount the lightly raced Dao Dao, who has three first and two seconds in five career starts. And interesting side note is that last year’s winner Vital King, the race’s ‘third’ favorite, became the first horse to win that was not among the top two betting choices since 2000.
Moving on to this weekend's races overseas, Hong Kong's Viva Pataca, that country's top stayer, easily won the HK Gold Cup, which is the second leg of the Citi Triple Crown, and he now heads to Dubai's Sheema Classic...
While in Japan, Vermillion continued his dominance on the dirt by winning the February Stakes, and he now heads to the all-star Dubai World Cup. Champion filly Daiwa Scarlett was scratched early...
... and Admire Aura won the Kyoto Kinen. Champion Meisho Samson did not run.
In New Zealand, Te Akau Coup surprised favorite Il Quelo Veloce in the Matamata Breeders Stakes...
And down under, multiple Gr-I winner Weekend Hussler had a successful return to racing when taking the Oakleigh Plate. All signs now point to a showdown with Apache Cat next month in the Gr-I Newmarket Handicap ...
... Reann won the Blue Diamond Stakes...
... Paratroopers then scored in the Expressway Stakes...
... In the St. George Stakes, Princess Coup scored with a dominating win, and perhaps made herself the horse to beat in next month's Gr-I Australia Cup. Favorite Maldivian finished off the board, and it was later discovered that he had a hairline fracture near one of his knees, which will force him to miss Australia's autumn campaign.
Finally, '07 Melbourne Cup winner Efficient did not run in the Carlyon Cup as had been published, and will instead run next month in the Blamey Stakes.
Well, 9 days and over 2400 miles later, G-t-W is back from vacation and ready for the races. So let's begin with a recap of the major stakes action from last weekend:
Joe Louis knocks out Pleasant Tap (Allam) in Saudia Arabia's King’s Cup (a.k.a. the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup).
Down under, Apache Cat makes it two G-I's in a row by winning the Australian Stakes...
... Sound Journey surprises in the Alister Clark Stakes over Playwright...
... Absolute Glam won the Thoroughbreds Classic...
... and Laura's Charm won the Sunline Stakes...
A bit further south in New Zealand, Red Ruler romped to a surprise win in the Mercedes Championship Stakes...
In Hong Kong, the great Sacred Kingdom, the world's top sprinter, avenged his earlier loss to Absolute Champion when he brought home the Chairman's Sprint Prize, the second leg of the Champion Sprint Series...
...while Green Birdie also avenged his fourth place finish in the Classic Mile by beating that race's winner, Helene Mascot, in the HK Derby Trial...
Finally, First Time (right) made it unofficial back-to-back wins in the Grand Prix of St. Moritz, run over the frozen lake of St. Moritz in Switzerland...
First Time also won the race last year, but was disqualified for running with unapproved medications.
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