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2019 - Racing Matters with Stodge in The UK http://stabletalk.co.nz/forums/viewtopic.php?f=144&t=21805	Page 20 of 20

Author:	stodge [ Thu Dec 12, 2019 12:53 am ]
Post subject:	Re: 2019 - Racing Matters with Stodge in The UK
Time to look back at the Hong Kong International meeting last Sunday, the final hurrah of the Northern Hemisphere racing year. The opening event was the Vase over 2400m which saw local champion EXULTANT (a former Irish 2000 Guineas third back in his 3-y-o career) facing a strong international challenge including Epsom Derby winner ANTHONY VAN DYCK, Melbourne Cup runner up PRINCE OF ARRAN and the Nassau Stakes winner, the Japanese filly DEIRDRE. From the start, Zac Purton got EXULTANT over from his wide draw and managed to get a reasonably soft lead passing the post for the first time. Ryan Moore got ANTHONY VAN DYCK in second with SOUTHERN LEGEND and ASPETAR also prominent. Oisin Murphy held DEIRDRE up right out the back. As they turned for home Purton tried to steal it from the front as he so often does at Sha Tin. Ryan Moore was immediately in trouble on ANTHONY VAN DYCK while those in midfield and further back started their challenges. Murphy had to go right round the field on DEIRDRE and that probably counted against her in the final 150m and it was the other Hong Kong riding ace, Joao Moreira, who came through on the Japanese GLORY VASE to deliver the decisive challenge going on in the final 250m and coming away to win by three and a half lengths. Christophe Soumillon brought fellow Japanese raider LUCKY LILAC home in second with EXULTANT fading to third and DEIRDRE making it a 1-2-4 for Japan. The French stayer CALLED TO THE BAR ran on well for fifth but the other European challengers were well held including ANTHONY VAN DYCK who only beat home his stable companion MOUNT EVEREST. GLORY VASE had been a shade disappointing when sixth in a Group 2 in October but hadn’t enjoyed a clear run and was given a kind ride and that paid dividends today. LUCKY LILAC, a daughter of Orfevre, ran a huge race in second but she’s a Group 1 winner in Japan and you wonder whether connections might have a look at another tilt at the Arc with either of the first two home. EXULTANT ran a good race and perhaps the outside draw didn’t do him any favours. The Sprint over 1200m was expected to be dominated by the new local sprinting sensation, AETHERO, who had carried all before him working through handicaps and Group races culminating in an impressive Group 2 win last time. The problem for Purton once again was the draw – AETHERO was drawn 10 of 13 runners – and Purton had to jump well and make his way over to the rail which he did and on the home turn looked to be in control of the race but those who had not had to expend so much effort to get a position were stalking and for AETHERO the petrol gauge flashed empty with 100m to go and in the final 50m the favourite was swamped. BEAT THE CLOCK under Moreira, having the advantage of the 3 stall, was able to wait and then pounce and he got home by a neck with HOT KING PRAWN a nose ahead of AETHERO in third in a typical Hong Kong bunch finish. The winner had been well held by AETHERO last time but that was his first run since April so a combination of greater fitness and a better draw helped reverse places. HOT KING PRAWN had the inside stall and ran well and this was hardly the bursting of the AETHERO bubble – he was undone by a poor barrier draw and having to do too much too early. The Mile saw BEAUTY GENERATION on a recovery mission. Last year, the 7-y-o had been imperious and had dominated this race but two recent defeats had left questions aplenty. ZAAKI represented Europe while Japan again put up a strong challenge headed by INDY CHAMP. Local KA YING STAR broke well to lead on the rail but Purton sat second on BEAUTY GENERATION who was going perfectly well. Ryan Moore got a good position on ZAAKI just off the pace with the Japanese settling in midfield. Off the home turn and Purton sent BEAUTY GENERATION for home but this is a course for those coming off the pace and while INDY CHAMP got locked up down by the rail those racing wider had every chance and it was Japan once again, this time with ADMIRE MARS, who came through to take the prize with Christophe Soumillon this tine getting the better of Moreira who finished a close second on WAIKUKU. BEAUTY GENERATION was third with NORMCORE and PERSIAN KNIGHT making it a 1-4-5 for Japan. ZAAKI faded to finish eighth. BEAUTY GENERATION isn’t the horse he was but this was still a decent effort though it confirmed the form with WAIKUKU from the Group 2 trial for this race last month. The winner, ADMIRE MARS, was the only 3-y-o but had been disappointing behind NORMCORE last time. This was a big return to form. The feature was the Cup over 2000m worth £1.6 million to the winner. Just eight went to post and local favourite FURORE faced a strong international challenge especially from MAGIC WAND and EDISA. For all it was a small field it was quite a messy race as the pace wasn’t too strong. Veteran TIME WARP (winner of this in 2017) set the gallop along with fellow local GLORIOUS FOREVER. Ryan Moore sat third on MAGIC WAND with the Japanese raider WIN BRIGHT in fourth. Off the home turn the field quickened as one as the race became a sprint down the short straight. Ryan Moore found himself short of space at a critical moment and this ultimately cost him the race. Masami Matsuoka on WIN BRIGHT got a clearer passage and quickened more sharply to lead 100m out and though Moore got another run out of MAGIC WAND she was a short head down at the line. RISE HIGH ran on for third followed by FURORE in a bunch finish. Whether that would have happened at Ascot or York is impossible to know but Moore just got caught short of pace and room for a few strides and that cost him and her the race but she put up another fantastic effort in defeat. Japan won their third race of the meeting with WIN BRIGHT who had won over course and distance back in the spring but had flopped in two runs back in Japan. He had the speed in a slowly-run race, which became a sprint. A tremendous afternoon for the Japanese then – three wins out of four with the Europeans and indeed the locals put to the sword. The growing strength of Japanese racing cannot be over-stated – apart from this, they won a Group 1 in England with DEIRDRE and took the Cox Plate with LYS GRACIEUX. I’m convinced it’s only a matter of time before a Japanese trained horse wins both the Arc and the Melbourne Cup. As the Japanese bloodstock industry opens up and the best of American and European breeding gets in, the quality of their horses will continue to improve.

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