QEII Contenders Tread Lightly

Sometimes it is a blessing that my column is called Trackside with Liesl King, with the emphasis on the word ‘trackside’, as today was one of those rare days with plenty of action trackside, but none of it related to Sunday’s G1 Audemars Piquet QEII Cup. 
With Cirrus Des Aigles (Fr) (Even Top {Ire}) deciding that he’d rather stay at home for a date with the lovely Treve (Fr) (Motivator {GB}) in the G1 Prix Ganay, the international contingent was whittled down to four. And these four horses decided that the dreary, rainy Hong Kong weather was perfect for a Friday morning lie-in. Remaining firmly ensconced in the Quarantine stables, the South African contenders Vercingetorix (SAf) (Silvano {Ger}) and Sanshaawes (SAf)(Ashaawes) took to the trotting ring, while the Japanese pair of Epiphaneia (Jpn) (Symboli Kris S) and Uncoiled (Fr) (Giant’s Causeway) headed for the walker. 
This left the rather damp assembled media and Uncoiled’s jockey Karis Teetan–who had rocked up to meet his mount’s trainer–with a vast expanse of empty green turf and flying mud as a thousand local horses went about their business on the all-weather. Never had so many reporters and photographers looked quite so lost. Fortunately, three barrier trials–which included five of next Sunday’s G1 Champions Mile contenders in Blazing Speed (GB) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}), California Memory (Highest Honor {Fr}), Real Specialist (NZ) (Storming Home {GB}), Helene Spirit (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) and Glorious Days (Aus) (Hussonet)–saved the day. 
Blazing Speed, Real Specialist and California Memory were first up, and their exit from the tunnel was akin to a walk down the red carpet at the Emmys, as the horde of bored photographers snapped away. Joao Moreira had very little to do as Real Specialist stormed up from the rear of the field to take line honors, while California Memory, with Mathew Chadwick in the saddle, finished midfield, blowing hard and covered in mud from head to toe. The popular 8-year-old is returning from an injury-enforced layoff and appeared to pull up well. Despite five of his six victories coming on good tracks, Blazing Speed on the other hand, appeared to relish the wet underfoot conditions, and worked well to the line under raceday jockey Neil Callan. 
Next up, it was the turn of Glorious Days and Helene Spirit. Karis Teetan was on hand to take Glorious Days–at 121 the highest-rated horse in the Mile–through his paces, and the bay finished strongly up the center of the track. Teetan reported that the gelding took a strong hold into the home straight and felt great. As expected, Glorious Days, who runs best fresh, was puffing a bit, but he will come on from this run and Teetan is confident that he will be a strong contender next Sunday. 
To round off the morning’s excitement, globetrotting Gordon Lord Byron (Ire) (Byron {GB}) all-weather. Right at home in the rain, the Irish-bred, with more air miles than Richard Branson, seemed unaffected by his recent excursion Down Under and happily posed for the assembled media before setting off on his morning workout. 
From the Quarantine stables, Trevor Brown, Mike de Kock’s assistant, reported that his charges are in good shape and will have their last workout on the turf tomorrow. Uncoiled and Epiphaneia are also expected out tomorrow for a last look at the Hong Kong track. Let’s just hope that tonight’s Gala Party–where the dress code of dark grey, pink and gold is causing a major dilemma for many a gentlemen–does not cause another lie in by the internationals come the morning!