Farraaj Pleases Azteni in HK Cup Gallop

Shekih Ahmed al Maktoum’s Farraaj (Ire) (Dubai Destination) took to the Sha Tin turf course Tuesday morning for a piece of fast work ahead of his expected start in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup Dec. 14. With Italian jockey Andrea Atzeni in the irons, the 5-year-old gelding worked over 1200 meters, going in fractions of :27.5 and :26.9 before quickening up nicely and covering his final quarter-mile in a strong :23.8. 

“He felt very good, he looks good for the time of year and he did a very nice bit of work,” said Atzeni, who is three weeks into a three-month riding contract in Hong Kong. 

Farraaj, third in the 2011 GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, won the 2013 G3 Winter Derby over the Lingfield all-weather and landed a pair of handicaps over this past summer, including the valuable John Smith’s Cup at York July 12. Fourth in the G3 Strensall S. at York Aug. 23, Farraaj made his most recent appearance at the Melbourne Spring Carnival, running the classy Happy Trails (Aus) (Good Journey) to 3/4 of a length when third from a high draw in the G1 Mackinnon S. Nov. 1. 

“He just stretched his legs a little bit,” Atzeni. “He hasn’t done a lot since his race in Australia and he needed a good bit–he might do something more again next week. He was having a nice blow at the end so I think that’s done him good. He travelled really well there–as soon as I turned in I picked him up all the way to the end and he just kept stretching out. He feels good, he moved well and he loves that quick-ish ground.” 

Atzeni continued, “With a better draw he might have won in Australia and the Cup is looking like a very open race this year. He loves the fast ground, that’s what he needs, and he’s one of those horses – he’s won at Epsom, he’s won at York, when he was in Australia he was galloping well on a smaller track; going round here won’t be any problem.”