HKIR Friday Trackwork

NUOVO RECORD A LIVE CHANCE IN CUP

Members of the fairer sex have had their fair share of success in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup, with Alexander Goldrun (Ire), Pride (Fr) and Snow Fairy (Ire) striking within the space of seven years between 2004 and 2010. The latter was ridden by Ryan Moore to victory in that year's G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup in addition to the Hong Kong feature, and the reigning 'World's Best Jockey' has picked up the call on Nuovo Record (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}).

Winner of five of her 14 career outings, the chestnut filly annexed the 2014 G1 Yushun Himba before finishing second to recent G1 Japan Cup victrix Shonan Pandora (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the G1 Shuka Sho and narrowly missing in last year's QE II Cup at Kyoto. Though she has but one win in five starts this tern, she ran on nicely to fill the runner-up spot behind Shonan Pandora in the G2 Sankei Sho All Comers S. Sept. 27 and fell just short again in the QE II, going down by a neck in that 2200-meter affair Nov. 15. Nuovo Record schooled at the stalls Friday morning and will leave from the three hole Sunday afternoon.

“She is in fantastic form at this moment,” confirmed trainer Makoto Saito. “She is a very smart filly and copes with new things, so when she schooled the gate, she did not focus on the stall handlers at all. She will start from an inside draw, so she can travel on the green strip on the rail. She will be suited by this turf, which is similar Bermuda-type turf in our country. The owner has been very positive to send her horse to international races overseas, so my horse will have more options than before.”

DELZANGLES SHOOTS FOR MORE 'VASE' TIME

No 3-year-old male has been able to defeat elder stayers in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Vase, but Qatar Racing & Wildenstein Stables Limited's progressive Ming Dynasty (Fr) (King's Best) will try to right that wrong in Sunday's 2400-meter opening race of the International quartet.

Just once-beaten in five career tries, the bay, who has raced exclusively at this 12-furlong distance, ascended through the ranks to post a first black-type score in the Listed Grand Prix de Clairefontaine Aug. 25, a success that earned him a trip to Arc trials day Sept. 13. Though he failed to handle the likes of subsequent G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe third New Bay (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) when sixth of seven in the G2 Prix Niel at Longchamp Sept. 13, he bounced back with career-best effort in the G2 Prix du Conseil de Paris at Chantilly Oct. 18, earning his spot in this field. The sometimes-cantankerous sophomore stretched his legs over the Sha Tin dirt track Friday morning before paying a visit to the parade ring. His trainer, who won the 2011 Vase with Dunaden (Fr) (Nicobar {GB}), is impressed by the colt's relatively tranquil behavior in Hong Kong.

“He is just so relaxed here which is amazing as he can be a bit crazy at times…and hopefully that's a good sign,” commented Mikel Delzangles. “He's settled well in the stables and he's coped with the noise and all the people around at track work which I'm sure is good for his education.

He continued, “Today was just for entertainment. He's relaxed, he looks well, he's moving well. He did some more schooling in the parade ring. He was in the stall two days ago. Today we just lapped him around a couple times. Post three is very good for us. We can do anything from there. It would be perfect to race in a first four positions in a regular-pace race, I don't know if it will be, but it should be okay.”

MONDIALISTE CONTINUES WORLD TRAVELS

Geoff and Sandra Turnbull's Mondialiste (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) has done his part to make the 2015 season a most memorable one for North Yorkshire-based trained David O'Meara and will look to complete a fairy tale season of his own against a classy group in Sunday's G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile.

O'Meara, 38, was a jumps rider for 13 years before taking out his trainer's license in 2010. He registered an impressive 138 winners in just his third full year of training in 2013, and earned his maiden Group 1 as a trainer courtesy of G Force (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}) in the Sprint Cup at Haydock and orchestrated a 25-1 upset of the G1 Prix de l'Abbaye with one-time handicapper Move In Time (GB) (Monsieur Bond {Ire}).

But O'Meara has seen his fortunes really take flight in 2015. In addition to winning the GI Woodbine Mile with Mondialiste, Amazing Maria (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) added Group 1 tallies in the G1 Falmouth S. at Newmarket in July and in the G1 Prix Rothschild, defeating G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches winner Ervedya (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}). Mondialiste is exiting a runner-up effort to Tepin (Bernstein) in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile Oct. 31, in which he was blocked in upper stretch, but closed the final eighth of a mile in :11.48 per Trakus data, nearly a half-second faster than any of his rivals. Mondialiste was not asked to do much Friday morning and covered the final 400 meters of his gallop in :33.1.

“He's just following the same pattern as Canada and Keeneland,” O'Meara reported. “These races around the bend seem to suit him and we've gotten to know the horse a bit better. At the moment he's been running well over a mile but there is every chance we will step him up in trip in due course. He's bred to stay further. Depending on how this goes, he could go to the [G1] Dubai Turf [on World Cup Night]. He can run well fresh. We'll take it one step at a time.”

JAPAN LOOKING FOR MILE 'HAT TRICK'

Eishin Preston (Green Dancer) provided Japan with it's first victory in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile in 2001, one of a remarkable three winners at the meeting (Agnes Digital, Cup; Stay Gold, Vase). Four years later, Hat Trick (Jpn) (Sunday Silence) parlayed a victory in the G1 Mile Championship into success on International day, but no foreign horse has managed to succeed in the race since. Exiting success in the Mile Championship, Maurice (Jpn) (Screen Hero {Jpn}) is likely to be best-backed to snap the streak and give Japan its third trophy in the race this coming weekend.

Just a maiden winner in five starts at ages two and three, the Kazumi Yoshida colorbearer has been a different animal this term. Victorious in a pair of tries in the lower grades to kick off the season, he annexed the G3 Lord Derby Challenge Trophy at Nakayama Apr. 5, then stalked the pace in the G1 Yasuda Kinen June 7 before grinding out a neck victory. He was first-up in the Mile Championship and was forced to cover ground from his wide draw, but clawed his way to the front at the furlong marker and held on to best the re-opposing Fiero (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) by 1 1/4 lengths (video).

After getting fairly warm on a cool morning Thursday, Maurice looked more comfortable Friday, as he galloped home eagerly beneath Moore before taking a turn of the paddock.

“We have only two days left until Sunday, so I did not ask him much, but he had a very good response and looks well indeed,” Moore commented.

Maurice was assigned gate 11 at Thursday's post position draw and will break just to the outside of race favorite Able Friend (Aus) (Shamardal).

–Quotes extracted from HKJC tracknotes