By Alan Carasso
The chief protagonists for Sunday's HK$18-million BMW Hong Kong Derby were not inconvenienced when post positions were handed out Thursday morning for the centrepiece of the domestic racing calendar.
Trainer John Size has saddled the Derby winner twice in the last four years (Fay Fay {NZ}, 2012; Luger {Aus}), 2015) and will be represented by two live chances at the weekend. Sun Jewellery (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}) has arguably outrun his pedigree to defeat Werther (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) in the Hong Kong Classic Mile and Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) and looks to become the first to sweep the Triple Crown. The chestnut, who has the services of Ryan Moore once again, drew neatly in gate four. Size also sends out Eastern Express (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), who dead-heated for third in the Classic Cup with Blizzard (Aus) (Starcraft {NZ}) and will break just to the outside of his stable companion.
“They're good gates for this race and I think the jockeys will be able to do what they would like to do from there,” said Size, a seven-time champion trainer locally and currently atop the standings on 43 winners. “The horses seem fine. They've had a bit of racing and done a fair bit of hard yards to get here but I think they've still got another run in them, so I'm pretty happy with them.”
While queries about the Derby trip will dog Sun Jewellery, there are no such concerns for Werther, who has run very well in each of his three local appearances and drew inside of Sun Jewellery in the three hole. He is one of four in the race for four-time Derby-winning trainer John Moore. Victory Magic (NZ) (Savabeel {Aus}, gate 2); White Magic (Ire) (Aussie Rules, 6); and the progressive Helene Paragon (Fr) (Polan {Fr}), 13) complete the quartet.
“Three have drawn well and one has drawn poorly–I couldn't ask for better than that, really,” said Moore. “Sun Jewellery's drawn four and we've got Werther and Victory Magic inside of him, so it will be interesting. Helene Paragon gets on the chewy-chewy, he gets up on the bit, so the wide draw isn't ideal for him.”
The antithesis of a morning glory, former Ballydoyle galloper Giovanni Canaletto (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) finished fast to be a close fifth in the Classic Cup and could be putting it all together. He drew the middle of the gate in seven to the delight of trainer Tony Cruz with Joao Moreira back at the controls.
“Seven is a perfect draw for him, he's smack in middle, he has a great position and Joao is the perfect jockey for him,” Cruz said, adding, “I'm confident about the horse.” HKJC PPs
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