Japanese, Moore Trios Tune Up for QE II

Much as I would love to be on site for this set of international races, some extenuating circumstances have prevented me from traveling, but owing to the magic of the Internet and with a serious tip of the cap to the Hong Kong Jockey Club, we are able to comment on Thursday morning trackwork. As it did for the Longines HKIR in December, the Club is providing a live webcast of the international horses in the couple of days leading up to this weekend's fascinating renewal of the QE II and again next weekend for the G1 Champions Mile and G1 Chairman's Sprint Prize.

As is their custom the Thursday prior to raceday, the Japanese contingent turned in their final fast work–or, perhaps more accurately put, slow work, then fast work. Nuovo Record (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}), who steadily improved in December before finishing second in the Hong Kong Cup, looked much more at home at Sha Tin this time around. With Yutaka Take in the saddle for the first time, the chestnut mare, all tacked-up in her customary green, galloped eagerly down the back and the 2014 G1 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) heroine kicked home her final 400m in :23.1.

“I wanted the jockey to get the feel of the horse and the track condition,” said trainer Makoto Saito, who arrived in Hong Kong Wednesday evening. “I asked him to gallop her to make use of her flexibility but keep her energy until the race, and Take did exactly what I had asked. He had a good feel of her, so now we will do our best to maintain her good condition until the race.”

Lovely Day (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}), winner of last year's G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) and runner-up in Horse of the Year balloting, was out soon after and was very much on the muscle, tugging at exercise rider Joji Yamamoto. The 6-year-old was given his cue in the stretch and closed off his final quarter-mile in :23.2 for an overall clocking of :49.6 for 800 metres.

“After he ran the [G2] Sankei Osaka Hai, his condition has progressed and he seems to be back to almost the same level as his top form last year,” trainer Yasutoshi Ikee explained. “The track surface at Sha Tin is softer than in Japan, but he grabbed the track and handled it well. The going could be yielding on Sunday because of the rain forecast, but he will handle it.”

Satono Crown (Jpn) (Marju {Ire}) was only briefly on camera, as he quickly ducked out of view and into the quarantine stables. However, he reportedly worked down the back straight and completed his work prior to the entrance to the home straight, apparently as planned.

A few hours earlier and therefore not part of the webcast, trainer John Moore sent out his QE II hopefuls. First out was 2014 QE II hero Designs On Rome (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), who was timed in 1:22.2 for 1200 metres with an ultimate two furlongs in a smart :22.7. The veteran, who has come around following off-season surgery on his fetlocks, worked over the all-weather in a slight departure from the norm.

“As a precaution I decided to change his work to the dirt–it's more level,” Moore explained. “His rider, Henry [Wong], was delighted with the work and he's going into the race as fit as we can get him.”

The stable's Hong Kong Derby hero Werther (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) breezed down the riverside portion of the track and finished his work with a final 400m in :23 to the delight of his conditioner.

“Werther will be right on their hammer,” he said, adding “we hope. He'll need to take another step, because this is the best field of horses for the AP QEII Cup that I can remember.”

The final member of the trio, Helene Happy Star (Ire) (Zamindar) was timed in 1:21.7, his final quarter-mile in :22.5.

In other activity from the morning, Rising Romance (NZ) (Ekraar), fourth in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. at Randwick, traveled strongly in a piece of work over six furlongs; Highland Reel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), noticeably warm in the humid conditions, worked eagerly on the dirt; Chautauqua (Aus) (Encosta de Lago {Aus}) pleased trainer Michael Hawkes ahead of the Chairman's Sprint Prize; and Mongolian Saturday (Any Given Saturday) galloped over the all-weather and was pulled up quickly past the line.

For anyone interested, the link to the live webcast is here and should be online from about 9 p.m. ET (Thursday evening) and again next week. The QE II will also be streamed live at the same address Sunday morning at 4:35 ET.