By Alan Carasso
A half-dozen overseas-based gallopers will take on seven Hong Kong-domiciled middle-distance runners in Sunday's HK$20-million G1 Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Sha Tin Racecourse, for which post positions were drawn during a midday luncheon in Central Hong Kong Thursday.
Japanese-breds have already proved their mettle on the world stage in 2016, with Real Steel (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and Lani (Tapit) winning the G1 Dubai Turf and G2 UAE Derby, respectively, while Duramente (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) filled the runner-up spot in the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic. The country owns three wins in the QE II, including a convincing victory from Rulership (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) in 2012, and fields a formidable threesome this year. Lovely Day (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) looms a solid favorite in the field of 13 and his chances were not diminished in any small way when he drew pole position for the 2000-metre test.
“As I walked the track along the inside this morning, the condition of the turf seemed to be good, so I wanted to draw from one to four,”said trainer Yasutoshi Ikee of Lovely Day, who was fourth in his seasonal return in the G2 Sankei Osaka Hai Apr. 3.
Sixth in that event was Nuovo Record (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}), and the 5-year-old mare is back in Hong Kong looking to improve on her runner-up effort behind the free-wheeing A Shin Hikari (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup over the course and distance last December. The chestnut drew in the middle of the gate in stall seven.
“The inside draws are said to have an advantage, but from the draw we have we can watch horses on our inside and our outside, which will be good for us,” commented trainer Makoto Saito.
The third of the Japanese hopefuls, Satono Crown (Jpn) (Marju {Ire}) will load just to the outside of Nuovo Record in the eight hole.
The QE II trophy has remained the property of Hong Kong since 2013 and each of the last three winners of the race is back for another crack this weekend. Trainer Tony Cruz was delighted when defending champion Blazing Speed (GB) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}) pulled gate three.
“Perfect!” he said, adding, “I'm very happy; gate three is perfect for him to be sitting just off the leaders.”
Trainer John Moore has sent out four winners of the QE II and has three chances on Sunday. Designs On Rome (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) gave jockey Tommy Berry a second straight win in the race in 2014 and drew two. Werther (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) will try to follow in the hoofprints of that stable companion as well as Ambitious Dragon (NZ) (Pins {Aus}) and Vengeance of Rain (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) as winners of the Hong Kong Derby to follow up successfully here. Werther, to be ridden once again by Hugh Bowman, also landed a favorable alley in stall five.
“He'll jump, he'll get there with Hugh Bowman and he'll be right there on the speed with the favourite inside him,” Moore said of Werther. “Designs On Rome will go back, that's how he runs, and that will put Werther one place in, probably with Lovely Day on his inner. Designs On Rome will go back last four and Tommy will get to the outside and be stoking him up at the usual place before the corner.”
Ertijaal (Aus) (Hard Spun) represents the form of this year's Dubai Turf and drew wide in 11, while Highland Reel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), victorious in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Vase over the 2400 metres in December, will leave from the six hole.
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