With the Hong Kong International Races about six weeks down the road, the region's heavyweights are slowly emerging from their off-season slumbers, and three Horses of the Year collide in a stunning renewal of the Sha Tin Trophy H. this afternoon.
Designs on Rome (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) is the most recent to be recognized as the local king of the hill and makes his second start of the campaign, again at a distance well short of his best. The Irish-bred won the Hong Kong Derby and G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. hero, both over 2000 meters, but the 4-year-old returned from a disappointing fifth to Blazing Speed (GB) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}) in the Champions and Chater Cup going 12 furlongs with a fast-closing third to Gold-Fun (Ire) (Le Vie dei Colori {GB}) when spotting the reigning champion miler three pounds in the Celebration Cup H. Oct. 5. Top jockey Joao Moreira, who was suspended and could not ride Designs on Rome in his seasonal debut, gets in the saddle for the first time this afternoon.
“I hope he can bring his 'A' game to the race–even if the distance of this race is not the right distance for him yet, I still believe he can perform very well over the mile,” the Brazilian commented. “He will run home very strongly and he will be pretty close.”
Gold-Fun, runner-up in last year's Hong Kong Mile, overcame a ton of adversity to win the Celebration Cup first-up, lunging home late after being in jail at the furlong marker. Jockey Douglas Whyte sees further improvement in the 4-year-old.
“He was pretty well-tuned for his first effort the other day, so there were no cobwebs to be blown out and how much he's improved from that run, we'll find out at the weekend,” the South African explained. “He wasn't bottomed for his first run, but he certainly was well prepared.”
Military Attack (Ire) (Oratorio {Ire}) took down Horse of the Year honors in 2012-2013, winning the QE II and the G1 SAI Cup in Singapore, but was upstaged by Designs on Rome in defense of his QE II title last April. Third in Singapore to then-stablemate Dan Excel (Ire) (Shamardal), the veteran makes his first start for the Caspar Fownes barn this afternoon and enters off a 1200-meter barrier trial win Oct. 14.
“The mile's not really his distance but he felt pretty sharp in his trial the other day,” said leading rider Zac Purton. “He seemed to bounce out of the gate with a bit of purpose and if he can do that on the weekend and get the right speed to suit him, I think he'll run a pretty good race.”
Ambitious Dragon (NZ) (Pins {Aus}), victorious in the 2012 Hong Kong Mile, makes his first appearance in 18 months, having been nursed back to health from an off-fore tendon injury. He too annexed a barrier trial in the lead-up to this return to action and expectations seem to be a bit muted.
“His trial was OK, you just have to take into account that he's been out for a long time so I hope he gives us a nice run,” trainer Tony Millard stated.
Fan favorite California Memory (Highest Honor {Fr}), a two-time winner of the G1 Hong Kong Cup, continues towards a possible start in that race, and he can certainly go forward off a running-on seventh, beaten two lengths, in the Celebration Cup last time out.
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