Criterion, Red Cadeaux Settling In at Hong Kong

Despite having to fly out just 48 hours after their respective runs in the G1 Longines Queen Elizabeth II S. at Royal Randwick last Saturday, the victorious Criterion (NZ) (Sebring {Aus}) and fan-favorite Red Cadeaux (GB) (Cadeaux Genereux {GB}) have settled in nicely in Hong Kong as they prepare for that jurisdiction’s Queen Elizabeth II Cup a week from Sunday. 

“The horse is really well,” said Criterion’s trainer David Hayes, speaking from Australia. “He lost about eight kilos [17 pounds] going over, which is very good given that he had a race on the Saturday and then the flight on the Monday night. I understand Red Cadeaux was exactly the same in terms of weight loss. 

He continued, “Criterion has been eating up well since he arrived and put that weight back on. I’ll come up on Tuesday and he’ll have his final piece of work on Wednesday morning. He’s very fit as it is and he doesn’t need a lot of work. He’ll have a nice breeze-up and be right to go on the Sunday.” 

Criterion is familiar to the local fans, as he was an excellent third to Designs on Rome (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) and Military Attack (Ire) (Oratorio {Ire}) in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup Dec. 14. He faces a rematch with those rivals, who have accounted for the last two runnings of the QE II. 

Red Cadeaux is also no stranger to Hong Kong, having won the 2012 G1 Hong Kong Vase for former Hong Kong Jockey Club executive Ron Arculli. The three-time runner-up in the G1 Melbourne Cup earned another huge payday in Sydney last weekend, and also seems to have taken the race and the travel in his stride. 

“He travelled great and he’s as fit as a flea,” said Robin Trevor-Jones, assistant to trainer Ed Dunlop. “We just wanted to give him an easy week because he ran last Saturday. He’ll do a little bit more next week but he’s so fit, we don’t really need to do much. He’s not a horse that gets big and stuffy – he’s a clean-winded horse. He’s the same weight now as he was when he ran [fifth] in the [G1] Australian Cup [Mar. 14], so we’re happy.” 

Japan’s Staphanos (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), third in this year’s G2 Nakayama Kinen, was out for some light work after arriving overnight, while the final foreign raider, the Niarchos Family’s Smoking Sun (Smart Strike), was expected to arrive Saturday.