Defending Winners Return For HKIR

The winners of all four of last year's Longines Hong Kong International Races have been signed up to defend their titles at Sha Tin on Dec. 11. Maurice (Jpn) (Screen Hero {Jpn}) (Mile), A Shin Hikari (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) (Cup), Highland Reel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) (Vase) and Peniaphobia (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) (Sprint) are among a total of 184 entries for the four Group 1s, worth a combined HK$83-million (US$10,701,668/€9,791,624/

£8,754,396). Those include 135 overseas nominations, 49 local horses and a total 69 Group 1 winners.

Maurice won last year's Mile, but trainer Noriyuki Hori is favouring a tilt at this year's Cup, with the horse holding entries in both. Other entries from Japan include last year's Cup runner-up Nuovo Record (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) and G1 Dubai Turf winner Real Steel (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}).

Highland Reel gave trainer Aidan O'Brien a first winner at the meeting last year, and his eight-strong team of entries also includes G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Found (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) (Cup and Vase) and three-time Group 1-winning filly Alice Springs (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) (Mile and Cup).

Hong Kong's home entry for the Cup includes 2014 winner Designs On Rome (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) as well as Blazing Speed (GB) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}) and Military Attack (Ire) (Oratorio {Ire}).

Other international Group 1 winners nominated for the various races include Limato (Ire) (Tagula {Ire}), Protectionist (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}), Jack Hobbs (GB) (Halling), Miss Temple City (Temple City), Tepin (Bernstein), Lucia Valentina (NZ) (Savabeel {Aus}), Preferment (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) and Able Friend (Aus) (Shamardal).

Anthony Kelly, Executive Director of Racing and Business Operations at the Hong Kong Jockey Club, said, “The abundance of quality we see among this year's initial entries for the Longines Hong Kong International Races is testament to the international prestige of an event that is not only Hong Kong's premier sporting occasion, but is also unquestionably world horse racing's year-end showcase. Two years ago the Jockey Club made a strategic decision to raise prize money to HK$83- million across the four Group 1 races and last year's HKIR was acclaimed, quite rightly, as the best-ever staged. Since then, Hong Kong has been admitted into the elite Part I of the “Blue Book” and so we are delighted to see that the quality of horses we have attracted among the initial entries suggests that this year's races could turn out to be every bit as good as last, perhaps better. The depth of talent is exciting.”