By Alan Carasso
HONG KONG — Veterans of the Hong Kong International Races know precisely what Thursday morning means in the lead-up to the Sunday Group 1s. Notwithstanding the fact that it is just over 72 hours to Sunday's four big events, the Japanese runners–in this case a most impressive octet–take center stage to top off their preparations. And there were some impressive moves to be witnessed.
Neorealism (Jpn) (Neo Universe {Jpn}) was first to grace the Sha Tin turf course around 8:45 a.m. Thursday and, with Joao Moreira aboard, finally came through the lane moving nicely, if not asked to extend fully as he readies for the G1 Cup.
The 'Magic Man' was also given a leg up on his G1 Vase mount Tosen Basil (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}) who was accompanied by Cup contender Staphanos (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and Hugh Bowman. The duo loped leisurely along the riverside, the two top-class jocks conversing all the while, before picking it up down the lane, and it was the longer-winded Tosen Basil who did arguably the better of the two through the line.
Other big-day riders made the short trip down to Hong Kong to partner horses in their final serious work. Mirco Demuro was in to team up with Kiseki (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}), and one of the top Vase fancies worked steadily over the final 400 metres. Yutaka Take was astride the gray mare Smart Layer (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), who was reaching out nicely along the grandstand-side rail.
Bowman also has the call aboard Satono Aladdin (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the G1 Mile and the 6-year-old G1 Yasuda Kinen hero made a favourable impression, as is his custom.
Japan has two longshot contenders for the G1 Sprint in the form of Once In a Moon (Jpn) (Admire Moon {Jpn}), a long-bodied bay who moved sweetly through the lane; and the curiously named Let's Go Donki (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}), who streaked past onlookers as the international training session wound down.
The Vase is carded as the first of the four internationals Sunday and the 2017 running could very well be its best ever. Highland Reel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) led the five Ballydoyle HKIR participants through the lane and has been routinely less warm than he usually gets in the morning. To this observer, no horse has made a more striking impression than Max Dynamite (Fr) (Great Journey {Jpn}), who powered through two laps of the dirt track looking every bit a world-class stayer. One wonders if the 12 furlongs is too short a trip, but he looks fantastic physically. Danehill Kodiac (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) put in a sharp gallop Thursday and appears to be doing as well as he can, while Sharp Call (SAf) (Ideal World), who was allowed to open up down the lane Wednesday, did so with even more vigour Thursday. Don't be shocked if she runs a placing.
The French-trained The Right Man (GB) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) and Signs of Blessing (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) were put through their paces on the dirt track in an effort to keep them ticking over. Not surprisingly, neither travels especially well on the dirt and both are powerfully built, move efficiently and are low to the ground.
Blond Me (GB) (Tamayuz {GB}) and Garlingari (Fr) (Linngari {Ire}) may or may not be good enough in Sunday's Cup, but their connections are clearly thrilled to be here. A smile cannot be wiped off the face of the former's owner Barbara Keller, who slipped under the rail and onto the turf to give her mare a pat on the neck when heading back to the quarantine stables. Corine Barande-Barbe, who owns and bred Garlingari, was equally cheerful as she snapped pictures of the 6-year-old gelding with her cell phone. Garlingari may not be Cirrus des Aigles (Fr), Barande-Barbe's now-retired beloved world traveler, but it's clear he has a special place in her heart.
Moore Entrants Do Their Thing…
Thursday ahead of any big race is also the day that contenders from the John Moore barn tune up and this was no exception.
The star of the show was G1 Cup favourite Werther (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) who went 1200m in 1:21.5 with a final quarter-mile in :23.5.
“He was the pick of them this morning,” the conditioner said. “He hit the line really well. And he's certainly my best chance of a win on the day.”
Moore was more disappointed in the work of last year's G1 Mile runner-up Helene Paragon (Fr) (Polan {Fr}).
“We'll take him back to the stable and see if there's anything we can improve. He worked OK, but he could have worked better,” he added after the 5-year-old entire went six furlongs in 1:20 with an ultimate 400m in :23.6.
Eagle Way (Aus) (More Than Ready) heads to the G1 Vase off an interrupted preparation, but closed in :22.9 to complete 1200m of work in 1:21.6.
“That was a good piece of work for a horse that's been under a cloud,” said Moore. “But he's going into a very tough race.”
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