GAILO CHOP SHARP IN CUP PREP
Gailo Chop (Fr) (Deportivo {GB}), last-out winner of the G1 Mackinnon S. at Melboune's Flemington Racecourse Oct. 31, tuned up for Sunday's G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup with a strong gallop over 1200 meters through intermittent rain showers Wednesday morning at Sha Tin.
Working on his own, the strong-looking chestnut covered the distance in composite time of 1:15.3, clocking splits of :25 and :26.8 before finishing up his final quarter-mile in a solid :23.5.
“His skin is in good condition and his weight is right,” commented trainer Antoine de Watrigant. “He worked well, but he needed it and had a good blow afterwards. He is a horse who tends to pull himself up when he's done enough so I told [exercise rider] Steve Haes to push him out. We'll now have to see how he has come out of that workout.”
A treble Group 2/Group 3 winner in 2014, including a pair of scores over the re-opposing Free Port Lux (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), Gailo Chop was runner-up to Solow (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}) in the G1 Prix d'Ispahan this past May before annexing the G3 La Coupe at Maisons-Laffitte Sept. 18 around a sound defeat at the hands of Free Eagle (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}) in the G1 Prince of Wales's S. at Royal Ascot . Gailo Chop was a well-beaten eighth in the G1 Cox Plate at Moonee Valley Oct. 24 before backing up on a week's rest to take the Mackinnon by a half-length. Christophe Soumillon has the call in the 2000-meter fixture.
STAPHANOS RETURNS TO SHA TIN FOR CUP
Ever since his outstanding runner-up effort behind Blazing Speed (GB) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}) in this year's 2000-meter G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup, Staphanos (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) has been pointed for an appearance in the Hong Kong Cup over a similar distance. The 4-year-old gave every indication that he is ready to fire a big shot third-up from a 5 1/2-month absence, as he breezed a half-mile in :52.8, with an ultimate 400 meters in a flashy :22.5.
“We had a nice gallop on turf this morning,” his jockey Keita Tosaki commented. “I had an impression that the grass surface seems to be something between the Japanese turf and a Bermuda grass type of turf. He handled the surface well and moved nicely. There is no concern about him.”
Beaten just two lengths into second by Blazing Speed in the QE II Cup, Staphanos rallied to be a midfield seventh, beaten under three lengths in the G2 Mainichi Okan. No better than a 33-1 chance last time in the G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn), Staphanos was forced to cover ground, but sustained his rally and dropped a half-length decision to Lovely Day (Jpn). The form of that race looks pretty strong, as the third-placed Shonan Pandora (Jpn) (Deep Impact), while Lovely Day came back to annex the yellow boat.
FIERO SCORCHES SHA TIN TURF…
Fiero (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), a non-threatening sixth behind Able Friend (Aus) (Shamardal) in last year's G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile cast an impressive figure Wednesday morning at Sha Tin, as the handsome brown horse turned in a half-mile workout that was timed in :51.8, with a final 400 meters in a smart :22.1.
Kazuo Fujiwara, assistant trainer to Hideaki Fujiwara, commented, “This is his second time in Hong Kong, so he has settled in well and is relaxed compared to last time he came here. He has had only four starts this season but everything has gone as planned for this coming Sunday. This year's Hong Kong Mile has a strong field to beat, but he has maintained good condition and he is ready to compete well. Today we gave him a breeze on turf and it was just to get a feel of the track.”
The nose loser of this year's G1 Mile Championship S., Fiero was beaten three lengths into fourth behind Maurice (Jpn) (Screen Hero {Jpn}) in the G1 Yasuda Kinen at Tokyo this past June. That compatriot is expected to be the chief market rival for Able Friend this Sunday. The 6-year-old entire came from well back to finish second to the talented filly Albiano (Harlan's Holiday) in the G2 Swan S. at Kyoto Oct. 31 and ran Maurice to 1 1/4 lengths when filling the runner-up spot in this year's Mile Championship Nov. 22.
RED DUBAWI WOULD LIKE IT WET…
Red Dubawi (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who most recently posted a 12-1 upset of the G1 Premio Vittorio di Capua over good-to-soft going at the San Siro Sept. 27, worked over 800 meters of the Sha Tin turf Wednesday morning, clocking a time of :55.7 (:33.4, :22.3), with big-race rider Andreas Suborics in the irons. Trainer Erika Mader, whose lone other runner at the international meeting Faberger (Ger) (Dashing Blade) was a distant 13th at 100-1 behind Sunline (NZ) (Desert Sun {GB}) in the 2000 Mile, was pleased with what she observed, though she'd prefer the precipitation that was around Wednesday to continue.
“All is fine with him, he's eating and drinking well and he had a good gallop this morning–running home strongly his last 400 metres,” the conditioner commented. “He was keen to run. We are happy with him, but we would like some more rain and the ground to be much softer than it is.”
Added Suborics, “He feels good. He's travelled well and his work was as good this morning as you would hope for.”
DARIYAN HAS TRADITION TO UPHOLD…
In the 2009 running of the G1 Hong Kong Vase, His Highness the Aga Khan's Daryakana (Fr) (Selkirk) defeated Juddmonte Farms' Spanish Moon (El Prado {Ire}) to take her career record to five wins from as many starts. Back in fifth on that occasion and making his first appearance at the International meeting was a then-unheralded 3-year-old named Cirrus des Aigles (Fr) (Even Top {Ire}). This weekend, Daryakana's 3-year-old son of Shamardal, Dariyan (Fr), will meet up with his French-bred elder over the 2400-meter journey.
The homebred colt enters the Vase reasonably unexposed, having won half of his six career trips to the post. Victorious in back-to-back efforts at Saint-Cloud this past May, the bay was fourth as the favorite behind Erupt (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G3 Prix du Lys at Chantilly the following month. He bounced back to best War Dispatch (War Front) in the G2 Prix Eugene Adam July 19 and was last seen finishing 1 1/2 lengths adrift of the top-class and subsequent G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe third New Bay (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano at Deauville Aug. 15.
“The horse seems to be in good form, and he is looking well,” commented trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre, who also conditioned Daryakana. “Whether he is good enough I don't know, but we'll find out on Sunday. His run behind New Bay at Deauville in August was a good effort, and we gave him time after that. He's developed and matured since then, and this will be good experience for him. He'll be a nice 4-year-old next year.”
THINGS LOOKING UP FOR GREEN MASK…
Green Mask (Mizzen Mast), one of two American-based runners entered for the G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint alongside his compatriot Mongolian Saturday (Any Given Saturday), is reportedly responding well to treatment for a bruised left front hoof suffered Monday and will be allowed to be declared for the race. After his piece of fast work Monday, the Wesley Ward trainee did not make an appearance on track either Tuesday or Wednesday, with Dr. Chris Riggs originally expressing optimism that the 4-year-old would make the race. The post position draw for Sunday's Longines Hong Kong International Races is scheduled for Thursday morning in the Sha Tin parade ring.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
