By Alan Carasso
Each of the 29 horses in town for the Longines Hong Kong International Races Sunday at Sha Tin Racecourse is outstanding in their own rights. They have earned their chance at this big stage, they are all a combination of attractive, athletic, elegant–take your pick. You would be able to excuse any of this weekend's competitors if they lacked pizzazz and energy. It is the end of a long season for most, after all, and everyone has a bad day now and again. Except, apparently, Criterion (NZ) (Sebring {Aus}). A beautifully conformed chestnut, the 5-year-old has been around the world and back again for trainer David Hayes and Sir Owen Glenn, but you'd never be able to tell.
“Look, he's got an iron constitution,” said the effervescent Hayes at trackwork Wednesday morning, as Criterion was returning from a spin around the Sha Tin dirt track. “He's been in work for 18 months and as you can see, he's really thriving and he's really good.”
Originally trained by David Payne, the homebred was a 2-year-old of some significance, winning the G2 Todman S.–a top course-and-distance prep for the G1 Golden Slipper S. at Rosehill–before finishing sixth, beaten 4 1/2 lengths, by the Gai Waterhouse-trained Overreach (Aus) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) in the big race. He snapped an eight-race losing streak in the 2014 G1 Rosehill Guineas and, having his fourth run in the space of 43 days, added the G1 Australian Derby. Runner-up in the 2014 G1 Caulfield S. and a close seventh in that year's G1 Cox Plate, he was only fifth as the favorite in the G1 Mackinnon S. and reached a crossroads of sorts. Glenn wanted to press on to an overseas target like the Hong Kong Cup, but Payne apparently did not. Who better to transfer the horse to than Hayes, who won no fewer than 458 races in nine years training in the jurisdiction.
Sent off at 38-1 in last year's Cup in his first run for the new outfit, Criterion chased the pace from second and looked a real chance after hitting the lead 200 meters from home before settling for an outstanding third behind odds-on Designs on Rome (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) and Military Attack (Ire) (Oratorio {Ire}) (video). It was the second such result in the Cup for Hayes, who saddled the outstanding filly Elegant Fashion (Aus) (Danewin {Aus}) in 2003.
Having made seven starts in 113 days–four in Sydney, two in Melbourne and the one here in Hong Kong–Criterion took the next three months off, or, at a minimum, didn't race. Classy enough to run a place in the G1 Canterbury S. (1300m) and in the G1 George Ryder S. (1500m), Criterion relished the cut in the ground and rattled home to thrash Red Cadeaux (GB) (Cadeaux Genereux {GB}) in the 2000-meter G1 Queen Elizabeth S. at The Championships back at Randwick this past April. But still there was no rest for the weary. Third to Blazing Speed (GB) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}) and Staphanos (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in this venue's G1 QE II S. 15 days later, he was unplaced when gamely spotted against Free Eagle (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}) in the G1 Prince of Wales's S. at Royal Ascot and behind Arabian Queen (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Cartier Horse of the Year Golden Horn (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}) in the G1 Juddmonte International S. at York. He returned home to annex this year's Caulfield S. in early October, returned on two weeks' rest to finish closest to the runaway Winx (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}) in the Cox Plate (video) and exits a brave third in the G1 Melbourne Cup (video), his first attempt over two miles, and may even have gone closer but for a shortage of racing room at a critical stage.
An amazing streak–and he ain't done yet.
“He's got an incredible Group 1 profile,” Hayes commented, as much a fan of Criterion as anyone. “He's been competitive at the shortest distance and the maximum. Since we've had him, he's averaged A$460,000 a start, so that makes him a very amazing horse.”
Having had the success he did in Hong Kong, Hayes relishes the opportunity to 'come home.'
“It's very exciting to when you have a horse in a HK$25-million race in my old hometown,” he said. “I'd love to come back and win this race, it's their premier international race. It would sure be nice. I've been placed in it a few times, but I'd sure love to win it.”
Speaking of one of those placings, it is with obvious fondness that Hayes recollects the effort of Elegant Fashion a dozen years back. The chestnut mare led into the final furlong, but had the great misfortune of running into two of Europe's best that year and finished third behind Falbrav (Ire) and Rakti (GB) (video).
“She ran really well, she was the Derby winner,” he commented, before matter-of-factly adding, “She was entered and wasn't good enough. Falbrav and Rakti were just a bit too big and a bit too strong on the day. But what a terrific mare she was.”
Having earned nearly A$6.5 million, Criterion is sure to be a sought-after prospect at stud, perhaps as early as next August. With that in mind, race selection this weekend became a fairly easy decision.
“We elected to go for the 2000 [-meter race] rather than the mile and a half, because it's probably a little more appealing to breeders in Australia,” Hayes explained.
Horses like Dunaden (Fr) and Red Cadeaux have had success at this meeting cutting back to the 2400 meters of the Vase from the two miles of the Melbourne Cup. Is Hayes concerned about dropping back all the way to 10 panels?
“The one breeze that I gave him at the Valley [Moonee Valley] (video), he showed a really good turn of foot, so I think he's still got the spring in his legs,” Hayes offered. “He's a Group 1 performer at 1200 meters, so I think he'll be fast enough at the 2000.”
Given the competition he's facing Sunday, he'll need to be just that. But he has proved equal to the task so many times before that it could prove foolish to think Criterion and his world-class trainer can't pull the rabbit out of the hat one more time.
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