Japan Hangs 10 in Hong Kong

Perhaps owing to the rousing back-to-back success of Lord Kanaloa in the Hong Kong Sprint, Japanese horses comprise better than 20% of the entrants for this year’s Hong Kong International Races, with three in the Sprint, four in the Mile and sneaky chances in the Vase and the Cup. 

Lord Kanaloa used a victory in the Sprinters’ S. at Nakayama as a springboard to both of his scores at Sha Tin, and Snow Dragon (Jpn) (Admire Cozzene {Jpn}) and the mare Straight Girl (Jpn) (Fuji Kiseki {Jpn}) represent that race’s form this time around. Snow Dragon has eight wins and 12 runner-up efforts from his 35 career trips to the post, but his half-length defeat of Straight Girl in the Sprinters’ was his first turf tally from five tries. In that 1200-meter affair going left-handed at Niigata Oct. 5, the gray entire was forced to race wide after breaking from the 18 hole, but, despite having to cover extra ground, rallied into the stretch and took it in a blanket finish at an overlaid 45-1. Snow Dragon had a light canter over the Sha Tin all-weather Monday morning. Straight Girl raced ahead of midfield in the Sprinters’ and weaved her way between rivals to just miss. 

“She lost some weight due to the transport, but she has a good appetite and will regain the weight,” her work rider Hiroshi Tanaka said. “She is relaxed and getting familiarised with her new surroundings. [Tuesday] she will work on turf to get familiar with the surface for Thursday’s gallop.” 

The third of the short-trackers looking to defend for Japan is the Dapple Bloodstock-bred Little Gerda (Closing Argument), a $15,000 RNA out of the 2010 Fasig-Tipton October yearling sale, who has gone on to earn over $2 million and comes out of a victory in the G2 Centaur S. Sept. 14. 

Hat Trick (Jpn) (Sunday Silence) is the last foreign-based runner to win the Mile, but Fiero (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) could put a scare into the locals this time around. Eighth to Just a Way (Jpn) (Heart’s Cry {Jpn}) in the G1 Yasuda Kinen in June, the 5-year-old was a close third in the G2 Swan S. at Kyoto Nov. 1 and lost the bob last time out in the Nov. 23 G1 Mile Championship, won by Hat Trick en route to his Hong Kong score. “Thanks to the big number of team Japan, he traveled nicely and was relaxed during the flight,” assistant trainer Takahiro Oto commented. “So far, he is in good condition and seems to feel comfortable in the quarantine stable here.” World Ace (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) finished ahead of Fiero in fifth in the Yasuda Kinen, but could do no better than eighth in the Mile Championship, while Grand Prix Boss (Jpn) (Sakura Bakushin O {Jpn}), a nose second at 147-1 in the Yasuda Kinen, was sixth in the Mile Championship.Hana’s Gold (Jpn) (Orewa Matteruze {Jpn}), who upset the G1 All Aged S. in Sydney this past April, looks the outside of the Japanese quartet, having finished a well-beaten ninth in the G2 Jockey Club Mile at Sha Tin Nov. 23. 

Sheikh Mohammed’s Archimedes (Jpn) (Admire Moon {Jpn}), whose sire was runner-up in the 2006 G1 Hong Kong Cup, looks something other than hopeless in this year’s running, a race won by Japan’s Agnes Digital (Crafty Prospector) in 2001. The 5-year-old has shown progressive form and comes into the Cup first-up since finishing second to Just a Way in the G2 Nakayama Kinen Mar. 2. 

“I was worried about the travelling, because he sometimes has temperament issues,” assistant trainer Toshiya Kubo stated. “”But he travelled with other stablemates and he has settled down. This is his first race up since March, but we have given him some tough workouts recently and cantered him even in the morning of the departure day. He is a very talented horse and hopefully we can keep the good condition.” 

Meiner Lacrima (Jpn) (Chief Bearhart), fourth in the Nakayama Kinen, has the look of a decided longshot in the Cup. Tokei Halo (Jpn) (Gold Halo {Jpn}) outran odds of 15-1 to finish second to Akeed Mofeed (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in last year’s Cup. 

Curren Mirotic (Jpn) (Heart’s Cry {Jpn}) rates an upset look in the G1 Hong Kong Vase, but would need an effort close to or better than his last when he stuck on to complete the exacta, three lengths behind the top-class Gold Ship (Jpn) (Stay Gold {Jpn}) in the G1 Takarazuka Kinen at Hanshin June 29.