No Standout In Jockey Club Mile

With Able Friend (Aus) (Shamardal) returning in the G2 Jockey Club Sprint later on Sunday's card and with queries abounding left and right about him and his future, Sunday's G2 Jockey Club Mile has a decidedly wide-open feel to it, with cases to be made for a majority of the runners.

Having run with credit carrying big weights in two prep runs heretofore, Beauty Only (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) looks primed for a top effort under the allowance conditions of this prep for the G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile. Winner of the 2015 Hong Kong Classic Mile, the 5-year-old was at a tactical disadvantage when first-up in the G3 Celebration Cup H. (1400m) Oct. 1 and rallied late, but could not quite get to the progressive Joyful Trinity (Ire) (Zanzibari) while giving that one 17 pounds. He reproduced a similarly sound finish when last seen in the G3 Sha Tin Trophy H., but was forced to settle for third to the aforementioned Designs On Rome and Blazing Speed.

“The horse is almost at his peak condition now, so I'm very happy with him going into Sunday's race. He's done everything I wanted him to do,” trainer Tony Cruz commented.

Helene Paragon (Fr) (Polan {Fr}) defeated Joyful Trinity at the tail end of last year, but was below-par in his first two trips to the post this term. Trainer John Moore called an audible and sent the 4-year-old entire into the G3 Sa Sa Ladies' Purse H. Nov. 6 and he returned to something approaching his best form when weaving his way home to be a strong second. He'll cut back to the metric mile for this.

“I think he was just rusty and on the big side for those first couple of runs this season,” Moore said. “He just needed to get back in the groove and at his third run he showed that he's now ready to rumble.”

Sun Jewellery (Aus) (Sebring {Aus}) took out the 2016 Classic Mile and perhaps outran his pedigree when winning the Classic Cup (1800m), but his luck ran out when seventh in the Hong Kong Derby. He ran like a horse who needed the run when weakening to sixth to Designs On Rome in the Sha Tin Trophy, but Joao Moreira takes the call and better can be expected.

Giant Treasure (Mizzen Mast) was a pleasant surprise last season for owner Pan Sutong and trainer Richard Gibson, with a runner-up effort to Maurice (Jpn) (Screen Hero {Jpn}) in the Hong Kong Mile before going one better in the G1 Stewards' Cup in January. An even 10th to Lucky Bubbles (Aus) (Sebring {Aus}) in the G2 Premier Bowl H. Oct. 23, he gets back out to the mile and Christophe Soumillon always seems to extract the best effort out of the Juddmonte-bred gelding.