Rematch in the Jockey Club Cup

The versatile Blazing Speed (GB) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}), a Group 1 winner at eight, 10 and 12 furlongs, and Military Attack (Ire) (Oratorio {Ire}) were separated by a head in last year’s G2 Longines Jockey Club Cup and the two familiar foes are set to square off yet again 12 months later in the course-and-distance prep for the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup 22 days down the road.

Winner of the 2014 G1 Champions Mile, the 6-year-old belied odds of 14-1 for an impressive two-length defeat of the Hong Kong Cup-bound Staphanos (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the G1 Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup last April. Fourth, but beaten just a neck by Helene Super Star (War Front), in defense of his title in the G1 Champions and Chater Cup over the metric mile and a half the following month, Blazing Speed finished well to be sixth behind Contentment (Aus) (Hussonet) in the 1600-meter Sha Tin Trophy H. Oct. 25.

Military Attack followed his runner-up effort in this last year with another similar result behind Designs On Rome (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) in the Hong Kong Vase, but was no better than seventh in the QE II Cup. Second to Dan Excel (Shamardal) in defense of his title in the G1 SIA Cup at Kranji in May, the bay gave an excellent account of himself in the Sha Tin Trophy, finishing third to Contentment and Beauty Only (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}).

The latter dropped a neck decision to the progressive Contentment in a Class 1 over a mile July 12, but overcame a tough trip with a nose success in a 1400-meter test Sept. 13. The former Italian runner got far back in the Sha Tin Trophy, but kicked in nicely in the final eighth of a mile to finish within 3/4 of a length for the win. Connections have elected to stretch out to this 2000-meter trip to sidestep a clash with Able Friend (Aus) (Shamardal) and company in the G2 Jockey Club Mile.