Sha Tin

One of the more anticipated mornings leading up to the Longines Hong Kong International Races comes midweek, when the horses representing Japan are allowed to flex their muscle. Four of the six runners that will fly the Japanese flag in three of Sunday's four races did just that Wednesday morning at Sha Tin. Japan fields three of the eight entrants for the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup, a race won by its team in three of the last five years. Danon Premium (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) will try to give...

A good horse can come from anywhere, can come in all shapes and sizes. Perhaps no horse in the history of the Hong Kong turf embodies that idea more than the diminutive, but wildly talented California Memory (Highest Honor {Fr}--Kalpita, by Spinning World). Brookdale Farm's Fred Seitz acquired Kalpita privately after she was led out unsold on a bid of 48,000gns at Tattersalls December in 2005 and the mare foaled a grey colt Mar. 2, 2006. Hailing from the female family of champions Bosra Sham (Woodman) and Hector Protector (Woodman),...

Barree Stable's Singapore-based Inferno (Aus) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) has been scratched from Sunday's G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint at Sha Tin after being found to be lame in his left front leg by Hong Kong Jockey Club veterinarians Tuesday. Very little went as planned for Inferno on his trip over to Hong Kong. The air conditioning in the horse float that transported Inferno from Kranji Racecourse to Changi Airport about 30 minutes away broke down and the horse was subjected to the heat for three hours. He then had...

Hot King Prawn (Aus) (Denman {Aus}), recent winner of the G2 Jockey Club Sprint, and his John Size stablemate Waikuku (Ire) (Harbour Watch {Ire}) signaled their readiness for the Dec. 13 Longines Hong Kong International Races with victorious barrier trials at Sha Tin Dec. 4. Waikuku, runner-up to the re-opposing Admire Mars (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Ire}) in last year's G1 Hong Kong Mile and a latest third in the G1 FWD Champions Mile in April, came with a wide run from far back on the turn and kept on well...

It has been 12 months since Ballydoyle's Magic Wand (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was just beaten to the wire by Japan's Win Bright (Jpn) (Stay Gold {Jpn}) in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup, but that outfit's globetrotting Magical (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) will try to turn the tables as the marquee name among 15 foreign raiders for the Longines Hong Kong International Races at Sha Tin Racecourse Sunday, Dec. 13. No fewer than 17 international Group 1 winners are set to compete. "The Longines Hong Kong International Races is firmly established...

MG1SW Magical ((Ire) (Galileo {Ire}--Halfway to Heaven {Ire}), by Pivotal {GB}), runner-up behind Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal) in the Nov. 7 GI Breeders' Cup Mile at Keeneland, has remained in training and is expected to make her next start in the G1 Hong Kong Cup at Sha Tin Dec. 13. Earlier this season, the 5-year-old mare won the G1 Irish Champion S., G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup and the G1 Pretty Polly S. "She ran very well in America, we were very happy with her at the Breeders' Cup," said trainer Aidan...

G1 Irish 2000 Guineas hero Romanised (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) is still a potential candidate for the G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile at the Longines Hong Kong International Races in mid-December at Sha Tin. Although third when favoured after a slow beginning at Dundalk on Monday, the 5-year-old won the G2 Minstrel S. earlier this year and was sixth in the G1 Prix du Moulin in September. Also a winner of the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois, the Ken Condon trainee's performance has not discouraged his connections. "I think...

A total of 162 nominations from 10 racing jurisdictions, including no fewer than 61 Group 1/Grade I winners, have been received by the Hong Kong Jockey Club for the HK$95-million Longines Hong Kong International Races at Sha Tin Racecourse Dec. 13. "We are delighted to have such strong nominations for our four Group 1 races in December," said Andrew Harding, Executive Director, Racing for the HKJC. "Considering the current climate in regard to the COVID-19 situation, it just reiterates that the Longines Hong Kong International Races are recognised the world...

Beauty Generation (NZ) (Road To Rock {Aus}) and Hot King Prawn (Aus) (Denman {Aus}), two of the five highest-rated horses in Hong Kong, are the heavyweights in a pair of Group 2 races Sunday at Sha Tin Racecourse, but face younger and well-handicapped rivals who figure to take all the beating. On a rating of 130, the 8-year-old Beauty Generation remains Hong Kong's top-rated galloper and he will--once again--have to deal with rising superstar Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro), this time in the Oriental Watch Sha Tin Trophy H. (1600m)....

Sunday's G3 Celebration Cup H. was billed as something of a David versus Goliath matchup between Classic series sweeper Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) and multiple Hong Kong Horse of the Year Beauty Generation (NZ) (Road to Rock {Aus}). But, in receipt of a whopping 17 pounds from the 8-year-old, Golden Sixty--having his first start since winning the BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) in March--kicked in with what has become his trademark finishing speed to post a facile success, as Beauty Generation and Champion's Way (Aus) (Hinchinbrook {Aus}) hit the...

Sent off the 35-100 favorite in Sunday's 1000-meter Chairmen's Day Plate at Hong Kong's Sha Tin Racecourse, Chancheng Prince (Carpe Diem) made light work of four other rivals to score by 3 1/4 convincing lengths (video). The event was restricted to so-called griffins, Southern Hemisphere 2-year-olds and Northern Hemisphere 3-year-olds that are unraced prior to their arrival in Hong Kong. With second-leading rider Joao Moreira taking the reins for the first time, the gray colt hopped slightly at the start, then raced prominently on the stands' rail. Sent into the...

The G1 2000 Guineas card at Newmarket on June 6 and Japan's G1 Yasuda Kinen on June 7 will be simulcast for betting beginning in the late evening of Saturday, June 6, the Hong Kong Jockey Club announced on Sunday. Newmarket's seven races are headed by the 2000 Guineas, where European Champion 2-Year-Old Colt Pinatubo (Ire) (Shamardal) is expected to take part. Meanwhile in Japan the next day, the 1600-metre G1 Yasuda Kinen features Japanese Horse of the Year Almond Eye (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) and the race will be...