By Alan Carasso
Having pummeled eight reopposing rivals last time in the Hong Kong Classic Mile, Rapper Dragon (Aus) (Street Boss) looks very much bulletproof as he squares off with that octet and four new shooters in Sunday's Hong Kong Classic Cup gong a metric nine furlongs.
One of four runners in the race for the always-formidable John Moore yard, the chestnut stamped himself as the 'winter book' favorite for the 2017 Hong Kong Derby with a smart defeat of future G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile hero Beauty Only (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) in a domestic Group 3 at the tail end of his 3-year-old season.
While his preparation towards the Classics hadn't been straight-forward, his win in the Classic Mile was soft, as he sat a midfield trip for Joao Moreira, got through in the lane and powered away to score by a space from Seasons Bloom (Aus) (Captain Sonador {Aus}). Rapper Dragon's final piece of fast work (home in :23.3 Thursday morning) has his trainer feeling extremely confident.
“The way Rapper Dragon galloped just now, the way he floated over the ground, it was very impressive work and the feedback was very positive,” Moore told HKJC's David Morgan. “He couldn't blow a match out. I keep saying it, so I'm sounding repetitive, but he's the cleanest-winded horse I've had in a long time.”
Beauty Generation (NZ) (Road to Rock {Aus}) closed off nicely enough to complete a Moore-trained 1-3 in the Classic Mile, but even his rider Zac Purton feels that there is plenty of catching up to do to get to Rapper Dragon.
“It's Rapper Dragon's race to lose,” was the Australian's assessment of the task at hand.
Trainer John Size has saddled the last two winners of the Classic Cup, including Sun Jewellery (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}), who was adding to a success in the Classic Mile. Dinozzo (Ire) (Lilbourne Lad {Ire}) has made rapid progress and proved that he could handle Sunday's trip with a tough-trip success at the bottom of Class 2 Jan. 22, racing without cover and deep from a high draw before staying on to score by 1 1/4 lengths. Hugh Bowman, who rode Werther to win last year's Hong Kong Derby, jets in for the ride.
Size also sends out Western Express (Aus) (Encosta de Lago {Aus}), a one-paced 10th in the Classic Mile, but exiting a 1 1/4-length defeat of fresh face California Whip (Giant's Causeway) in a Class 2 over 1400m just two weeks back.
'TDN Rising Star' Pakistan Star (Ger) (Shamardal)'s fifth-place effort in the Classic Mile may not look outstanding on paper, but he was ridden forward, was trapped out the entire trip and was beaten fewer than four lengths. Silvestre de Sousa, riding the gelding for the second time, may ease his mount further back this time and allow him to rattle home.
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